The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1909-09-10
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The Man From Out West
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IL was Saturday-that last and hard
est day Of the week. Since o'clock
Margaret Gladys had been on her feet
/ directing and assisting her maid OF all
work, who, having been out TO a dance
! the night before. was even slower
handed than usual. Yet. though pro
) Voked almost beyond endurance, Mar.
garet did not lose her temper.
She was slender woman with a re-
mar kable girlishness of figure and a
remarkable pathos and sweetness OF
expression. Her big blue eyes had
shed tears enough 10 fade them. but
they were not faded. Bravely did she
try 10 keep the corners of her mouth
up as she went swiftly from one task
TO another. II was not her way TO look
worried or dowa-hearted no matter
how she felt
Twelve years before her big. rough
husband 10 whom her mother had mar
ried her an ignorant slip OF girl,
had gone down with his engine TO the
foot of an embankment in a cloud Of
escaping steam. which had scalded
him to death. Since then life had been
harder than ever for Margaret There
was little daughter TO be provided
unframed hands to depend upon For
ten years she did everything that an
honest, incompetent woman may do TO
earn her living. She sewed. baked.
scrubbed and took care of the sick
The few hundreds of dollars that the
railroad company had doled out to her
as compensation for the loss of her
bread winner had purchased a home
which sheltered her and the little
Madge. But for food and fuel and
clothing she had TO furnish the where
withal. In big town. far from the
few TO whom she was joined by ties
of kinship. she fought alone in the
sight OF God and her little girl
Al the end of ten years. with Madge
beginning TO be able to help little.
Margaret decided that she would try
to do what so many Of her neighbors
did-keep boarders. She reasoned that
working in her own home must of ne
cessity be easier than working in an
others Her first boarder was an over
flow from Mrs Hunts larger house-a
young mechanic who wanted a quiet
place to lodge in. He brought others.
until the house was as full as IL could
hold For a year she worked alone,
then help became a necessity. No
place at her table was ever empty, for
il was known throughout the neigh
borhood that cleaner beds and dan-
tier fare could not be found anywhere
IL vas hard always TO maintain the
standard. Margaret felt that today as
she hurried to and fro preparing the
Sunday dinner and that days lunch
con, bestirring the languid Maud and
listening TO hear If Madge were prac-
ticing as she should. The kitchen was
full of doors and warm as an over
heated range could make il. Suddenly
Margaret caught at the edge OF a table
with one hand and pressed the other
to her eyes. Maud aroused by the
unusual movement stared at her.
What's the natter she asked.
Nothing" Margaret managed to
say; I'm just a little dizzy. that's all.
It's pretty close in here IL you will
watch the cooking think will take
a little rest"
At that instant something seemed TO
give way in her head: she began TO
sink and felt herself falling She tried
to cry out as her hand was torn from
the stair rail by its own weight Then
a horrible. rushing darkness seized
her. she felt a shock of a terrible blow.
then. with moan, she passed into
Inconsistencies.
With another moan she opened her
eyes and looked into those OF a man
who was bending over her with an ex-
preston of great disnay on his face.
She knew him. He was the man from
out West. "a Madge called him. the
man who wore a handkerchief knotted
about his neck on wet days and pulled
his hat-brim over his eyes on sunshiny
ones He had been in the house two
months yet she had rarely spoken to
him He never complained or was
anything but quiet ald sober Some
times, as she had hurried in and out
of the dining room at meal time. she
had met his eyes and they had i'm
pressed her as being very dark and
keen: il was the only way in which
he ever appeared aware of her pres
ence.
Are you hurt bad?" he asked now
Yes" Margaret tried to say. but
failed. and had TO finish her meaning
with a nod.
MY Cod" the man from out West
sdlu- he put MS dilHS gently unuef-
meath her slim length and lifted her as
easily as a strong wind lifts a feather
Then he shouted for help. The sound
of his voice rang strangely in Mar
garet's ears as she again lost con
sciousness Half an hour later she
found that she was lying in her own
bed DR.. Kring was there and he
was talking TO Mrs Hunt. who was
also there. about some one who was
going TO be laid up a good while"
DO you mean me-" Margaret asked. |
Then. before the answer she dreaded |
came. she turned her face away and |
cried. To be laid up for weeks. may.
be. seemed almost more than she could |
bear. If she gave up her boarders, how |
could she live? And there was no |
one she could depend upon.
Mrs Hunt. fat. red OF face, but with |
the kindness of an angel. saw Mar |
garet's tears. and she went over TO |
her. Now. my dear" she said. cheer
up I'll see to things here for few
days till you're able to see to them
But how can YOU" Margaret pro
tested. family. but beginning to see a
glimmer of hope. you have your own