Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1913-08-15

straWS atter LueIuS 4IOm INC UdCh
.orcbes of the flats were loud, awak-
irg tinny sounds, breaking the long
silence. The clank of the cable-cars
Uoc horne over the roofs, clearly now
en- the damp, heavy atmosphere; from
comewhere came the jingle of street
riano Floating down the mild after
nnon came the deep, mellow note of
cone big propeller, loosing her winter
mornings at last and rousing. to greet
4ba ting that would tow. her out of the
narrow river. Kelley, the policeman,
gtrolled along the sidewalk, with his
hands locked behind him, his nose in
the air. shifting eagerly and pleasur-
ahly. He had left of his skirted over
coat and changed his clumsy cap for
his helmet.
Annie had sat at her window all the
afternoon, but, as the spring day wore
toward it's close, she began to realize
that only the melancholy, and none Of
the promise of this first spring day
had touched her. She had thrown
open the window, to test the quality
Of the air. Now and then warm
breath came wandering in off the
prairies, though when it met the cold,
persistent wind from the lake, it hest
tated. and timidly turned back. But
Annie would not let herself doubt that
the spring had come. She knew that
in time the prairie wind would WOO
its way until it would be playing with
the waves Of the lake itself, the little
waves that danced all day, blue and
white, in the sunshine. And then the
summer would come, and on Sunday
afternoons Jimmy would take her out
TO Lincoln Park and they would have
their supper at Fishers Garden.
Leadam street was dull enough on
week days; on Sundays it was wholly
mournful.
Once Annie saw woman, with a
shawl over her head and tin bucket
in her hand, go into Englehardt's
place, down the street. The woman
went in furtively, and brushed hastily
through the Family Entrance"
though why could not be told. She
went there nearly every hour of every
day Then Annie was left alone. She
did not turn inward to the fiat; that
was too still and lonesome, and 1t was
growing dark now, as the shadows
gathered. She heard the strenuous
gongs Of the cable-cars over in State
street, and she could imagine the
crowds gay from their Sunday holt
day, that filled them, clinging even to
the running-b boards. She might have
gone out and been with them, as evs
cry one else in the street seemed to
have done, but she would not for
worlds have been away from home
when Jimmy came. She heard the
jingle Of the street piano, too; she
wished it would come down that way.
She would gladly have emptied her
purse for the Dago.
It was not unusual for Annie to be
left alone, and she had grown used to
it-almost; as used as woman can
even the wife of politician.
Jimmy has told her that she must not
worry at any Of his absences; an
alderman could never tell what might
detain him. She had but a vague no
ton Of the things that might detain
an alderman, though she had no doubt
of their Importance. At times she
thought she felt an intimate little
charm in the Importance that thus re-
nected itself upon her, but, neverthe-
less, her heart was never quite easy
until she heard Jimmy's step on the
stair and his key in the latch, and
then-joy came to the little fiat, and
stayed there, trembling and fearful,
until he went away again. She had
grown to be so dependent on Jimmy
Ever since she had been graduated
personality had stood between her and
the world, so that, as her girlhood had
merged into womanhood, she had
hardly recognized the change, and she
remained girl still, alone but for
aim; he was her whole life. She had
Coubted his entrance into politics at
nrst, just as she had doubted his 60
ing into the saloon business, though
sne scarcely understood either in their
various significances. Father Daugh-
erty had told her she was a fortunate
sirl to have Jimmy for husband, and
mat had been enough. Her only OBJ
lection was that politics seemed to
Keep Jimmy away from home oftener
tlan the old work in the packing
uouse used to; she had trembled at 1t
At times, and at times had grown
.!Vue frightened. His success in poll
ucs had pleased her, of course. and
naae her proud, but it could not have
made her prouder of him than she
uao been. Ee was all-suficient for
uer; no change could make any differ
ence. -. Without Jimmy, what
could she have done? He had never
Ueen gone SO long before; here it was
sunday evening; he had left at eleven
Veiock Saturday morning; there was
/" De an extra session Of the council
saturday night, an unusual thing, and
que mad not been surprised when she
woke to find that 1t was Sunday
come.
nj