Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-06-07
BELLE ALDEN.
Eox AETIc sxcEANGE OF TRAVELLING sAss
AND WHAT CAME IT.

4 train bound for St. Louis had Just left
. the station at Bellefontaine, when a gen.
tieman entered the smoking car, and laid
his hand upon the shoulder of his travelling
cempanion-at tall, handsome man of thirty,
! who sat nusingly blowing rings Of smoke
in the air.
MARCY" said the new conner, 'if you
want tc see at once the sweetest and satest
sight you ever beheld, 60 into the last car
/ bat one 0n the train. There's an emigrant
German woman, with four little children
and during the afternoon the youngest,
! baby, has died. The mother and other
/ children are inconsolable.'
Il can understand" Interrupted the
smoker, the sadness Of such = scene, but
! where is the sweetness you spoke Of ?''
! "I'm coming to that. The whole party
have bean taken in charge by young lady.
| Sach beauty! She's dried the mothers
| tears and wiped the childreL's noses. She's
q divinity! She only needs few feathers
tiedged angel Of her. If was not married
I'd never leave ner till I'd made her Mrs.
Angelica Townsend.''
q ''That's q speech | shall faithfully report
to Mrs. Agnes Townsend" !" said the gentle
man addressed as Marcy, rising. = shall
go back and feast my eyes on this beautiful
| Sister Of Charity; and" he added, taking
! rack, " as we stop ab the next station,
which is due i'll ten minutes, may as we'll
take my traps through with me a1d Join
you on the platform"
Thus saying Richard Marcy threw his
! shawl over his shoulder, and sauntered
| leisurely through the long train-rushing
! bliully and calmly to his fate Fer, he
! entered tie last car but one, he became
| witness and an actor in a scene that in
fluenccd lis future lie.
/ The poor grief-stricken German, Of
! whom his companion, DR.. Townsend had
! spoken, with the dead infant in her arms,
sat silently weeping over The little dead
face.
The three sturdy chill IN grouped il
, childish sorrow about their little dead
brother we're indeed a touching spectacle.
! But standing beside them was the divinity
CT DR.. IoWusGnd's S admiIatiO and she Was
| most certainly to 'shape the ends Of tie
unhappy Richard"
She was tall, slender girl Of eighteen
| with magnificent eyes and hair. as he
| entered the car, size was speaking, her
lovely face flushed, and the small, rosy
mouth disclosing beautiful set of teeth,
turned bewitchingly toward the tail stran-
ger at the door.
Ladies' and gentlemen said the sweet
voice, E'this poor woman, frieudless, speak
ing no English, with four little children,
was expecting 10 find work i'll St. Louis to
support them. Ii everything had gone well
~;th her iG would not have been hard for
her; but with her little dead baby and her
sOrrOWfJll heart, She is certainly a deserving
I object Of charity; aud l propose that such
as feel willing contribute their little mite
toward a purse for her Immediate wants
and the burial of her poor baby. And"
she added with beWitching smile elf any
gentleman will lend me a lat, L will go
round and take up ascollection."
IN an instant the gallant Richard pulled
his travelling cap from his blonde curlS and
offered it to the Angel of Mercy, who ac-
| cepted it with smile, this time all his
own, and commenced gathering the readily
! forthcoming dollars her generous, graceful
appeal brought from the purses Of all in
The car.
Richard watched tie slender figure in
! gray gathering the money; and looked at
The plaid cap in the white, jeweled fingers,
he bethought him of his own donation, and
stepping to the seat the beauty had just
occupied, he laid MS satchel and shawl
upon a family Of its kind belonging to the
angel in gray, and took from his pocket =
;en-dollar biz, which he placed in tie lit
, tie hand which returned him his cap.
Further damage the poor fellow received
when & second smile and warmly worded
thanks for his liberal contribution were
2 , dealt him from the beautiful mouth.
Dick was in the midst Of an elaborate
, reply, Wien the cars stopped. lie fingered
yet another moment, seized his satchel and
shawl, with his eyes still on the face of his
charmer, and then, even as the cars were
. | in motion, he bethOught himself Of the
Doctor, and hurriedly left the car and
Joined his friend on the platform.
/ "Wen," calculated that worthy, 81 be-
gan 10 believe you'd concluded TO 60 and
. bury the dead baby, and make the pro-
tecting beauty Mn. Angelica Marcy. Isn't
: she = sumner ?"
f "ToWnsend," returned his friend, don't
Ese slang in speaking of the noble creature.
lie looked after the train Just disappearing g
, | in the distance. Il wish TO heaven," he
| continued, 81 Lad remained aboard. How
. | stupid | was to leave ii. L might have
o ! learned her name and residence. And
/ now
'Now, In all probability" broke IN the
l | Doctor, youth never meet her in this vale
Z of tears. But you'll know her in heaven,
( YOU behave yourself well enough to get
there, by her wings; she'll have the biggest
s Of any Ofthem, seeing they've commenced
10 sprout on earth.'
. And thus rallyinG his thoroughly capti-
4 vated friend, the two made their way to
the house of on acquaintance, with whom
they were to remain that night, and go on
3 the next day to their destinatiOn-St.
K Louis.
= After the first salutation, our hero went
g to his room to remove some CT the evi-
dences Of his long ride from New York.
He had removed his coat, vest and collar
he had sPlasLed and soaped and washed
till his damp cnIls clung close to Lis shape
ly head, when he made a most startling
q discovery.
Flushed and breathless, he burst intc
, the next room upon his friend.
"Townsend.' - cried he, ''what on earth
+ do you suppose? I've got the wrong bag
I've changed baggage with the Angel Of
Mercy. Look az that slipper. See that
tlinble. Contemplate that glove.'
s "It's evident you've got the lady's satch-
. ell. And what was there in yours ?"
t "Don't bring mp that dreadful idea,
r said Dick. ''Ligars and a hair brush, q
4 pack Of cards and comb, pocket flask and
s a tooth brush-everythi dsreputable. il
n | am Judged by that bag, I'm lost man
/. "And this | took for a clean shirt" anC
/, Dick held up friled and fluted sack, such
n as do duty tor more extensive night-dresse>
: with ladies when travelling. I'D like tc
\ see Angelica when she opens my satchel.'
5 And Dick fell to musiug, with the slip
}, per perched on two fingers, and the frillec
d white lack spread out tendeIly on hi:
. knee.
e In the upper apartment Of handsome
{ mansion in st. Louis, on the evening o.
. the day cur heroine first made the read
: eI's acquaintance, beautiful Belle Alden
i the petted and only doughter of the house
= | sat Concentrating the various articles hel