The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-10-17
UNA.


Through summer sunshine, winter snow,
She clasps me, sad or glad or no.
UNA.
For the first time in nv life. nearly
seventeen years and a quarter, I was
alone In the wide, wide world to be
precise, in that bit of it which lies be-
tween the Paddington station and Bath.
l. had all but missed the train, so that
my uncle had only time to hurry me
into tirst-class carriage, wherein a sol
ltary lady was already seated, and to
give me solemn injunction to get aunt
Margery to telegraph when % turned
up all right" before the train dashed
away.
"AlI right !" OF course I should be
all right l should think, at seventeen
and nearly quarter, might be trusted
to take care of myself during a three
hours, journey; the more so as my uncle
had "put me in at one end,' and my
aunt would Z" take nc out at the other" :"
As soon as l had arranged myself and
my belongings comfortably in my cor
ner l took survey of my fellow-passen-
ger-a grim, iron-gray old woman in an
exasperating bonnet, who was looking.
not daggers-that is much too pointed
and brilliant a smile-but rusty nails of
the jaggedest description, at my poor
little hat !: such an attractive one as it
was, too with the most piquant little
wax-wing imaginable brooding over it
| with Outstretched wings. For nv part,
think, when one has pretty face, it
is wicked to spoil it by a dowdy hat. I
should have attracted much more atten-
ton If had worn an exasperating ex-
tinguisher like my fellow-traveler's
with an aggravating bow at the top :;
and, besides, Tom would not have liked
it.
1 was rapidly losing my temper-it
was too provoking. Here was somebody
evidently Just as ready to find fault and
take care of me as anybody at home.
| My only comfort was a hope that she
might get out at the next station, or a
all events at some distance from Bath,
All, how little l knew what was coming,
or [ should have felt glad to have had
her glaring twice as grimly from the op-
| posite seat
Travelling alone?"
eyes"
What an unnecessary question, I
thought.
You are much too young and too
| pretty to be permitted to do So
| / meekly answered that my youth and
| prettiness were "faults over which [
had no control, and limited at the posi-
bilitYs that time might be expected to
cure both, if only live long enough.
She smiled-yes, really; not a bad
| smile, either.
"While waiting for that, you should
have somebody to take care of you"
"Take care of me I" / exclaimed,
vr-fkh 1SkN1o Il, e
| quite able to take care of myself-in-
deed, am tired of being taken care of.
l am almost worn out. Besides, have
! been at two garden parties, and have
| long left the schOol-rOom " with dig
nity.)
" My dear, the school-roOm would be
| the best place for you for the next half
| dozen years. must leave you at the
] next station, but will tell the guard to
| look after you. You will learn in time
how good a thing it is to be cared for.
| Una without her lion would never get
safely through this world"
! The train stopped I helped her to
/ gather all her bags and rugs.
! "GOOd-by, my dear; your little face
has made the day look brighter to an
old woman F.; so you have my leave to
keep it unchanged as long as you can,"
and she actually patted my cheek with
a kind old hand as she passed out.
watched her take her place in lit
tie basket carriage that was waiting for
her-watched the old bald headed man
servant stand, hat in hand, evidently
giving her all the story of life at home
IN her absense-and felt sorry, as I re-
turned her good-by nod, when the car
riage moved out of sight down a shady
.I | III -.
to q fiOwery country home, where I felt
sure that she lived costly with old SER
Aants, quaint furniture, and old pet
dogs, cats, and birds. How little then
thought that one day I should. But
forget; we must not anticipate, as real
authors say-that must come in its own
place; [ had not even seen Tom, then
The train had stopped at quiet lit
tie station and was just beginning to
move on past the roses and hollyhOcks,
when the door suddenly swung open
and man jumped in. One glance sat
isfied me that he would not improve on
acquaintance. Tom told me since that
he was lead :" and, if lead" is an
OdiOus, vulgar, red-haired person, with
unwashcd hands covered with coarse
rings, a sky-blue satin tie, and an over
| pOwering oder of bad tobacco knew
the difference quite well, for Tom never
smokes any but the very best Manilas,
and I quite enjoy the smell-then most
| decidedly he was rightly designated.
saw all this at a single glance, as
one does sometimes, and bent steadily
over my book, wishing that the hour
which would bring me to dear aunt Mar
gerry was over. Presently I was reading
something so amusing that l had forgot
/ tpT nyaIsX-thirrr hoSIHaC h.. L.,
left the little station far behind. and
was going at full speed, when suddenly
a hOrrid voice close to my ear made me
start, and l looked up to see the "cad's"
hideous face close to mine-such a
wicked leering face!
"Take off that veil miss Tn sure a
Whit of fresh air will do you good.
This carriage is awful muggy, that was
the creatures very eXpressiOn-'' mug
! gy - /" Besides, it's desperate bad for
your eyes to read through that speck-
| led stuff"
Without replying, 1 bent my head
/ lower over my book, but the letters
were getting confused, and my heart
was beating with fright.
| "PoOr little thing Deaf, is she 2"
and he took the seat opposite and
! leaned across, so that I had to shrink
into my corner to avoid his touch. Poor
| little Una needed her lion now.
"Bad for your eyes, miss, and such
sinners as yours are too good to be
wasted on that stupid book. Give a
! fellow peep at them"
And great red hand advanced to-
wards my veil.
1 could only cover into my corner
with great cry of terror. one helpless
call on "uncle," knowing the while how
! away he was, and how unconcious of
| is poor little Polly's trouble.
In putting up his hand to my veil, the
man touched me. and the touth, slight
as it was, reused fury of anger such
as had never felt before, and I hope
never to feel again it gave be back my
voice.
You shall not How dare you
You must not touch me, uncle Will kill
youp
The man laughed at my puny rage
Kill me for taking care of yout If