New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1869-05-23
THROUGH THE TUNNEL.

She was strange looking ola woman: as
handsome as an old woman could be; rath-
er elegantly dressed, and with the air Of
one who belonged to good society. She
was sitting next me In the waiting-roOm of
the railway station; but outside her horses
were being fed and watered, and she was
waiting to rest. Not for the train. She
had told me that already, as she had told
several others the same thing.
When the whistle sounded she stopped
her ears with both her hands. and shud-
dered violently. When the engine came in
sight she looked at it as one might regard
hideous monster, and muttered to herself
in a way that made me fancy her not quite
right in her mind. And when the passen-
gers came pouring out of the train, she said
to herself, Tor heard her plainly:
They've been through the tunnel, every
one of 'em-every one OF them through that
long, black, horrible tunnel, and they
haven't lost themselvesW
Then of a sudden, she turned to me with
little bow, and said:
"YOu are travelling by rail, Madam ~
] answered yes.
GLOW can you" asked my interrogation.
"Wherever l go, | 90 IN my carriage.
Those cars are terrible-especially the tun-
nels."
"Then you must go behind that horrible
creature, | suppose said the old lady,
looking toward the engine.
do accidents ever happen in tunnels y
l asked with an involuntary shudder.
Accidents she cried Worse than
that. I'll tell you what happened to me
once in a tHnnel.'
Ibowed. She put her handkerchief to
to her eyes for moment and went on;
"You see that white house on the hill up
there? That is mine. have lived there
a long while. There my husband died;
there my son married. 1t was after he
married, when was sixty years old that
this Happened Sixty! Just think OF it
time when life ought to run on without
any event whatever-and then romance
came to me-romance for the first time in
MY life; because, you see had married,
without any thought of that, very good
man-but so old-at sixteen. Well as |
said, at sixty he fell in love with me.
think he was twenty-fve-and oh but he
was handsome! Gold is my color for hair,
and his eyes-stars were never so bright.
was sitting on my porch, knitting stock
ings for my grandfather, when he rode by
and his horse SHE'D at something and
threw him at my feet. He seemed to be
dead. had him picked up aud brought
In, and the doctor aud l together restored
him to life.
did all could for him, and he was very
grateful He used to kiss my hand with
his beautiful red lips, and | thought no
harm OF it; for he was young, and Lob
was old. My own son was forty--ot course
was old-and he was twenty-five.
Do you know what he was? I'll tell you
IL ND az tho airana rlnan hu Opi
a gentleman, they said; but his voice was
so soft, and his way so pleasant, he seemed
one; and then, what did that matter He
was hurt, and i'll, and felt sorry for him
So he was well at last; and then could
say he should not thank me? Oh, no. H
came. He called me his good angel; ht
kissed my hand. At last he tol0 me h'
loved me.
II am old, said l.
"No," said he, you are young; you viii
never be old.
II was strange to hear. / would no
listen to him at first, but at last he kuelt a
my feet, and I-ah. was a woman still.
kissed him on his forehead, and / promised
to be his wife.
When my son heard of it he was furious
be said terrible things to me; he told me
that Adolphe did not love me. l knew ht
did; he told me with eyes and lips alike
lips may lie, but eyes can not, the poet
say. grew angry at my son and ordered
him out of the house. At the door b.
paused.
"Mother," he said, ''if you marry this i'm
poster, who only wants your money, yor
will rue the day that you were born. Thinl
Of it-be might almost be my son. It il
madness--it is folly-it is impossible thai
he should love you"
"You may think so. But he does not, >
said, and then / blnshed like girl, re
membering all that he had said to me.
did not care for my sons wrath, nor tina
nv friends ali turned eoldly from me.
married AdOlphe; and we were happy
yerv, Don't believe any one who tells yoI
he wee not.
w as sony as we were married, be begal
4. taIp n Europe, and of the happy ht
n,e Ne led iu Paris. So said we win 90 t
Paris. / wou,a have gene anywhere t.
please hlm-anywhere. And then %.
friends ali hated me. We made ready q
"a. OF conrse. we needed money. ha'
bank notes and checks TO q large amount
a little fortuae indeed, il my great wallet
/ also had my diamonds with me. In Eu
rome diamonds are necessary for tul
toiles at ceurt Adolphe took care OF o.
these things TO reach the city whene
our ehip started We were obliged to go !
ne cars; even then hated and was afrai
Of them.
awe sat beside each other, aid felt q
any Young bride; and Be looked at me 4
foadlg. / remember going into a tunnel
raeIne TIE bright MONDAY change 10 tw
Woht' ana tie 6gure above me change iui
dsgk masses. T1en all was dark, and
M aarknesl he took my hand and kiss
it-s-a warm, passionate kiss i Wael like
iarswelI kiss; but did not think q .
thsn.
n "a sill; The cars ratified, tne Ne !,
ahfleked. me darkness grew deeper ~ Il.
ws : sufocating smell. / iels : ~ =.
9.4qhAened. and reached my hand % so'
hsm He was not there.
af said, .Adolphe.' There was ee
am And aiiil il was DARK and 4aho
m. are the whiaile shEiekea, e.
~ la hsaa asaln, sud ieneess
AA7 ,s began 70 grew lighter.
w liaht and etll oatly Knew shAi