St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-09-06
Fireworks.


Fireworks
There wa> absolutely not an interest
ing person m the ear. don't even cN-
ccpt myself. a> people given L" sweep
ing assertions usually do for. although
might know what intellectual and
moral qualities OF mine ought to excite
interest in my fellow -tl;tvclcr>. the lit
tie broad mirror at the end of the ear
told me they did not publish themselves
in my face. ON the contrary. it showed
me pair of tired gray eyes cleaning.
not sparkling eyes with Il red spot be
low each. which at that distance Ic-
minded me painfully of war-pant. Il
crushed hat. Il dusty face. and ill-ar-
ranged har each and all loudly pro
clHimim" the fact that | had passed the
night in Il >lrcping-car.
Was the only person in the ear fer
tmatc enough t" have Il whole seat t."
myself. and il MAS only 10y dint of much
spreading ont of ~haul>. Satchcl>. and Il
useless book or Two. that | had been
enabled To keep it. Bul NOW | had
been looking about in search of an III
tcrc<tin" person vino might share il
with me. for | was drcadtull tired of
keeping quiet. of not talking. During
the last fifteen hours had not uttered
Il word. except tn ask the conductor a
lew questions. which knew how tn an
>wrr H. we'll ~ hr did. though perhaps
not H. briefly. The only recreation ur
diversion | had had III all that time.
Wa~ in buy in" and c;Iiu" crl>tallilc,l
p"p-curm. shaking ny head drci>i>ck
1. l.. 81. 1
age Of prize cand, dow II beside, me and
sleep. in the a"oui,> which fellow the
even distribution of prlrh-l'ull "Nrr the.
neck and checks.
Nv solitude would soon end. | felt
sure. for if hut one passenger c;lmr on
at the next station. | would have Ia rc-
sign half of my seat to linn oI her. 1t
The last station Il tind looking man
had been turned int" our car Icy tn,
brakeman. who had said. ".\ll fall in
there. referring tu the car Just in front
of rl>. lie had looked at my halt-cmptl
seat. but met with no encouragement in
the limp. mncumprcIcmdin@ look rc-
turned him. and passed ON. At the
other end of the car hr had srIccccdrd
h> the, help ut Il brisk shake and
shove administered 10y The conductor
in awakening and hrn@im" tu terms OF
drccIIcN Il man " hn Wis pTctcudim" Ia
sleep all oycI his seat. OF course
watched with interest the >uhduimg oi
the selfish wretch. and had felt ashamed
of my self ever since. and r,>nlycd thai
at he next station. II" matter who ap-
pc;rrd. would promptly and h"~pi1n-
bly gather zap my belongings and "t1rl
that person Il place.
When We reached the station. ",
stopped bat Il moment. NOT long enough
| thought. to allow of ANY one coming
ON: and ~ leaned back in my plac,
with the easy consciousness of li> ing
inicnIcd tn do Il ci, il thing. the door
opened and Il gentleman came in.
My courage. He'd at sight of him. How
could | ever offer tin Il dI>lntrIC>tco
WaN) that man Il seat beside me Tia,
conductor would think more mcHuly o
me than hc pruhahly did when tacitll
= refused the timid mans appeal. and til,
timid man himself would feel an addi
tional Slight hrapcd upon him. if Offer
ed This cmhoGimcnt of manly >trcmgtl
and beauty the place had refused him
While my mind WAS still in Il state o
mdcciSiOm. he answered the question 10y
-toppin" umhc>itatinglN beside me. an'
saving he supposed. aS all the othcl
. seats were occupied. he would have Il
ask for one with me. Thus relieve,
from humliating myself. | graciouSlN
swept my wraps and books into my laI
T. and made room for him. But he tool
e. them from me and slowed them away
in the rack above my head but ;
book which he kept to look over. an'
which easily opened Il conversation
that while we were together ncVc
/. ceased. We crossed the wide ocean
common of every day literature. return
ed. talked about the dust. heat. the con
ditiom of the road. even about ourselves
: do not remember what he could have
learned of me. hut found out that h'
t. waS Il business man q knew that he
fore he told me. 10y his practical SNStc
matte way of dealing with every topI
y h, took up). had travelled everywhere
and had seen the world in IL widc-awak
fashion. He lived in Albany. and Wal
1. on his way home. He was not married
and lac. and his mother kept house t"
gcthcr
could not. if | were to try. deScrlh
him personally. for he was one of thoS
rare persons who carry with them an in
dc>cIihahlc charm. Il grace of their own
which itself cannot he conveyed il
words. and without which Il description
iS nothing.
After he came the remaining tw
hours of my journey flew faster than "
did. and felt that must Ice dreaming
e. when looked out and SAW that "
were actually slackenimg speed ut m
station.
.'Why. here We are. at home. | eX
claimed in "A voice full of diSmaN, an
nhirctimgIy. 1T can't he possible.
lie looked us though he th"ug mt
impossible too. bat began promptly t
get my various packages together. whe
the unIelenting brakeman Sh"ute
"Drylen," in at the door.
iii carry these into the depot fu
you. | wish could tell you how Nv