Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-09-12
if we ever had occasion to visit Lancaster,
that we would try to find her out.
With mutual kind wishes and cheerful

adieu we parted. The old lady was helped
out of the train by her son, and we saw her a
moment later upon the arm Of another gentle
man, whom we supposed to be her son-in-law,
walking briskly up little hill that led from
the station to the heart of the village.
Our own journey came to conclusion in
due time, and the last [ saw of the one-eyed
conductor was when he stood on the platform
of the cars, helping us out with our baggage,
which he had carried for US from where we
had been sitting.
1t is not my purpose to detain the reader
with any details of my private history further
than is necessary to give just comprehension
of what is to follow. Two years had elapsed
before was called upon to take the second
journey, to the events Of which, what l have
already narrated, forms necessary prelude.
This time was journeying alone from Har-
risburg to Philadelphia, upon visit to my
parents, whom had not seen since my mar
riage.
had been having good deal of trouble.
I was very i'll for some time after my babys
birth, and before I had fully regained my
strength, my little son was taken i'll. He had
the whooping cough; and after I had nursed
him through it the whole summer, he took a
cold in the fall that brought it back upon
him, and finally killed him. I was so weak
and miserable myself, that I could not strug-
gle with my grief as I should have done; 1
pined, and moped, and wasted away until the
doctor said that if did not have change of
scene, or something that would arouse me and
cheer me up, he would not answer for my life.
It was the most unpalatable advice to me
that he could have given. did not want to
be cheered nor amused I did not want to
leave home and the dear reminders Of my lost
baby; above all, I did not want to leave my
husband, for, in my foolish dependency, l
felt superstitious dread that he, too, would
be taken from me. 1t was impossible, just
now, for him to leave his business to 60 home
with me; they were executing heavy order
at the foundry, which kept all hands working
almost night and day.
He promised that he would join me as soon
as he could but, after what the doctor had
said, he would not hear of my departure be-
ing delayed minute longer than could be
avoided so he wrote to father that l would
be in Philadelphia on a certain day, in order
that he might meet me at the depot; and,
having put me in the cars at Harrisburg, and
seeing me safely started on my journey, he
knew there was very little doubt but that I
should reach Philadelphia after comforta-
BILE, uninterrupted halfday's ride
All q! how different was this trip from the
one I had taken two years before How diff
ferent was 1.-The wan-faced, hollow-eyed in
valid, in my mourning robes-from the shy,
blooming girl, in her bridal array, who found
80 much to amuse and interest her in that
brief journey!
Nothing interested me now-nothing amused
me-all was wearisome and monotonous l
leaned from the car-window as long as Icould,
to catch the last glimpse Of poor Joe, who,
"With smile on his lip, but tear in his eye"
stood upon the platform, waving his hat to me
as we moved away.
| After that, sank back in my seat, too sad
and dependent even to cry, and lay there as
we sped along, thinking of nothing, caring for
nothing but the memories from which they
were trying to force me to escape.
I did rouse up little as the conductor ap-
preached to collect my fare-the remembrance
of the one-eyed man and his nice little mother
required to me the first time for many months.
This conductor, however, was not my old ac-
quaintance, being sallow, dark-eyed, cross
looking man, as different as possible from the
other one felt little disappointed at first,
but after be left me leaned my head back
again, and thought no more about the matter.
After while I fell into doze, which lasted
until the call of Lancaster twenty minutes
for dinner !" ringing through the cars, aroused
me, and informed me that we were just enter
ing that city.
I sat up then, sleepily and languidly. 1t
was warm day in earl October, and the
windows of the car were lowered; 1 leaned
my elbow upon the sash, and looked out upon
the scene before me. AS I was thus gazing,
drowsy and Indifferent, neither caring nor
thinking much about what I saw, 1 noticed
man upon the roadside, a little in front of the
car in which sat, gesticulating violently with
his hands and arms.
The next minute was sitting bolt upright
in my seat, my heart leaping almost into my
mouth with sudden fright, for, in the gestures
that were being made, I recognized the signal
which, two years before, the one-eyed conduc-
tor had told me meant "danger ahead"
The cars were not moving very rapidly, and
during the moment that we were passing by
the man who had given the signal, 1 had q
full view of him-his face being turned toward
the cars, and his eyes meeting mine so direct
| ly that could have spoken to him had l cho.
sen. recognized him at once-it was the
one.eyed conductor, and, seeing that, was
worse scared than ever, being now quite con-
frmed in my belief that an accident was i'm
pending; for I knew that he must occupy
some responsible position upon the road, and
could, therefore, have made no mistake in the
matter.
No one else, however, either inside or out
side of the car, seemed to partake Of my alarm.
The cars were slackening their speed, but
that was because we were approaching a sta
! ton, and from no other cause that could as
certain. l had not intended getting out of the
cars until reached the end of my journey,
but had been so startled by what had seen,
that 1 could not sit quiet in my seat.
I got out with the rest of the passengers, but
did not follow them to the hotel; stood upon
the platform, gazing up and down the track
uneasily, but could see nothing at all that
could awaken apprehension.
| The one-eyed conductor was nowhere to be
seen, though watched the road, in the direc-
ton where we had passed him, for some time,
expecting every moment to see him come into
sight.
A porter, trundling wheelbarrow, passed
me, and ofhim 1 ventured timidly to enquire:
els there anything the matter with the en-
gine or with the track?"
"Not as I knows on he answered gruffly,
and passed on.
was still terribly uneasy; I was certain
that l had not been mistaken in the man or