The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1874-12-17
FAR-SEEING GLASSES.


HERES room by me, auntie. Do sit
down and be comfortable"
Comfortable, child Don't ask me to
bc comfortable when that train Is off Inc
track, or smashed, for aught | knpwl"
Aad Mrs. Pressy continued her walk up
aud down the ladies room with :. rest
less impauenCc That was fast wearing
upon the felt soles of her home knit
SOCKS, while her pretty grandnIece re
summed her reading in the most ladylike
composure, apparently alike Indifferent
2" railroad accidents past and future
Mrs. Prcssy groaned inwardly as she
regarded her through her far-seeing
glasses At eighteen the child should
nave SOME realizing sense OF the cares
and anNicties 81 life yet here she was
deep IN a love story befOrr their jour
ney was begun What could her father
have been thinking Of when he said she
could travel well enough alone down to
NarransauC, And that plan of putting
her under the care Of Zcnas Kenyon 5
boy was wilder get Ienas turned out 1,
likely man; but what did they know
about his son except that he had been
brought up IN Boston, which of itself was
rather against him: Hank, there was the
whistle al last
4 stir OF animation followed Mrs
Pressy auxiOusly counted her bundles
bandbDN, one; travelling bag, two grand
-ifs picture, three.
" BE sure you don't leave anything
Emily. Have you got the lunch basket
and shaw strap, and the Thanksgiving
cfanberrlcs for your grandmother
Al right, auntlc'
Well, Keep ciOsc behind me" said
Aunt Fluyilla, ncrvously, claSping the
picture like shield to her breast, and
advancing with martial tread to the plat
form
But the cars haven't crossed tho
bridge yet auntie, and it's bitter cold"
Child, j. this time 10 dawdle: OF
coursc it is cold; but when We travel We
must expect to be uncomfortable. want
- be On the spot
Don't u think we are too far for
ward, auntie?'
= want to be ON the spot" repeated
Mrs. ffessy, emphatically, wheeling
about to take breath, while the bandbox
and bag suspended from either arm
swung like grotesque pendulums.
.. only thought If the train was long
they might run the engine through the
depot
- III 'lAflltI. -lIS. 1 EtSSN, HtT
niece : voice being inaudible in the roar
Of the approaching cars Mercy on u.s.
rs they Whizzed by, aren't they going
10 stop? Wen, of all things, if they
haven't brought up clean at the further
end Of the platform, Hurry, child, or
You'll he lett" And away pulled the
good woman like an animated locomo-
tive, her pendent baggage representing
the governor.
The rest of the passengers nearer the
STEPS had already got on board, and,
coming last into .he car, Mrs. Prcssy and
hrr niece experienced the vcXatiun of
indlng ali the double seats appropriated
Indeed, but two vacancies remained
one near the door and next an exceed
ingty c0rpulcnt old gentleman, and the
other in the seat directly behind, one
hall of which was occupied by young
man porting over the columns of the
NcN York ITiJH,tc. The first seat Mrs
Ircssy scorncd aS quite Inadequate t.
hci ample proportions, dropping into
the second prceIpitately with a quaint
By your leave, sir" while the irrcprcs-
sibic bandboN, describing an unusual
curve, thrust the open newspaper against
her ncighbor's face.
BE 80 good as to lct my niece sit
e,
with IA brisk tap on the corpulcnt gentle
mans shoulder. There, Emily, |
rather think this is the best we can do.
Louk out for your ticket, child, and keep
an eye ON your bundles
} es auntlc.'
Emily arranged her crimpS and settled
her wind blown net, and there was 81
leHcc tor the space of mInutc-a silence
rudely broken by her aunt'S voice at her
car, crying.
Child alive! my null, my mutfl left
il on the settcc"
= Don't stir, alntic; I'll find it," cried
Emily, springlng up and dashing by her
companion.
The next moment the bell rang, the
train moved on Mrs. PrcSsy, too agi-
tatud 20 speak, sat with open mouth and
quiycring eyclids, her hands tightly
clasped above the huge oval frame now
resting horizontally upon her knees her
Whr attitude SO suggestive of devotion
that one might have fancicd her To be
saying grace al her own dIning-table
The yeun@ gentleman beside her gazcd
anNiously from the window. Five see
onds passed; ten and Emily, flushed and
painting, was drawn up the steps by the
conductor
Here's your muil, auntie. all safe"
And no bones broken? Thank the
Lord" calculated Aunt Flavilla. sinking
back With a sigh of relief, scrcnely un-
const iouS that her right elbow was stah-
bling her seatmatc.
Wouldn't YOU like 10 have your
friend by YOU, madam" said he, smiling
heroically I'm exchange places with
her with pleasure"
You're sure ii will be no put out to
youe"
Not the least
The transfer was accordingly made,
and the ladies. side by side, with the
handhoN hanging in the space between
them like a bucket in well, and the EN-
bruided hroadcloth bag at their feet,
were again ut peace.
They show good bringing up" re-
marked Mrs Pressy, in conversational
tone, With q wave of the thumb toward
her former companion, nov directly in
front. Shouldn't be surprised if they d
travelled"
Emily nodded hastily and opened her
book.
II should say they're well on to thirty,
shouldn't your pursued Mrs Pressy.
with the same air of mystery, secure in
the belief that the gentleman under dis
AdNNtRi NPHtAA A'N1l lN1N-hiat iliHlStll
beneath the artful disguise of plural
pronoun.
Her niece nodded again, this time with
her finger on her lip.
You silly child. Don't look ST. fright
encd. How can they understand? Be
sides, they're busy reading"
The blonde mustache before them
twitched convulsively, but its owner
seemed intensely interested in the shin
ping news, and never raised his eyes from
the column till Mrs Pressy, fatigued by
unwonted excitement, and lulled by the
mUnotonous motion of tie wheels. fell
into comfortable doze, still grasping
her railroad ticket, and holding it up
right like guide board.
Then Emily saw him glance back at
this with show of interest, also steal
lng u look ut her own, which obtruded
from the pocket of her stylish English
walking jacket
" In q young lady, now. you'd call it
curiosity, thought she, taking a girlish
inventory Of his person Elegant zig
aFe hands white hair and beard too
night though. | don't fancy faces framed
~ 5llt On, what superb teethr' AS he
smiled IN response to a remark from his
companion, who added to his extreme
corpulence the further misfortune of be-
ing hard Of hearing.
Plucky young woman. no mistake"
that gentleman was saying, in the loud
whisper peculiar To the deaf. Runs
like deer. | wouldn't mind Icing as