The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-06-17

quality of ribbon furtively with O
critical forefinger and thumb. Age had
chiseled wrinkles, innumerable fine lines,
In the intelligent face, had whitened the
scanty hair, and robbed the sunken
mouth of teeth, yet the vital forces
seemed unimpaired. She was like @
queer little gray bird hopping along to
peck q crumb of information every.
where.
"I wonder who she is, and where
she's goin'l" pondered the old lady, her
busy brain having unsuccessfully twisted
Ruth around the whirling wheel OF
minute investigation. Then she bobbed
up abruptly, and skipped into the seat
beside the object of her interest with an
apologetic, "G uess I'll change my place,
if you don't mind, and get out of The
draught from that winder. Old folks
have to be kinder keerful about
draughts.
Miss Mayhem graciously assented, and
her neighbor was delighted with the
success of her stratagem.
"Live in these parts" small beady
eyes twinkling all over her companion
interrogatively.
" Yes. Have you come far 2"
Far Z 1 guess so! L left my darters
home in 'Indianny day afore yesterday.
I've seen sights of things. My son-in-
law, Marthy's husband, is a lumber
merchant, you know, out West. Yes,
the winters been cold, some. We had
Bible classes and lectures, and once
there came a panoramy of New York.
Jabez took me. Hev you been there 2
Most as good as seeing il for yourself,
the panoramy was. Come home alone {?
Law, yes Made my way right along
as easy as could be. I stopped over,
night at Montreal, in Canady, at great
hotel, and the clerk gave me snug lit
tie room, SOS L felt real to hum. There's
big bridge-the Victory bridge, they
call it there. I see it. I've been a good
piece on the Grand Turk railroad,
too"
The old lady had traversed all this
distance safely, enjoying every hour of
the journey, and she was now turning
her face homeward to a farm nestled
among the hills.
"My son lives in the other side Of the
house, and does all the chores about the
farm. take care of myself" she ex-
planned, with the curious simplicity of q
nature that confded all its private
affairs to strangers, never dreaming of
doubling that their interest eQualed her
own i'll discussing their personal his
tory.
Ruth's sympathy was aroused. This
sympathy cost her dear. Three hours
later she was standing alono on the
crowded platform of large railway
terminus, where locomotives dashed
frantlcally about, and anxious passen-
gers vociferated loudly, with her own
train disappearing in the distance, and
a string of gold beads in her hand.
1t happened thus: Ruth and her new
friend hobnobbed delightfully."-. The
old lady was particularly pleased to dis
cover that among the many good things
for the others journey by
hands were crisp turn-overs,
generous slices of dried-apple pie, and
doughnuts.
Seems like hum, she declared, with
any cake nor pie in Canady. They said
they had plenty of beef and beer, but L
don't need nothin' quite SO hearty"
Born of the same race, subjected to
the same influences of harsh, cold
climate, the English resident of Canada
supplies generous fuel for the machinery
IF life, while the Yankee native of New
England most grudgingly lubricates the
Ousy mech nism of his economy, at the
same time extorting the greatest possi-
Die amount of labor from his slave-the
body.
The train paused at station, and a
young man strolled into the car. Miss
Ruth's attention became instantly CEN
cred III him. 1T was not because of the
beauty of his black mustache that she
observed him, nor his oily rirglets,
iashy waistcoat, and resplendent watch
,hain. 1t was simply because his evil,
'naky eye, wandering carelessly over !
he passengers, pounced on the uncon-
,cious old lady. "You will bear watch !
ng," thought the younger woman.
Then she. talked warningly of thieves |
md pickpockets, at which The old lady |
ooked simply bewildered.
The train rushed into tunnel, dark,
,hilly hole that seemed to open yawn-
ng mouth, in itself stationary and soul
ess, to ingulf life and motion. A tiny
,lue flame cracked; the old lady had
lighted bit of tallow candle, using her
land for candlestick.
81 git scared in these tunnels" she
aid, and held the candle 50 that Ruth !
nd herself We're framed in vivid radi- |
nee.
The former, keeping her eyes stead
astly fixed on the snaky young man
eated behind, detected a stealthy move
nent of his hand toward the old lady's |
leck, where hung the family gold beads. |
| sudden draught (emanating from the
naky young MANI fared out the candle,
scuff1e and rush ensued amidst con-
used ordinations, and Miss Mayhew
into active combat with the |
oe.
"Thieves!" she shrieked.
"Oh, murder" gasped the old lady,
irst receiving a blow over the held that
rushed her bonnet awry, and then feel
ng as if a great many shawls had tum-
oled over her.
"What is the matter ?' echoed on all
iides in the terrible darkness.
"Oh, oh |" screamed Ruth again.
The wretchl The scampl Help me
% hold him. He Is twisting my hand
lorribly."
"Let me CO." growled the snaky
young man, and giving himselfa serpen-
inc screw, adroitly eluded the nervous
,lutch of his captor's fingers.
"He's gone! Do catch him." she
1anted.
The widest commotior ensued.
Everybody else feeling thatlt devolved
lpon each as men and brohers to do
and succeeding only in Gre
lting inextricable confusion. None of