The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-01-08
Good Morning"
And "Sweetheart'
b. SAMUEL E. BRAN1

had been running a locomotive for
ten years. my runs always covering
those hours when persons are free to
mingle with one another socially.
was getting old-that Is. what !
thought was old In those days. was
thirty -four. and | didn't like the pros
pect before me. I'm u domestic man,
and home Is the only place for me
when I'm not busy. used to envy
every snug cot ! passed on my line,
and my heart sank that l couldn't have
one of my owl. had the money saved
MP. but II got the house ! had no
woman { put into it. and what's a
house without q woman? And. what's
more, there's no use In a mans trying
to make u home without q wife.
There was one place beside the road
that | thought II | got a wife ! would
like to buy and tx it up to live in. 1t
wasn't far from my stirling point, and
between runs ! could spend my time
there III comfort. Ever since ! had
gone on to the route 1t had been shut
up. 1t was a two story cottage with a
big porch. thought how nice it would
be to sit on the porch In summer and
smoke my pipe while my wife was
| cleaning away things after getting sup
per.
But one morning when ! passed the
house I saw that my dream had been
spoiled. Some one had taken my pro-
spective home away from me. At any
rate. a man was repairing 1t, another
was painting 1t. and q third was mend.
ing the fence. A few days later when
! went by l saw an old lady sitting on
the porch.
One Sunday ] saw Il young woman
fixing up the grounds. concluded
that she was the old lady's daughter
and vas at work In a store or an Of
fee. leaving Sunday her only day free
for working about the house. When
July came on she used to work about
the place Saturday afternoons, but
when September came she stopped
this. didn't see any man about the
place and concluded the young woman
was a spinster.
One day during the winter she was
starting out from the house just as !
was drawing near it. didn't give her
time to cross the track, for ] wished
to see her close by. When l reached
her she was waiting for my train to
pass. and l looked right down on her
from the cab window. 1t happened
that she looked up and saw an ex.
preston Of admiration on my face. 1t
was only q passing glimpse for either
Of us, but it was enough.
After that I saw the young woman
quite often when l passed. I noticed
that ON my outward on Sunday.
when | passed her house about II
o'clock. she was always on the porch
with the old lady or working in the
garden. hut this was when the wealth.
er was warm. And l could see that
she knew my train, and ] fancied she
was looking out for me.
When spring came on ! noticed her
out making u flower garden. When
she had got the ground in order she
put in some seed In March the plants
began to come up. and 1t looked to me
az If they were going to make letters.
And 90 they did. They tulips
and spelled Good morning."
Now. there was NJ reason to sup.
pose these words were intended for
me any more than any n else. but
somehow I couldn't get it out Of my
head that they were. At any rate. I
Just thought I'd risk making some
sort Of reply. There was an embank'
ment not far from the house and In
plain sight from 1t. One night I went
out with some seeds and. making a bed
on the side Of this embankment. plant
ed them. In a couple Of weeks they
were up and spelled Sweetheart"
took my train out n Sunday
morning about the time my letter
flowers got big enough to be read from
the house. The girl was on the porch
and as I passed threw me a kiss and
ran into the house.
This was oil the flower counting
there was. for 1t was too slow. AT
any rate. 1t was too slow for me.
didn't want any more encouragement.
The first spare time | had ! got my
self up in a clean boiled shirt and a
decent suit Of clothes and went to the
house to get welcomed or snubbed. as
the ease might be. for there are girls
who will be up to a lot of skylarktng
that won't stand TO be approached ex.
cept in the regular way.
The only weapon I took with me to
make a fight with was a posy.
knew she was fond Of flowers. and
relied on this considerably. Z
l went to the door and knocked. 1t
was opened BY the girl herself. and
when she saw me she sort Of shrieked
and was going to shut 1t when held
my pOsy under her nose.
That did the business. She laughed
and biushed and invited me in.
The old, lady was there. and the girl
introduced me to her. calling her moth.
er. I began BY saying q lot Of nice
things to the old lady, telling her
what a coy place she had and how Of.
Dr. l-