The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1919-10-09
Better DAYS
@>H
BY VICTOR REDCLIFFE


Copyright, 1919. by the Western News
paper Union.l
Cuddled up like q mouse, lying up
on a rude board bench at the side Of
an abandoned switch shanty, her hand
Supporting her head and enmeshed in
mass of loose golden tresses the girl,
fast asleep wore a smile upon her
face as though her dreams were pleas
ant ones.
She could not have been over eight
cen and her worn and ragged shoes
and crinkled ribbons were not in ac-
cord with the general neatness of her
attire. A man lurched by, young
like herself, paused and stared hard.
"Well, this is new one" he NUT
tered. 81 say, little one, wake up!
ms old switch yard is no place for
you"
He had touched one hand lying
loosely over the edge of the bench.
The girl aroused so magically quick
and her big blue eyes opened so wide
anu mat NY loh AAa9h IL
treated a step or two.
'That is the 6:15 western dispatch,
isn't it-can you tell me?"
81 can" nodded Trask, "but what
have you to do with the 6:15?"
ITO get into an empty car. It goes
to Meriden, my home town, and that Is
the only way, unless l walk"
81 see you have done something in
that line already" suggested Trask,
glancing at her broken shoes one heel
less and its side ripped by rail splin-
ter, the other with a Tapping sole.
'Yes, clear from Chicago. l can't go
barefooted as l will soon be If | keep
on tramplng, so 1 was going to steal
my way"
= Myron Trask took silent survey of
the forlorn little figure. He steadied
himself erect and breathed hard
through compressed lips. "See here,
Miss" he said finally, II had a sister
once, and you've set me thinking. Tell
me little about yourself and maybe
can help you on your way"
"Why, yes, III tell you all about It,"
said the girl with ingenious frank
ness. my name is Irma Dalziel. l
have been filling a little speaking part
in Hearts and Homes Good people,
they were, from the manager down. l
ran away from home to join them.
They went to pieces last week and
there wasn't enough left to pay car
fare. I've written father and mother
that l am through with my foolish
dream Of becoming a great actress
and am on my way back to the dear
old place I'll never leave again. Oh
er-never-never
SO longing, so intense, so rapturous
were the accents, so vivid, so rapturous
did they frame within the mentality OF
Myron Trask, that he seemed to covet
such paradise of relief and JOY, as
IL for himself, for Trask was on the
seat of contrition and repentance at
the present time.
Strange, Miss" he said in an uncer-
tain tone, "but you and l seem to be
In the same boat. / got my dismissal
from service last week for going on
bout with the crows. The road may
or may not take me back, but no more
of the reckless and silly for me. I've
got no money but the hotel will give
Myron Trask anything he wants, and
trot 'en 10 4
get a good meal. Then you are going
to the depot and wait for the Sis
passenger. I'll put you in charge of
old Boyd Wesley, the conductor. He'll
At that terminus you'll have only fifty
six miles on the Northern. And when
you get back to your dear little home,
stay there, and once In a while think
of the railroad lads, rough and ready,
and sometimes reckless, but with
hearts as big as pumpkins when they
see woman needing help"
"Why you almost make me cry"
said Irma soberly. you'd make a star
hit on the stage with such a human
interest speech as that. I'll never for.
get you"
maybe I'd have made better rec
ord and kept straight if had been
lucky enough 10 run across girl like
you,' said Myron, with a slight catch
In his voice, MS he bade her goodby
at the depot. "Show this card to what
ever conductor you run across" and
he handed her bit Of pasteboard
upon which he had scrawled a few
words. I'm not much just now, hut
my name will go as far as that Of
the president Of the road with my true
pals"
A sudden rush of tears came to the
eyes of Trina as she casped the hand
of her benefactor. She leaned towards
him and lmpulsively kissed his
bronZed, beard-toughened face with the
words "How your dead sister must
have loved your Then moment later
she waved adleu to him through an
open coach window and for long
time after the train had gone Myron
Trask stood rejecting, caresslng the
cheek where that warm kiss Of graft
tude had been bestowed
It was noticeable by the former
reckless comrades Of Myron later that
he eschewed their company and idle
ness. BY some influence he became
reinstated with the road and asked for
position as station agent and his
chosen post was the little town where
Trina lived
She was not dull girl ana she dis