The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-08-15
The Unhappy Reply.

to lady nearest me, one s,lltry morn
ing, as took the out-of-the-way end
seat in the cars at Buffalo for Albany.
Certainly not, " was the reply, as
put my shawl, books, papers, fan,
bouquet, &C., in the onesend, and nes-
tied myself down on s&nc other. I
soon wearied of conversation and
reading, and had sunk into a fitfnl
s slumber, when a gentle tap on my
shoulder, and 'Please, miss!" made
me wake with sudden start.
The car was filed to overf1ow:nc.
and a newly-arrived party had entered,
I, and pale little woman, with a fretful
kbaby in her arms, stood asking per
Emission to sit beside me. With more
of pity than of pleasure, I shared my
scat with her, yet I spoke but few
i words, and sulkily forcbore taking the
Z restless little creature to ease her poor.
wearied arms; but merely smoothed
It's yellow hair and it's pale, baby
cheeks, and said Mary was a good and
sweet name
For my own comfort, I had opened
|. the window, that I might more dis
8 tinctly catch those picturesque views,
that fitted by so rapidly that they
seemed like glowing pictures, without
one lmperfection to mar, when my at
tentlon was drawn to my companion,
who was necessarily coughing.
Il do wish you would let down that
window" said she. ''The coal smoke
makes my cough so much worse
am ashamed to confess it now, but
felt the angry blood burn in nv
cheek, and a flashing Of the eyes, as I
replied:
81 am quite sick, and wearicd, and
troubled, and hungry, and thirsty,
and crowded, and here You come as
an intruder and keep me from the mite
of cool, fresh air that I am trying to
get. Do you think you are doing as
you would be doneb by?" said I, tartly;
and without waiting for reply, I
rose and was letting down the window
with an angry crash, as Il naughty
child would slam a door shut, when
she laid her poor wasted little hand on
my arm, and said:
''Oh, don't do it then!" and burst
into tears, and leaned her head down
on her baby, and cried bitterly.
The woman in my heart was touch
ed; but putting on the injured air of
a martyr, [ compressed my lips, and
took up paper, pretending to read.
Pretty soon my eyes grew dimmcd
[ could not see without crushing the
tears often, and resolved to ask par
don for my unkindness; but minute
after minute glided away, and we soon
reached her place of destination, and
she rose to leave. I rose, too, and the
words We're on my lips, when a gen
teman came to assist her out.
She turned her gentle, fearful ewes
upon me with sad expression, and
bowed so sweetly that nv hand was
almost appraised for the forgiveness
the words were just dropping from my
hps-but she was gone 1t was too
late; and [, woman, with woman's
heart, was left with that stinging little
barb sticking in it, and the sweet
words and wasted little hand that
could remove it, were gone from me
forever. / sank back in my seat and
wept bitterly.
The gentleman returned from assist
ing her, and as the car was full, he
took up the place she had vacated J
inquired who the lady was, and he
replied:
''Her home is in Wisconsin, and
she has returned to the home of her
childhood, to die The whole family
of brothers and sisters died of con
sumption, and she, the last one left, is
going too.'
Oh! I turned away sick at heart and
tried to shut out from remembrance
that pallid, appealing face, as re-
solved, and re-resolved, never again in
this poor life of mine to speak an un-
kind word Ohio Farmer.