American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-11-22
UNA.

FOR the first time IL my life-nearl,
seventeen years and aquarter-Iw was alon
IN The wide, wide world: to be precise. i,
Lat Bit of it which lies between the Pad
cinyton station and Bath l had all bu
nlssed the train, SO that my uncle ha,
only time to hurry me into first-clas
carriage, wherein a solitary lady was al
ready seated, and to give me a solemn in
junction to get Aunt Margery 10 telegraph
when i turned up all right" before the
train dashed away
"All rightp OF course should be all
right l should think, at seventeen and
nearly quarter, l might be trusted tc
take care of myself during a three hours
journey; the more so as nv uncle had
put me in at one end" and nv aunt
would "take me out at the other.n
AS soon as l had arranged myself and
my belongings comfortably in nv corner
! took survey of my fellow passenger
a grim, 1ron-grdy old woman in an ex
asperating bonnet, who was looking. no,
daggers@tLat is much too pointed and
brllllan.- simile-but rusty nails of the
lagg-dest description, at my poor little
Mt; such an attractive one as it was, too
with the most piquant little wax-winp
imaginable brooding over it with out
stretched wings. For my part, think,
when one has pretty face, it is wicked to
spoil 1t by dowdy hat. l should have
attracted much more attention if 1 had
worn an exasperating extinguisher like
my fellow travellers, with an aggravating
bow at the top; and, besides, Tom would
not have liked it.
was rapidly losing my temper-it was
too provoking. Here was somebody evil
IDENTIFY just as ready to find fault and take
care Of me as anybody at home My only
comfort was hope that she might get
out at the Hext station, or at all events, at
some distance from Bath. All, how little
1 knew what was coming, or 1 should
have felt glad 20 have had her glaring
twice as grimly from the opposite seat!
Travelling alone."
eyes"
What an unnecessary question, 1
thought.
''You are much too young and too
pretty to be permitted to do So"
1meekly answered that my youth and
prettiness were faults" over which had
no control, and limited at the possibility
that time might be expected to cure both,
if only lived long enough.
She smiled-yes, really; not a bad
smile, either.
while waiting for that, you should
have somebody take care of you"
Take care of met" exclaimed, with
a little shudder of disgust. 81 am quite
able to take care of myself-indeed, l am
tired of being taken care of. am almost
worn out. Besides, have been at two
garden parties, and have long left the
scEoOl-roOm" with dignity.
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 thing it is to be cared for.
Una, without her lion, would never get
safely through this world"
The train stopped; 1 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; so you have my leave to keep it
unchanged as long as you can," and she
actually patted my cheek with kind old
hand as she passed out.
1 watched her take her place in a little
basket Carriage that was waiting for her
watching the old bald-headed man ser
want stand, hat in hand, evidently giving
her all the story of life at home in her
absence-and felt sorry, as returned her
good-by nod, when the carriage moved
out of sight down a shady country road
1 followed her in fancy to f1owery
country home, where felt sure she lived
costly with her old servants, quaint furni-
ture, and old pet dogs, and cats, and
birds. How little l then thought that
one day 1 should. But l forgot; we
must not anticipate, as real authors say
that must come in its own place; l had
not even seen Tom, then.
The train had stopped at a quiet little
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 satisfied me that
he would not improve on acquaintance.
Tom has told me since that he was
"cad :" and, if a "cad'' is an odious, vul-
gar, red-haired person, with unwashed
hands covered with coarse rings, sky
blue satin tie, and an OverpOwering odOr
of bad tobacco know the difference
quite well, for Tom never smokes any but
the very best Manilas, and l quite enjoy
the smell-then most decidedly he was
rightly designated.
l saw all this at single glance, as one
does sometimes, and bent steadily over
my book, wishing that the hour which
would bring me to dear Aunt Margery
was over. Presently l was reading some
thing SO amusing that 1 had forgotten
everything beside. The train had left the
little station far behind, and was going at
full speed, when suddenly 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
facet
Take off that veil, miss; I'm sure a
Whit of fresh air will do you good. This
carriage is awful muggy'-that was the
creatures very expression" muggy ~
Besides, it's desperate bad for your eyes
to read through that speckled stuff"
Without replying, l bent my head low
er over my book, but the letters were get
ting confused, and my heart was beating
with fright.
ssPoor little thing! Deaf, is she ?" and
he took the seat opposite and leaned
across SO that l had to- shrink into my
corner to avoid his touch. Poor little Una
needed her lion now.
bad for the eyes, Miss, and such shin
ers as yours are too good to be wasted on
that stupid book. Give a fellow a peep
at them"
And great red hand advanced towards
my veil.
could only cover into my corner with
a great cry of terror-one helpless cry on
"Cncle," knowing the while how far
away he was, and how unconscious of hi
poor little Polly's trouble
In putting up his hand to my veil, the
man touched me, and the touch, slight as
IL WAS, reused fury of anger, such as |
had never felt before, and hope never to
feel again; it gave me back my voice.
you shall not How dare youi You
must not touch me-uncle will kill you,"
The man laughed at my puny rage.
xiii me for taking care of you! If he
does not want others to fill his place, he
should look after you better, and not let
you out alone. You had better be civil,
or"
He drew out large clasp-knife as he
spoke. and began deliberately to open it,
JooEin at me all the while IL was come