Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1908-08-06

Is particularly receptive when Il Is In
that condition. Anyway. after a while
curious mist began to form before
my eyes. mist which soon became a
blur OF dim color: and this gradually
worked itself to a focus OF light in
which | felt. somehow, that I could
sec pictures IL wished. II was
strange sensation, quite new to me. |
| wasn't asleep. you understand. II I
tried / could see the vacuous faces of
the woman who sat opposite me and
/ the baby on her knees. the mist dis
/ Polling TO let me do so; but when I
gave myself up to the thoughtless re-
pose IL collected again. and the clear
| spot in the centre became more de-
| fined. | was conscious OF one ether
/ thing-a curious tingling sensations
In my left arm. the arm that pressed
against that Of the girl by my side;
IL was just as IL the blood were rush.
ing from her veins TO mine. I don't
know IL I make myself clear: II was
such a curious experience for
matter-of-fact man like myself that I
hardly know how to express IT, I
hadn't the smallest desire TO read the
| the girls thoughts or TO intrude my
/ self unwarrantably into her affairs:
but I couldn't help myself any more
than she could; we had got unaccoun-
taboy en- rapport-isn't that what you
call it?-a sort of. unconscious cele-
/ bratoni
| Well, she must have been thinking
| hard of something that had recently
| happened 10 her-that very day. |
/ take II. AID saw il all with her
eyes. First Of all dingy workroom
"a lot OF girls sitting at a long table
and sewing mechanically dress mate
/ rails OF some sort-Im no good al de-
scribing that kind OF thing. but saw
[ It as clearly as IL I'd been in the
room. The floor a litter. the table a
litter. patterns. stun OF every hue and
| quality. cut and uncut, yards OF IL,
cpread out or tumbled together; dunn
my figures, some partially clad, some
only framework and wooden bust:
sprays OF artificial flowers. lace. rib
bon. cotton. Cotton! Why. the at
mosphere OF the place seemed loaded
with it. You know the close smell OF
a diapers shop? I assure you I got
exactly that kind of impression.
All the girls seemed to be chatter
ing together gayly enough-all except
my girl. saw her as plainly as
see you. She was working a sewing
machine, and she kept glancing at
big. clumsy clock upon the wall. She
could hardly see the time BIZ il. for
the room was so full Of mist; there
were flaming gas jets hanging from
the ceiling, but they didn't seem to
give sufficient light However. knew
well enough what the girl wanted:
she was anxious for the hour TO strike
when she would be at liberty TO take
her departure The minutes seemed
to drag out into eternity for her.
will he be there" That is what
she was repeating to herself and of
course. being for the time. as ii were.
in her brain, knew all about him
as much as she did. anyway. I
thought. with her. that he would be
certain to turn up at the appointed
meeting place.
He did. They met at an A. B. c. tea
shop. and he was evidently cross with
her for being late didn't like the
look of the fellow at all: he was a
shocking bounder, loudly dressed. and
with a bowler hat set on one side of
his head. A ioafer. II ever I saw one.
He had shifty eyes and a receding
chin and horrid thick lips. He smil-
ed and chatted amiably enough at first
while the girl nervously slipped her
tea: but las expression changed
quickly when she leaned forward and
began to talk to him very earnestly.
quite expected II would-as did she.
poor girl. You see, knew what was
in her mind.
II was pitiful He regained his
coEposure and began to talk sooth-
ingly. but 1t was such obvious acting
Even she was scarcely deceived by II
though she tried hard to believe
him genuine. He kept shifting about
in his seat. anxious the whole time
to get away. There were tears in
her eyes when she rose to go. but he
whispered something that nude her
smile up AT him through her tears
think 10 was q promise to meet her
again.
They parted under the glare OF the
electric light outside the shop. She
lifted her face for n kiss. and he give
II TO her; but think that his kiss
must have told her the truth. She
stood gazing after him as he disap
peared In the crowd. and there vas an
agony of apprehension in her face.
He won't come back, I shall never
see him again" You may laugh, but
felt as IL the words were torn from
my own heart.
Well. I'm very near the end OF my
story. The girl must have moved
her arm just about then. for all OF a
sddden the whole train of impressions
was broken. / started up as IL | had
just come out OF a dream. and those
words were on my lipsI actually
spoke them aloud-"He won't come
back I shall never see him again"
She heard me. Il must have seem
ed to her as though had spoken her
actual thought She. too. was sitting
up. and there was a scared look on
her face-her eyes were absolutely
wild
How did you know she whis-
pered. Then, realizing that I Wa q
stranger, fancying. suppose that ]