The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-12-13
- lIVIgI = II III
LITTLE BLUE EYES.

Cau bit WIFI you!
Certainly, sir. ~ ~ - = sc
"Nice weather."
Splendid, indeed"
''Crops growing finely?"
"Yes-couldn't do better"
I was sitting in a passenger coach, on
Wisconsin railroad, one day, years
ago, when goodlooking, pleaAaht-spo-
ken man came along, stopped at my
seat, and the above conversation took
place, the latter part OF it after had
given him part of my seat.
Now, I am regarded AS a lsoiables
man. / like joke, a good hit; and /
think sour, morose man, who uses his
tongue only when forced ia, is bound to
die Of some terrible disease, and go to
some place of red-hot punishment.
On entering q railroad ear always
look about for talkative man, and then
1 get as close to him as possible and
drain him dry, if the journey is long
enough.
And / want to state one thing more:
Left an orphan before eould realize
the sad event which made me one, got
kicked here and cuffed there, and ''grew
up between folks" as they say 1 ought
to have had, at the time of which I
write, pretty thorough knowledge of
human nature, and have been enabled to
read evil in a mans face, if he intended
evil did not pride myself on being
over-keen or extra sharp, but the knock
ing around among strangers ought to
have given any one good experience.
Well, the stranger and fell into an
e 10
together, and in ten minutes 1 began to
enjoy his company. He was well-made
fellow, finely dressed, aud he wore a fine
watch and simon-pure diamond ring.
] never saw man who could talk so
easy and pleasantly. 1t seemed that he
had but to open his mouth, and the
words fell right out. So ,--h.
1 had travelled in the South, so mad he.
I had heard the loud roar of the Pacific,
he knew all about it. had been up in
balloon, down in mine, been blown
up, smashed up and repaired again and
again, my new friend had experienced
all these things, and was wishing for
something of more startling nature.
We agreed ON politics, neither had any
religion, and / had never met such a
railroad companion.
Did you ever meet a man, who,
though a stranger to you ten minutes
before, could wrest from you secrets
which you had sworn. to yourself not to
reveal? Well, he was such man. 1t
was not long before he commenced ask
ing me questions. He did not seem try
ing to quiz or draw me out, but he asked
me questions in such a sly, roundabout
way, that before / knew it was giving
him my history. t.. ,,tl ID
was at that time just ON the point of
being admitted to the bar of Wisconsin
as student of Law & Law of Briefyille.
The firm were old lawyers with a lucra-
tive practice, and it had been talked over
that in about month should Berthe
60" of the firm. A year before far
mer named Preston, down about four
miles from Grafton, had died, and his
matters had been put into the hands Of
Law Il Law for settlement Preston
had died rich. He had money in bank,
railroad stock, mortgages, ETC., and ev-
erything was settled up TO the satisfac-
ton of the relict and the fatherless.
About year before his death, being
pinched for money, and not wishing to
sell anything at sacrifice. Preston had
given a mortgage on his farm for three
thousand dollars. While. the papers
read ''for one year from date, there
was verbal agreement that it should be
lifted any day when Preston desired. A
month after, when, having the funds to
clear off the paper, the money-bags
holding it refused tosdischarge, wishing
to secure his interest for year.
l was on my way to ascertain the date
of expiration. A fire among our Office
papers had destroyed the memoranda,
and must go down and get the date
from old Scip, who lives South of Grit
ton, about five miles. The stranger had
pumped all this out of me in ten min
utes, and yet L never once suspected
that he was receiving any information.
81 am not positive" l added, s'but |
am pretty sure that the time is the thir-
teenth, which would be Tuesday next"
"And then you folks Will send down
the money and discharge the mortgage,
of course" he queried .tLatgef "a
"Oh, yes, / shall most likely bring it
down." replied; and it never occurred
to me how imprudent i was. ...,s
He turned the conversation into other
channels, and did not once, attempt to
pump me further. We got to Grafton
at 1850, and to my great surprise, he
announced that he was to,stop in the
town on business for few days. had
not asked his name or avocation, while
he knew everything about me. q,
We went to the hotel, had dinner, and
then secured lively team and drove
out, getting through with business, so
that was back to take the 800 express
east. Ny friend was on the porch of
the hotel as / drove up, carrying the
same honest, digniied face.
"Well, did you find out?" he inquired,
in his pleasant way.
Eyes: it is of the thirteenth. as / ex-
pected, l replied
We had lunch together, and when we
shook hands and parted, had no more
idea of ever meeting him again, that 1
have of knowing you. In fact, he told
me that he should sail for England with
in week or ten days, and should not
return to America. 4 At parting, he gave
me his card. 1t was a modest piece of
pasteboard, and bore the name of
George Raleigh" in old English script.
Everything at the office went on as
usual. and the thirteenth came at length.
Law I, Law had arranged for me to go
down with the money, and i loc---l up
on ii as business of no special impor-
lance.
"We know you are all right, remark
ed the senior partner, as was about to
go: "but / want to give you word of
warning, nevertheless. Don't tabeaany
strangers into your confidence until you
have passed out the money, and look out
who sits next to yon-'
1t was something new for him to eau
ton me, and ] could not but wonder at
it; but in the hustle of getting aboard
the train, 1 forgot what he, had said,
Ordinary prude1lce had induced me It'd
place the money. which was all. in bank
bills, and divided into three packages,
under my shirt and next my skin, where
the deft hand of piuk-pocket could not
reach it. 'rtr~,,, 81
Interested i'll a newspaper, time fhew
by, as the train flew West, and at length
the hoarse voice of the brakeman warned
me that had reached Grafton. had
leaped down and was making for the
livery stable, when heard, q familiar
voice, and looked mp to see Raleigh.
He was seated in buggy and had seem
ingly waited for me to come up. srg
ssDon.f ax,,raoc xrn,,r o,,rrr;aa Tho ba.