Middletown transcript., 1909-07-31
THE WR ROl q BAG
By " 3 ROSE

with high hopes. He was going
home worsted in q measure dis,
couraged. He was not the man
to give upcompletely. There was
too much Of the Puritan stock in
him for that. But he was defeat
ed in his first battle and admitted
IL without question.
He had tried hard TO succeed.
The great tronble was that he
hadn't succeeded fast enough.
he had found employment, but.
at wages that we're scarcely sufi-
Gent to maintain him. He had
striven hard to please-to make
himself usefnl-but his efforts
we're not rewarded.
He finally told himself that il
was the lack of opportunity that
kept him down. Without oppor-
tunity his severest efforts avail
ed nothing. Opportunity might
confront him at any moment. 1t
might never ccme.
It was q good thing that Anna
Lincoln had written and advised
him to come home. Anna was
his sweetheart, and it was Anna
who had been his incentive.
He wanted to win q fortune for
Anna's sake. He had gone to
the big city cheered by her love.
Anna's letters cheered him
when he felt the bluest. But
finally she had written him in
another strain.
Ezra, she wrote, ] want you
to. come home a take a rest-or
at least enjoy a change. | can
see that you are not in frame
of mind to do yourself credit.
You need mental relaxation. Be-
sides, the tenants on your farm
require attention. They are TAX
ing advantage Of your absence.
And I want to see you, Ezra,
Come home.
He was glad to receive this
call. He wanted to see Anna.
He felt that he need the tonic OF
her cheering words.
The next morning he drew the
little money that was due him
from his employer, his week be-
ing up, and bought present for
Anna in one of the big depart
ment stores, and after eating his
modest luncheon from q long
counter, went to his boarding
place and paid his landlady and
packed bis bag with his simple
belongings and started to walk to
the ferry. 1t was a long walk,
but he enjoyed it. Perhaps this
enjoyment was increased by the
fact that he was nearing home
and Anna.
The sky was cloudy, and as
he boarded the ferryboat drizz-
ling rain was falling. The train
shed was dark and gloomy
and the rain fell heavily on the
roof as Ezra reached the waiting
train. He boarded the smoking
car and put his bag on an empty
seat. AS he entered the door he
was iostled by the two men who
were on the platform. He paid
no attention to them, merely
noting that one was dark and
that the other was tall and slen-
der. After putting down his
bag he suddenly remen bered that
he hadn't made sure he was on
the right train. 1t was a road
thatfrequently changed its sched-
ules.
He stepped back to the plat
form and met the two men just
entering the aisle. They looked
athim sharply, be remem bered.
Does this train stop at Millville?
he called to a uniformed official
No, was the answer. This is
the express. The way train fol-
lows in twelve minutes.
A gong changed sharply.
All aboard, a voice shouted.
Ezra turned and ran back into
the car. It was quite dark, but
be discerned the form Of the
smaller man, who had jostled
him in the aisle, leaning forward
and intently staring through the
nearest window as if expecting
to see some one. The other man
was not in sight.
The train was moving as Ezra
lightly caught up his bag and
turned and hurried back. It had
gained considerable head way
when he dropped to the station
floor.
Nearly four hours later he left
the way train at Millville and
bag in hand started up the main
street. AS he looked around at
the familiar scenes he sighed.