Year: 1873

Morrison. even II be threw wedge ot
gold in my lap every dsy.


So began 90 favor Joe, principally 90
show my Independence for whom sue
was vas not By 90 Pat me down, ! had a
spicy little temper Of nay own.


We were married al home n the it,
tle parlor, aud they ali came 10 the we'd
jng.


bad none Of the floating white draper
les that bad eneeloped sue and c-lipsed
VIII on tbolr bridal day; oaly bad a
plain brown silk--ihe iirst silk dress |
ever poesessed-my own earning and
making. ! had a white rose Of mothers
bush in ms hair, aud as | eoold easily
stand under Joe's outstretehed arm, there
was no danger that he would look dwarf
ed beside me.


It was not much Of place where we
commenced housekeeping; the rooms
were small and not great many of them
| ala all my own work, washing Included
and we ate in the Kitchen; 50 YOU see we
were very humble folks indeed she
used 10 rather seoun my furniture aud
surroundings when she sailed in upon us,
as she did once a year, for long visit
! always pretended wanted nothing
better, but 10 my heart Of hearts knew
| did.


possessed one treasure Sue did not
my fair faced boy, whom strangers stop
ped to admire for his pearly skin and blue
ewes Too lovely for a boy, as every one
said But tonight think was hardly
glad even for Eddie; for Sue had come
again for one other lengthy visits, dash.
Ing in upon me that morning when was
IN the midst of my baking,


She rehearsed all the new things VIII
had bought her lately, ending with his
promise, If bis venture proved successful,
to buy her diamond ring, aud bring it
when he came tomorrow night.


owned Just one ring that Joe had Civ
en- me; but It was only an onyx with n
dark background, the white upper layer
being cut in forgct-me-not. She always
called il contemptuously an old maids
pink. Then she gave Eddie a lapful of
candy and a new picture book; informed
me that my eyes were as red as a icrrct's
with STOPPING over the oven; asked me
why in the world didn't buy a sitting
room carpet, and departed


had known she was coming to be
sure, and it had been settled long before
that we were to spend that evening at
mothers, but nevertheless her visit had
somewhat disturbed me, and | had felt
veXed and worried all day over it, |
suppose that was one reason had broken
down SO easily tonight.


The carpet was certainly old and faded
for we had livod on it ever since we
were married, and il had not been any
thing to boast of in the first place. The
alpaca had worked over so long would
cut a sorry figure by the side of Sues
brown poplin walking salt, and velvet
paletot of the same color, surmounted by
pretty turban with a pheasants wing.
Ny solitary wrap was plaid shawl, de-
cidedly more useful than ornamental; and
my hat was a fabrication of my own.
Anybody might have guessed that by
looking at it; and the feather was so
small and scrimpy that could not give IL
stylish twist, turn it as | might had
liked it well enough at first, and Joe
thought it marvel, but hated it now.


l had finished my mending, and as
laid Eddie's striped stockings on top OF
the pile, I thought how Susie could come
and 90 as she liked, with no little todder
to hinder her footsteps. had nothing to
sit up for after my mending was done, so
went to bed and fell into an uneasy
slumbcr


Some time in the night / was awakened
by hoarse shouting, mingled with the
sound of running to and fro. listened
q mement aud knew what it was--some-
thing had happened up the road, and, Of
coarse, to Joes train,


spraug out Of bed, into slippers aud
ran to the back door ] threw it wide
open, ran down the walk little way and
listened could hear the rumble Of the
derrick car, setting Of switches aud catch
an occasional word bnt no connected
sentence 1t was smash, Joe Thompson
and that was ALL knew it all then;
Joe was killed


| went back iut0 the house, never even
closing the door caught Eddie out Of
his crib, and cronched down In a corner
Of the room with him ia my arms, os II !
were afraid some one would take him
away wondered why they did not
come TO tell ne--perhaps they dared not
had dim vision that when they came
10 the morning | would be stark mad or
dead. Would they never guess how
cruel had been to Joc-kind. faithful
Joe; He had never given me a cross
word in the world, but had lavish
ed upon me alI his heart why could
not have seen II bcfores


II wa, growing light now, and heard
q step; they were coming to tell me J oe
wa. dead! looked up-a tall figure
with pale face stood in the doorway-it
wa. Joc's wrath come back 10 haunt
me.


Dear ODD Joe. Wien opened my eyes
I wa. Yiug ou lounge dripping with
water, and Edde MAS screaming at the
top OF lis voice.


never understood it very well, but
there had been gn Ub-iruet.ou Of the track