Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-12-22
IN THE OMNIBUS.-A SKETCH

A mighty woman with bundle, a
cross woman with baby, an uncom-
Portable woman with dog, an old gen.
tleman with an ear-trumpet, beaming
young lady, with an expansive crinoline
and the usual complement of nothing
particular people, including mine-self,
John Hayes, gentleman at large. 1
would not have been an inside if L could
have helped it; nor in an omnibus at
all, if I could have helped it and judg-
ing from the surrounding faces, we were
all in the same plight. We were all
hot, and we all hated one another
When fellow-creature is visibly radi-
ating the caloric one already has in ex-
cess, hatred for him or even her, follows
in logical sequence, and we we're wait
ing for more passengers.
"Please help me in, I'm blind !" 1t
was the tiniest, sweetest voice we all
turned to see little girl lay her hand
confidingly on the conductors arm. 1
took her from him as fearfully as if she
had been in truth what she looked like
my parian Clytie-the same pure,
sweet face, with the delicate features,
and dropping white eyelids; but the
sadness of her pallor was relieved by
the vivid dark gold of her hair, which
fell in soft thick rolls upon her neck.
"Isn't there dog here ?" she asked
presently.
eyes, darling" said the'dog's owner,
as she handed it to the child, looking
uncomfortable no longer; the blind
face turned to hers seemed to charm
away its nervousness.
"What dear little fellow ~ said
Clytie, and the rough terrier grew pop
ular.
"Do they let you go far alone ?" said
the cross woman.
go, yes" The little creature gave
a low, glad laugh of triumph. "Pve
been to the blind school; l can do ev-
erything for myself now.''
"Would you mind saying that again,
my dear? I'm very deaf" said the old
gentleman. She repeated her sentence
adding with an odd, womanly pity. cit
must be so sad to be deaf.'
l said involuntarily, "You don't look
as though you were ever sad"
80, no, I never am now Envy is we'll
"Who is Emy?"
"Why, my little sister; o. such a
little darling; but she was i'll for long
time-so long"
Clytie's voice faltered as though she
were living over again great sorrow.
"But she is well, now ?" l said.
go, yes, quite strong; and it's SO
nice"
"Have you many sisters and brothers
asked the young lady.
ono, only Envy, and one brother,
baby Tom he's such great fat fellow,
and he laughs-you can't think how he
laughs"
If it was anything like the musical
rill his sister sent ripping through the
air, I should like to have heard that
baby.
"What does he laugh at ?'' asked the
cross woman.
go, everything; at Envy and me,
when we play Punch and Judy; and
at dinner, when there's dumplings; and
sometimes he lies on the floor and laughs
at himself; and we laugh, too, it is SO
funny"
The little ones mirth was infectious,
we all joined in, with various modula-
tions of the roar of the deaf gentleman,
who couldn't stop himself, and setting
US off again, little Clytie clapping her
soft, gloved hands till she made the dog
bark, and the conductor looked in to
say, "Well, if 1 saw such row."
"Easton road, please" said Clytie,
turning into business woman all at
once.
The unwelcome place seemed to come
directly /; as l turned from helping the
ciild out saw the cross woman's face
breaking up into tears.
"It's queer" she said, "but feel
like to cry to see her SO merry"
l was unpleasantly conscious of what
my dear mother used to call the apple
in my throat, so was grateful to the
deaf gentleman for saying "Eh p and
saving the effort of replying. We all
fell into quietness, but it was curious
to notice how forbearing wegrew to one
another; the child's great loss, worn
like a flower crown on the head of some
pictured saint, made our petty discom-
forts all melt away. The young lady
began to play with the baby. the old
gentlman with the dog, and l, who OBJ
ject to all gratuities on the principle of
never having any money to spare, was
absolutely pleased when the mighty wo-
man handed back her change to her
vanquished foe, saying:
"Never mind the penny, conductor"
Even the cross woman grew quite
over a reminiscence of
youth she had known when she was girl
who had recovered his sight after being
blind for year.
| think, if instead of being plucked
civil service candidate, I could be a
woman with a mission, would choose
that of my unconscious little Clytie.
BETTER.-An afflicted husband was
returning from the funeral of his wife,
when friend asked him how he was.
"Well,'' said he, pathetically, 81 think
| feel the better for that little walk"