Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-20

'Dlngle, 0OngIe, QlnSIe, UlnS, uinSi
ding" ended the first 5summons to
the factory workers, the {last ding
being long drawn out, as though the
bell ringer, who was alsoj the night
Waterman, was becoming, weary OF
the signal which ended and yet did
not end his hours of labor. His regu-
lar visit to the peg clock I'M each room
was over, but now he must wait an
other half hour to ring the last sum-
mons to the help.
Janet Hatcher was a sleepy head,
and, though she heard and recognized
the last drawing ding" of the first
bell, she made no effort to rise, but
continued TO lie there, gazing sullenly
at the window, through which faint
suggestion of daylight was beginning
to appear Rain was patterrng against
1t, and the chill OF a falling barometer
had penetrated the room until the
mere thought of stepping Lout upon a
cold floor brought an anticipatory
shiver, and the factory was nearly a
mile away.
Janet was blue. She ha1 gone to
bed in that condition, ands now she
had awakened in the same way.
1t was not until she heardfa hesitat-
ing step below that she sIHsang from
bed, repentant, ashamed. and hurried
into her clothes and downstairs.
'Oh. mother" she cried, ~you ought
not to have got up till 1 had a fire
started! Here. let me throw this
shawl around you"
81 was afraid you'd be latIs dearie,"
her mother said apologetially. Il
meant to have got up soonei, and had
something warm for you, ibut over
slept. It's too bad to havetto go out
on a morning like this"
'WeIl. didn't oversleep, "tconfesscJ
Janet. forcing herself into temporary
cheerfulness. 81 was just: lazy and
lay there studying about things.
Lucky I had everything ready last
night. I'll put the water ine4his shall
low pan so it'll heat quickly ;uhen We'll
have coffee" She glanced atk1le clock.
Twenty minutes, and it'll ta4te twelve
for me to walk to the factory. No, ma,
you needn't put up q chair for me. 1
shan't sit down. I'll just take bite
and run. Don't you hurry, though.
Wait till the victuals get warmed over
and the coffee's good, then take your
time. tn help fill up the dtly. You
must get awful lonesome here4 by your
self"
'N-no, not so very" the oldi woman
answered. 81 have my knitting, and
there's the cat. But 1 do look forward
to your coming home, dearieF'
81 suppose SO. 1 wish She paus-
ed abruptly. She must not make
things any harder for the Invalid, who
already had to bear so much. she took
a few bites hurriedly and I'M silence,
then slipped some bread and an apple
into a paper bag.
Janet was all ready, with the hood
of the waterproof drawn overt until it
almost concealed her face, when her
mother returned with the slippers and
stockings rolled into a small package.
This and the lunch she slipped under
the folds of the waterproof. Then she
pushed back the hood a littletin order
to kiss her mother goodby.
''Now I must hurry" she said, 'for
times up. Tonight I'll cook UP a lot
Of nice things-an Indian pudding,
maybe, and some brown bread. And
you know, mother, Sundays onlyithree
days of, when wen be together most
all day"
Outside the depressed feeling re-
turned In its full intensity. The rain
beat in her face, the raw winds crept
through the waterproof and thinscloth-
ing, the road was covered with two
inches OF soft, ciinging mud, and it
was still too dark for her to see her
way clearly.
The next house was dark. The folks
had not got up yet and would not
have to any more until it was light.
Mary Bosworth, her best friend, lived
there, aud the morning before Mary
had joined her in the hurry toward
the mill But Mary was very bright
girl. who had studied drawing and
other things and who was quick and
imaginative in sketching designs and
novelties. The day before she had
been promoted to the position of as
sistant designer for the mill, and aft
eE this she would work In thea office