Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1908-10-29

isIt was hard times. It seemed to
him that 1t had always been hard
times, and yet this was different. He
stood in the open doorway OF a down
town restaurant, and within. the sill
yer on the tables shone almost more
alluringly than the sight of the 1000
appealed to his scantily fed stomach.
After all it was not so hard to De
hungry or cold if you could bear II
alone
He had been waiting until some
chance should slide him past the
watchful man at the door and pres
emily it came in the form OF a group
of late diners who crowded together
in at the entrance. He went IN with
them unnoticed, confident Of finding
darkened corner in which he might
await his opportunity. He must De
very careful. He must not add TO ner
burden the cne thing that as yet ne
had reTer broaght--upon her-d1s-
grace. He was not mistaken; the
corner was there, and into 1t he crepl,
behind a potted towering tree. Con-
cealed there he looked out and saw
everything and everyone. Eagerly ne
estimated to himself the value OF the
himself that they were not worth
table things and cried out within
more.
After that he began to take note OF
the merry group with whom he had
come in, and who now occupied
round table before him. There were
an elderly couple, smiling good ma
tured twain, dressed handsomely and
contented of aspect. He looked at
them wistfully, wondering If they had
ever known trouble There was an
other lady who with her husband fur
nished fun for the party, but the
mans attention was arrested by
girl at the end of the table, because
somehow she made him think OF her
as she used to be. The young fellow
beside her might almost have been
himself at that age, and as he bent
over the girl. anticipating her small
est wish, the watching man could
have pushed them crying out warn
ing from that bitter experience of his,
not to entangle that innocent life With
uncertainty
Its astonishing how people hang
on that sort Of thing, .the vivacious
lady said. Only last week when we
were at the Graham's merely men
| toned that Fred had done little of
| it, and he was the most popular man
| in the room directly"
do you rea1lysSknow anythdag
about palmistfy?' % asked the elder
| gentleman, .tor are you merely smart
enough to make people think you
I HE told me- said the younger, for
| getting to take his eyes from the girl
at his side, ''he- told me once whom
Ii was to marry-actually describing
her-told her age and when we should
meet That was three years ago?'
1 s. And did you meet her?
Eyes
And shall you marry herr" banter
ed the old gentleman.
The boy did not smile. Il shall-ii
she thinks I'm good enough he sale
avery softly. The man behind the
4owering tree passed his hand across
his eyes. So might that other young
i fellow q few years have looked ant
spoken. What had been the matte1
i that everything had gene wrong? HI
had worked hard. He had been hon
est and earnest But there had beer
winters Of sickness for both OF them
| There had been the little children t
clothe and care for, and then na'
! come the hard times. He had no
worked all winter because there wa
no place for him. She had worked
. though and every time he saw tn
hands which had once been so deilcat
uricked with sewing and reddene
with washing, he blamed himself n e
bringing her to it. Why was It TN tns
J he had not been able to take care
her when other men whose W1Ve
] were not so dear to them could 40