Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-05-11
A Travelling Companion.
''ls this seat engaged ?"

A Travelling Companion. |,
ss1s this seat engsged?''
The questioner was gentle-v voiced,
modest looking little woman, in a very
plain, though neat travelling ATTIRE
The scene was q railroad car, with
passengers two and two occupying ev-
cry settee except one, which contained |
only . lady and her ct ceteras. She
could scarcely have failed to observe
the other as she entered at the front of
the car and passed through near its en-
tire length, casting her eyes right and
left in unsuccessful search, but she
made no movement until addressed with
the proposal for seat by her side.
She responded by gathering up in no
very amiable manner an exquisite trav-
cling basket, q parasoletts, boquet,
. fan, q bottle Of smelling salts, and
an embroidered handkerchief last of
all narrowing the sweep Of her rich,
silk 8ounces. The little woman quietly
took the vacated place.
Work box, boquet, fan and handker.
chief, were now displayed in the lap Of
the owner, who, from time to time,
brought them severally into requisition;
now drawing up from the box . little
mirror by which to examine her eye
brows, and water ringlets ; now fan
ming her head affectedly, now smelling
daintily the flowers, and now applying
to her lips the extravagant bit Of gos-
samer.
1t was fortunate that she who shared
the settee with her, required but lin
tied space, for the mass of Aounces,
though drawn back periodically, would
still come in contact with the dress of
the plebeian neighbor, and at times
threatened to quite envelop and hide
from view, the little person.
A dandy, seated immediately below,
occasionally threw a glance back !; the
magnificent lady was evidently creating
q sensation under his latest style hat.
He shortly managed to begin q CONVEX
sation. Facing about, with touch at
the very minute tuft Of furze, that
might have been mistaked for a hair
mole, at either corner Of his mouth,
and bow and smile intended to be
charmingly irresistible, he inquired
whether the "aiah did not entaw too
freely to suit her plsashaw.''
Receiving smile in return, and be-
ing graciously permitted to serve the
regal lady by lowering the window, the
exquisite felt at liberty to promote fur
ther acquaintance. After an allusion
to the merits of ssHot Corn,'' copy
of which he held in his hand, the seen
ted gentleman introduced more person
al topics, when it was presently elicit
ed that the lady was destined to the
village of N-to visit friend.
Here the little woman in the Quaker.
like habit looked up with sudden inter.
est. The great lady curled her lip; he1
new devotee twined his feeble NOUS
tache around his ring finger, and af-
fected smirk Of conceit. The little
woman then looked down again.
81 think you infawmed me-" drawl.
ed the dandy, upon sufficiently recover.
ing himself, ''if I rightly understood
you, moment since, that you were au-
intending to visit relatives at NJ"
s'Not relatives" corrected the lady,
sweetly smiling, 81 said friends e.; l
should rather have said a. friend-it is
the lady Of Judge S-;I shall prob
ably spend some weeks with herr
"Ah, how foine-how very foine, -
remarked his dandyship. 81 have the
honaw Of passing acquaintance with
his honaw the Judge-that is, aw-l
have frequently seen him on the bench;
having been myself an impawtant VIII
ness in impawtant cases which at diff
ferent times were tried before his hon
aw."
The lady rejoined that she had new
er seen the Judge or his lady, but that
some recent circumstances had induced
correspondence between the latter and
herself, that resulted in an invitation
with which she was going to comply.
She ended with toss Of her head such
as indicated that she vas fully aware
Of the self-aggrandizement attaching to
so delightful a mission.
Before the dandy had time to res
pond, the train halted at station, and
his attention was diverted to the bust
ness Of investing a bright copper in an
evening paper, profered by newsboy.
The plain little woman embraced the
opportunity, when it would not be in
terrupting, to enquire Of the ptrson at
her side
"Were you ever in ~"
Not q syllable Of reply was deigned,
but the proprietor of the many founces,
by an impatient movement, turned more
away from the inquirer, while her
countenancc expressed most palpable
contempt Her admirer returned to
his privilege seasonably, to reinforce
her by an exhibition Of positive dis
gust, and issued corresponding excla-
nation against "rustic forwardness.
The little woman leaned back in her
seat, and very singularly evinced apiet
amusement, rather than any 81 niger
sentiment, in return for this insolence.
Gas I am to pass through ~"
said the fop to the aounced lady, cit
would reawly be my highest pleasure
to attend you from the depot to the
Observation-Disclosures; it would be
most especially delightful to call upon
the lady, and I can 60 on-that is, I