Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-11-29
Change Of Fortune.

crushed cluster of Michigan roses.
Change Of Fortune.
ran across what first struck me as very
singular genius on my road from Springfield
to Boston. This was a stout black.wlisk-
cred man who sat Immediately in front of
me, and who INDUCED, from time to time, in
the most strange and unaccountable maneu-
vers Every now and then he would re, up
and hurry away TO the narrow passage which
leads to the door in these drawinp.room
cars, and when he thought himself secure
from observation, would fall TO laughing to
himself in the most violent manner. and
continue the healthful exercise until ne was
red in the face as lobster. As we neAred
Boston these demonstrations increased in
violence, save that the stranger no longer
ran away to laugh, but kept his seat and
chuckled to himself, with his chin ieep
down in his shirt collar. But the changes
that those portmanteaus underwent He
moved them here, there, everywhere; he put
them behind him, in front Of him, on each
side Of him. lie was evidently getting ready
to leave, but, as we were vet TWENTY-FIVE
miles from Boston, the idea of such prepar-
the city then, the mystery would have re-
NAMED unsolyed, but the stranger at last
became so excited that he could keep mis-
seat no longer. Some one must help him, and
as | was the nearest to him he selected me.
Suddenly turning, as if had asked him
a question, he said, rocking himself TO and
fro in his chair the meantime, and slapping
his legs and breathing hard, Been gone
three years All I" "Yes. been in
Europe. Folks don't expect me, but got
through and started, telegraphed them
at the last station, they've got it bv this
time" As he said this he rubbed his hands
and changed the portmanteau on his left to
his right, and the one on the right to the
left again. Got wife Z" said |. ..Yes.
and three children" he observed, and he
got up and folded his overcoat anew, and
hung it over the back OF the seat. "You
are pretty nervous over the matter. are you
not " said watching his fidgety move
ments. "Well, | should think So" Ire re
piled 3" haven't slept soundly for week.
And do YOU know" he went on, CLAIMING
around at the passengers and speaking in a
low tone, " am almost certain that this
train will run Oft the track and break my
neck before we get to Boston. Well, the
fact is, | have had too much good luck for
one man lately. The thing cant last; it
isn't natural that it should, you know. I've
watched it, First it rains. then it shines,
then rains again. TRAINS so hard you think
it's never going 10 stop; then it shines so
bright you think its always going to shine
and just as you are settled in either belief
you are knocked over by change to show
that You know nothing about it,"
~ We'll agpor1inr "a that ,,bfl,oo,.bt, -
said |, you will continue to have sunshine
because you are expecting storm" 1T
is curious" he returned, "but the only thing
which makes me think | will get through
safe is because think | WON'T" Wei,
that is curious said I. Yes" he replied.
" I'm machinist-made a discovery-no-
body believed in it--spent all my money try
ing to bring it out mortgaged my home
all. Everybody laughed at me-everybody
but my wife-hne little woman-said she
would work her fingers off before should
give 1t up. Went TO England-no better
there; came within an ace of jumping of
London bridge. Went into shop TO earn
money to come home with there | met the
man ! wanted. To make long story short,
I've brought thirty thousand dollars home
with me, and here | am" Good for you %
| exclaimed. "Yes,' said he, thirty thou
sand dollars; and the best Of it is she don't
know anything about it. I've fooled her so
often, and disappointed her so often that |
just concluded | would say nothing about
this. When | got my money, though, you
better believe ! struck bee-line for home"
And now you will make her happy"
said /.
Happy" he replied "why, you don't
know anything about it, She's worked like
a dog while have been gone trying to sup
port herself aud her children dccenty.
They paid her thirteen cents apiece for
making coarse shirts and that's the way
she'd live half the time. She'll come down
there to the depot TO meet me in bingham
dress, and shawl a hundred years old, and
she'll think she's dressed up, Oh, she won't
have nice clothes after this--oh, no, guess
not"
And with these words, which implied that
his wife's wardrobe would soon rival Queen
Nictora's, the stranger tore down the pas.
sage-way again, and getting in his old cor
ner, where he thought himself out Of sight,
went through the strangest pantomime,
laughing getting his mouth into the drollest
shapes, and then swinging himself back and
forth in the limited space, as il he was
" walking down Broadway" a full-rigged
metropolitan belle. Aud so till he rolled
into the depot, and placed myself on the
other car opposite the stranger, who with
portmanteau in each hand, descended and
was standing on the lower step ready to
Jump on the platform, | looked from his
face 10 the faces of the people before US, but
saw no signs of recognition.
Suddenly he cried, "There they are " and
laughed outright, but In a hysterical sort of
way, as he looked over the crowd | fol.
lowed his eyes aud saw at some distance,
back as if crowded out and
shouldered away by the well dressed and
eibowing throng, little woman in faded
dress aud wel-worn hat with face almost
painful in its intense but hopeful express
sion, glancing from window 10 window, as
the coaches glided in, She had not vet seen
the stranger, but moment after she caught
his eye, and in another instant he had
Jumped TO the platform with his two port |
manteaus, and making hole in the crowd |
pushing one hera aud another there, and |
running one of his bundles plump into the
stomach of a venerable old |
gentleman in spectacles, he rushed towards |
where she was standing.
think | never saw face assume so |
many different expressions in a short time |
as did that little woman's while her hus.
band was on his way TO her. She didn't |
look nrattv I'm tha cnptrarv sho l.olal /