The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-06-12
ROMANCE. OF THE RAIL,

Among the pleasant things in an itin-
Grant Bohemian life / count the perpet-
ual meeting at most unexpected places
of people whom You have known before
IN widely different localities. An hour
ago my friend and l started for a stroll
on this matchless Galveston beach. All
the afternoon we sat on the upper gal
lery watching the long, low surf-crests
that crept so slowly and surely land
ward all the afternoon we had listened,
IN the pauses of our light chattering, to
the ceaseless refrain which those same
uninterrupted waves were chanting, till
the beauty of the scene and the siren
song tempted us down to the shore.
oh, 1t was lovely, sauntering thither
over the oleander-planted walks, breath
ing their rich, exquisite perfume and
gathering handfuls of the pink bios
SONS. A fsw carriages had come for the
regular sunset drive some German
women were gathering shells a few
children, with bare, dimpled feet, were
wading out into the coming waves, to
run back with screams of laughter when
some swifter billow washed mp higher
than the rest and over the whole pic
tuTe there rested the mellow glow re-
Gected from the crimsoned west.
The occupants of the carriages raised
their eyebrows in polite amazement as
they rolled past US, for a pleasure walk
was beyond their comprehension and
my friend laughed, telling me that she
always knew northern visitors because
they loved to wander a pied, and Texans
never do.
I'm sure they regard me as mildly
insane for my long walks but, see, this
time we have companions in our mad
ness, she continued, pointing to pair
who were standing a little distance be-
yond.
Evidently bride and groom" I
asserted, for
Both were young and one was fair"
and there were the usual unmistakable
symptoms of recent ownership quite APP
parent in the air of the young man, who
just then folded the lady's wrap more
closely, and caught her fiuttering vail
till she had fastened it securely and in
the act she turned her face toward US,
startling me with it familiar look.
"Isn't she beautiful ?" said my friend.
answered her absently, since I was
hunting every nook in memory for the
counterpart of the fair girl before us.
l was sure I had known her-but
where?
An impertinent wave came hurrying
up the beach, and in a moment the
brides dainty boots would have suffered,
but MILFORD clasped her swiftly, and
raising her, ran back few steps, COM
ing close to us. 1 knew then where [
had seen the happy pair, but went
very sob srly toward them. only quietly
saying:
so this is what came of that jour
ney !"
"By Jove !' calculated my hero in
round English tones, seizing both my
hands in a grip that nearly crushed
them, while the bride blushed, laughed
and added her graceful greeting.
Wasn't it an odd encounter? / last
saw those young eople at Cheyenne, in
September, 1873; now they met me
strolliug on the shore of the gulf, and
my friend asserted that we had picked
mp something better than shells this
time, for she de handed the story at
once; and I will tell it to you Just as I
told it to her.
On Friday, Sept, II, 1871 like to
be accurate-the San Francisco train
stood on the track at Omaha waiting
the arrival, from the opposite side of
the Missouri, of eastern passengers.
There were four Pullman cars attached:
three were already filled, or engaged by
telegram, and the officials in charge
we're grumbling because "Boss Tweed"
and his party occupied six entire sec
tions. The "Boss stayed closely in
his compartment, for Mast had made
his face so perfectly familiar to every
one that he encountered more staring
than he liked. His daughter, stately,
dignified lady, waited the start with
evident Impotence, while the young
gentlemen-hiss sons and their friends
stood in a group on the platform, smok-
ing, apparently enjoying the curious
looks which were naturally leveled at
them. They were bound for the Yo
Semitic, and have always marveled
that, when once so far away from
Gotham, the Boss" didn't know
enough to sail for Hong Kong and stay
there but that 50 marvel" is not essen
tial to my story.
We were picking away at lunches,
eating California grapes, and doing the
hundred listless things one always does
while merely waiting" till the scream
of the approaching " transfer train "
sounded shrilly out, and we looked with
interest at the new passengers. Some
of them deserved our regards, others
didn't; but we watched them all, men,
tally summing up each particular case,
and utterly ignoring them thereafter,
or else resolving to win their friend
ship.
The first group comprised a man, his
little, inefficient, washed -out-lOoking
wife, strong-minded nurse, and two
children, destined to be our torments.
Next came a widow and Ter daugh-
ter the daughter wore glasses and was
a goose the mother only, paying for a
single berth, grumbled and fretted
most impoliteIy when the other seat
and berth of the section was assigned
to tall, spirited-looking English girl,
with whose splendid eyes and queenly
ways l fell directly in love. But, dear
friends, don't jump at conclusions, for
she isn't my heroine of the beach.
Listening to theill-bred matrOn,
hardly noticed a bevy of young girls
who had entered at the rear door, or
two dreadfully bridish brides and their
spOuses who had likewise claimed their
places. Ny English beauty, utterly
lisgusted with her UiS-G-UiS, asked for |
a place in my section during the day, |
and we became so delightfully."- conf
Dental IN ten minutes that / learned |
she was from Nova Scotia that this |
was the eleventh day of her journey, |
md that her destination was SacrametO: |
while the merry-faced, handsome young |
nan whom she ordered about with such |
supreme nOnchalance was her brother. |
Meantime, we heard from the rear
sections peals of merry laughter, the
aforesaid infants gave rs peal on peal of
dreadful wells, and we took dishOnor-
lble peeps in the tell-tale mirrors to
watch the "spooniDg" of the brides.
Dur handsome young man roamed mp
md down, and finally, with a wickedly
face, came to his sister,
that she should go and
watch the view from the end of the ear.
[ knew his motive, so l went too but
ne made nothing that time, for his sis
Ter never even glanced at the pretty
girls we passed. We looked from the
platform few minutes our hero stood
visiting his mustache with vexation,
i'll, growing desperate, he remarked
''Say, Madge! That girl with the
lark eyes is stunning, isn't she d? / wish
I l.