Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-04-19

kOlnHs Az ltuEln, nOWtNtTs lut Coukln-
ued ringing OF the engine bell aroused me
to the fact that we were within the limits
Of New York city, and that my happy
adventure was almost at an end.
Perhaps, rumlnated, Marie would be
met, by one, who was stranger 10 me,
and her little white hand warmly pressed
II might be, her fairy waist enclrcled by
masculine armi nay, even those tempt
Ing lips
A short, quick blast from the whistle;
the bell has ceased fingiugi the train has
stopped we are there
While the ladies were preparing to
alight, l inwardly revolved the question
In the general distribution Of the burdens
what was to become of the baby The
elder lady was too serlously III to carry
such load, while Marie would be so en-
ployed In taking care Of her as to be al
most ineapactated for further labor.
The same query seemed to have occurred
10 the girl, for observed her looking at
the solid child with a weary sort Of er-
preston, as though the very prospect OF
his weight had already exhausted her.
One glance at her troubled face was all
my vanqulshed heart could endure.
Madam" said In a burst of generous
art Of carrying children, but If can be
of any service In relieving you Of the care
of that infant"
ooh, SIR" she interrupted, flushing
with gratitude, "lf you a0ould be so kind
should not thl5k of II for an instant
under any other circumstances, but
"Don't mention it, pray,"I inter- upt-
ed In tnfn. "If you will show me how
! to ha1 tFr, I oh Ia .s.ls l.I -,
assist you"
Gallantry begot gallantry, until by the
time we reached terra drmd had become
au ingenious compound of knlght-trrant
and quasi pdterf rfdmilids, In which II would
have been difficult to recognize the selfish
old bachelor of few hours b, fore.
Once, twice, thrice, wepassed in review
the long line of the expectant faces, on
the platform, the ladies looking each time
more anxious and dismayed. Then they
halted and gazed al each other moment
In silence the elder spoke first:
"What Is to be done :"
"Nothing can be DONE" replied the
other, "except to push on as best We may
alone. For obvious reasons, we cannot
go to hotel"
Then ensued a short conversation in
me that for some causes, probably the
non-deliyery Of their telegram, no one
had appeared to meet them they were
unprotected and alone, at midnight, in
this great city, and their home was IL
Brooklyn. My generous impulses were
again stirred within me. | was really
becomiug a philanthropist on limited
scale.
ssIadles," said l, ado not be alarmed
If can find a hackman who will take
you to Brooklyn on such night as this
| / will accompany you-that Is, If you will
accept of my escort for want Of better. u
rhe ladies overwhelmed me witk thanks
and prolestatlons, but pressed the mat.
ter upon them, till they finally consented
with an air Of grateful reluctance.
While / was out looking for convey.
ance, my charmer wrote q name and ad.
dress on card, and handed il to me,
when returned, together with a check
for the portmanteRu belonging TO hel
sister and herself. I thrust the card in
my pocket, scat my coachman after the
luggage, and came back without waiting
to examine the vehicle l had engaged
When, at length, the driver put his head
in at the door, and announced himself In
readiness, asked permission to relieve
the ladies Of their living charge, took
Charlie in my arms, and heading our pro
cession led the way into the street. On
reaching the conveyance, II proved 10 be
coupe, capable Of holding only two
adults.
dGood heavens, driverl" exclaimed,
show do you expect three grown persons
and a child to ride in that thlDgl"
"You said II was for two ladies'" ht
answered, "and it's plenty big enough
for them"
Truel for perhaps the first time IN my
life, had become so absorbed in some Of
my fellow beings as to have entirely for
gotten number one. II was too late nov
to make a fuss. The night was bite
cold, the elder Of the ladies under m!
care was very i'll, and there was only oni
other carriage left; that too, was {
coupe. At this juncture the driver o
the second vehicle came running up ant
settled the question.
"Hi, sir Not room enough, sir TIVE
of you can come In my hack, sir"
@Good % said l. "step In, ladies
and we'll be off In no time. I'll follow
in the other carriage"
In they went, aud requested me to de
liver up the baby 10 them but 1 woul'
hear of nothing Of the kind. "No, no +
inslsted, 81 can take care of him with
ont any trouble, and II Is necessary tina
you should both be as comfortable a
possible" And TO prevent further dis
cusslon I abruptly shut their carrlag
door.
WWhat number 7" asked the coac
man. l did not stop to answer, bu
handed him the card Marie had give
me. Then seating myself In the othe
: carriage, with Charles In state OF bllsi
full unconsciousness against my oyercoai
) was soon rolling through the snow
, drifts down Ninth avenue.
, There was not much to amuse me a
, we hurried along. All the lights had dii
appeared from the shop windows, d
Q pedestrluns were TO be seen on the street
= and the very policemen seemed 10 hay
{ found hiding places to protect them froi
= the raw night winds.
' The ladies' carriage kept some distant
q ahead Of us, and watched as II wheelt
into Twenty-third street toward Broai
{ way, while another vehicle exactly III
. Il coming up the avenue turned in at Il
l same corner. Then bit Of jolting roa
y awoke my baby companion, and eve
nerve was strained N keep him quie
a CRY he would, however, and cry he di
despite my efforts to eoothe and WI
It sill intent on inventing expedlents,
" gardless of such petty matters as tin
and space, when the carriage stopped, al
y | was aroused by my coachman's yolcl
eHere we are sir %
= l stepped out. In front OF us stood
coupe, the door held open by the mnfil
If driver. To my horror, there Issued fro
sr It's cavernous interior-not two ladl'
g but couple Of young gentlemen In f
Is dress, evidently just returned from
le evening party. looked up and down
ID street. We were on Fifth avenue, in :
" city of New York.
N The situation was apparent at
e. glance. We had followed the wrong CT
If riage; the right one was now beyond
call. With the heedlessness peculiar
: ! editors and men In love had given aw
TX a card containing my only clue TO
names or residence of my fair comps
n. ions, aud here was 1, a bachelor, alol
at the dead hour Of the night, with
lie infant abOminatiou In my arms
For the cause of good morals, l forb'
e 10 repeat the emphatic language 10 VIII
[ addressed that cabby. My repertC
'r- Of forcible invective l found 10 he Vi
at full, though not half so compleheus
ne as the occasion demanded. In justice
ay the poor man, be It said that he did
best to e1piate the mischief. l
ne treated to a gratuitous ride OF an houf
Y. more, during which every effort was mi
10 to ind some trace Of the direction
lef other carriage had taken. Al last
oI search was given up as hopeless, au
was compelled to drive to my board
house Mrs. Barnsby's, No. 1873 East
-. th street. Here my Jehu set me do
,eu apologised In his rough way, for the