The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-12-26
Mist&lIanenas Solutions.
UNA.

For the first time in my hfe-nearly
seventeen years and quarter-I was
alone in the wide, wide world; to be
precise, in that Bit of it which lies
between the Paddington station and
Bath. I had all but missed the train
so that my uncle had only time to
hurry me into a first class earriaoe
wherein solitary passenger was al
ready seated,and to give me solemn
injunction to get Aunt Margery tc
telegraph when I "turned up al
right" before the train dashed away
''All right" Ofcourse 1 should
be all right! I should think, at sew.
enJeen and nearly a quarter, might
be trusted to take care of mysel
during three hour journey; the
more so as my uncle had "put me
in at one end, and my aunt would
stake me out at the other.n
AS soon as I had arranged myself
and my belonings comfortably in my
corner, I took a survey ofmy fellow
passenger-a grim. iron-gray ole
woman in an exasperating bonnet,
who was looking, not daggers-that
is too much pointed and q brilliant a
simile-but rusty nails of the jagged
est description, at my poor little hat;
such an attractive one as it was, too,
with the most piquant little wax,
wing imaginable breeding over ii
with out streached wings. For my
part, I think when one has a pretty
face, it is wicked to spoil it by 9
dowdy hat. I should have attracted
much more attention if I had worr
an exasperating extinguisher like
my fellow travellers, with an aggra-
waiting bow at the top, and, besides
Tom would not have liked it.
was rapidly losing my temper
it was too p-ovkoing. Here was
somebody evidently just as ready tc
find fault and take care Of me as any
body at home. My only comfort
was a hope that she might get out a
the next station, or at all events al
some distance from Bath. All, how
little 1 knew what was coming, or
should have felt glad to have had
her glaring twice as grimly from the
opposite seat!
"Traveling alone@
"Yes."
What an unnecessary question,
thought.
"You are much too young and too
pretty to be permitted to do So"
1 meekly answered that my youth
and prettiness were "faultsD owe,
which had no control, and hintet
at the possibility that time might bt
expected to cure both, it, 1 only liv
ed long enough.
She smiled-yes, really; not bat
smile, either.
"While waiting for that, yor
should have somebody to take car
of you"
STake care of mer' 1 exclaimed
with a little shudder of disgust. q
am quite able to take care of mysel
indeed, I am tired Of being takel
care of. I am almost worn out. BE
sides, / have been at two garden par
ties, and have long left the school
room" with dignity.
"My dear, the scool-room woulD
be the best place for you the mex
half-dozen years. l must leave 70
at the next station, but 1 will tell tn
guard to look after you. You vi
ilearn in time how good a thing it
to be cared for. Una without her lio
would never get safely through thi
world
The train stopped; I helped her t
gather all her bags and rugs.
"Good by, my dear; your littl
| face has made the day look brightt
to an old woman; so you have IN
leave to keep it unchanged as Ion
as you can," and she actually patte
Inv cheek with q kind old hand q
! she passed out.
1 watched her take her seat in
little basket carriage that was wal
ing for her-Watched the old bali
headed man servant stand hat
hand. evidently giving her all Il
lstorv Of life at home during her q
sence-and felt sorry, as l Teturnt
| her good-by nod, when the carFias
moved out Of sight down a shad
lcountry road. l followed her in fl
lcy to a fowery country home, whe
III felt su-e she lived costly with o
servants, quaint furniture, and 0
pets, dogs, cats, and birds. How |
tle then l thought that one day
should. But 1 forget; we mt
mot anticipate, as real authors say,
: that must come in its oEn place;
had not even seen Tom, then.
The train had stopped at a gu
little station, and was just beginnI
to move on past roses and hol
hooks, when the door sudden
" Iswung open, and a man jumped
One glance satisfied me that
would not improve on acquaintan'
Tom has told me since that he VA
"cad;" and, if "cad" is an odio
> vulgar, red-haired person, with
washed hands covered with Goa
rings, a sky-blue satin tie, and
loverpowering odor Of bad tobba
IL know the difference quite "
for Tom never smokes any ou5
yery best Manilas, and | quite
Iioy the smell-then most decfae'
he was rightly designated.
IDS I saw all this at single glance
+. one does sometimes, and bent ste
3 " over my book, wishing that
hour which would bring me to q
aunt Margery was over. PreseI