Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-10-08
ATragsdy o. TraveI.::

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ATragsdy of Travel:
Five and twenty years ago my wife
and were crossing over into ifalv.
After VIC hnd been slowly ascen.iinc
for some time, we got out Of the car
riagc, thinking VIC should got on
quite rs fast, and perhaps snore plcas.
antly, ON foot, aud, by taxing shori
cuts across the zigzags, we soon got
ahead Of our conveyance. | had been
over this same pass twice before,
when happy-I mean an Unhappy
aud remembered The by.
paths pretty well; and we were sosu
in sight Of the inn where. we intcndedt \
TO pass tho night, not very far from !
The summit Of tue pass. As we toiled |
on we overlook o gentleman, sppar-
emily al Englishmau, aud little boy. |
| believe that--fccling pretty sure,
from the general appearances of the |
man, that VIC were conipatriots--ii |
said something or other 10 him, re-
marked that it was a fine cyaning, or |
that tho scenery was grand-I forgot I;
what. lie, however, made SOME |
monosy liable reply, and did not ap- |
pear inclined 10 iratern:ze, SO We
passed OH. Still, took u tiasty note
of linn. lie was man apparently of
twenty-cight or thirty years OF aye,
of delicate frame and almost feminine
counicnance. One thing pa. t.cularly
noticed-he lad a slight but peculiar
mark under tho left eye, what Box or
Cox might have called q straw berry
mark. The boy that was with him
"a child Of not more than SIX years
old-was evidently his son, tor both
and my wife traced very stroag
resemblance between the pair; ani
the little fellow looked very pale aud
tired as his father dragged him up the
steep ascent. We soon lett them far
behind, and my wife remarked that
it was curious circumstance that
these two should be thus going over
the pass, for VIC had seen no other
carriage Oh the road which could
belong to them, and she naturally
thought it very hard that such q
young child should be forced 10 make
such q tedious journey OH foot.
However, when We arrive at our dcs-
tination, we thought NO moro of
them aud, after pleasant aud appe-
tiZing supper, i'll which red trout
read them now in the BIil-formesl
10 uniinportant item, We strollcd out
again and watched the white glorics
of the rising moon spreading over the
highland valley in which we were.
| When we entered the hotel again, and
went into the salic O inanger for some
coffee, VIC discovered the younger oi
our fellow-toiiers sitting meeklY-hs
!, hilnselfi elfima-sS~-.er-ort TIC room. a
. table was spread for supper befor,
him, and he was patiently awaiting
the arrival of his father.
Ills large blue eyes looked tired ani
sad his golden curls hung tangled
over his shoulders 10 tender han,
had cared for him after his wear,
work and saw the tears stealing
finto my wife's eyes rs she whispered
TO me, "Ilc has 10 mother to take care
of him." This, thought, was has.
ty conclusion to arrive ut; and said
SO. My wife-wiser than /, sup
pose-shook her head and entirely
disagreed with me.
/ We fingered over our coffee for
some time longer than necessary. Tile
patient child sat silent i'll the dark
corner; now aud then the blue ewes
wandered inquiringly towards the
door, but found no answer there
An hour passed away; but his father
i-if the man We had seen was his
. father, and Of this we had no doubt
never came.
ST can't stand this, john" sait
, Laura to me Indignantly. "If some
: body don't give that poor child hi
, supper, Pil give it him myself"
. II demonstrated, mildly, II dom
think we have any right to interfere
my dear. No doubt his father i
takinga nap up stairs, and lie viii
wake up aud be down directly"
"Nap, imdeed!" rctortcd Laura
rather saragely. Indeed, had Ii,
idea till then that my sweet brid,
could be So savage, if she chose
NAP, indeed! with that darling
. starving i'll accomplishing silence
Eve half q mind to ask which is hi:
. room, and give him rousing that ht
won't easily forget"
4, This, thought, would be highly
improper proceeding Oh Laura's part
and l yentured to say SO. She con
tented herself with repeating, will
greater veilemence than before
NAP, inded!'
AT that moment we heard the hca
Wy sound of the diligence, aud the "a,
jingiing of the horses bells, as il
stopped at the door of the hotel
Cold and nuffled passcugcrs-for We
were some seven or eight thousand
feet above the level o: The sca-carns
into the room and partook OF variou:
drinks, but. they soon cleared on,
again. The horses had ben changed
and, with q good deal OF slnackins o
3. WHIPS and loud pealfug oE- bells, tht
huge diligence pursued its road I,
Italy.
>, The pale-faccd, goldem-haired chill,
. still sat quietly in the corner. One,
or twice the tired head. sank upon th,
little shoulder, and for moment Ol
two lie dropped asleep. Then IA,
would wake up again anu stare at tho
uukind door, which at no opeuins
brought him any relief.
After the diligence had been gone
some twenty inmates, aid Laura iIal
got into state of tidgets wLicl
threatened to pass all control, III,
landlord and head-waiter came ints
the room, looked at the little boy, am,
then talked together volubIy in 4;
whisper, looked ut tue boy ;lsuIn, ant
shook their heads in q Hystcriou,
manner. Then the landlord advanced
straight to where we were sitting.
"A thousand pardons for asking the
question:, but do Monsieur nnd Mad.
amc know anything Of the little gen
tlcmau yonder! z"
NO, nothing; beyond that Mon.
sieur aud Madame passed the little
gentleman aud his father US they 10.
t.euuel the DaSsD
lis Monsieur aware that his father
is All Englishincn 20
Well Monsieur had guessed q.
much, but could say no more.
"Well, it is very strange. 1t is som,
time since these two arrived. III,
father engaged room and order q,
supper. The father had said that hi,
luggage would be deposited by lii,
diligence; but The diligence had co,n.
and gone, aud though particular In
quires were made, The conductor Wa
quite sure that tLsrc was no luggage
such as had been described, TO be ue
posted at this hotel" ...
.s'fhara Inn-t h.,-o ham snt,n mi =.