Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-09
ON THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS.
BIZ HELEN FORREST GRAVES.


aOf all things, night journey is the
most tedious said Clarence Hatfield.
as he let himself fall heavily into the
stiff, uncomfortable seat of the railway
car, with it's faded velvet cushions, and
its back at exactly the wrong angle for
aught approaching the luxury of nap.
Il say, Clifton, do you think we might
smoker"
"Well, I rather imagine not" said I,
with motion of my head toward the
other passengers. "There appear to be
ladies' on board"
Astdsld ils shrugged g his shoulders.
well" laughed I, "they don't appear
to be particularly stylish in manner or
costume, but, nevertheless, my dear fell
low, the divinity of their sex hedges
them around like WALL"
divinity of their humbugw shortly
interrupted Hatfield. "As if these i'll
dressed dowdies, with babies and band
boxes, could possibly belong to the same
world with Beatrice Hale!"
10 this I made no answer. It did not
seem to mo exactly appropriate to lug
the sacred name of Beatrice Hale into
q discussion in place like this. Yet
what could I do, except to feel my
cheeks flush and the roots of my hair
Jingle? For I was Enthusiastically in
love with Bee Hale, and SO was Clarence
Hatfield.
If we're to waste quarts of ink and
reams of paper in trying to describe
her manifold charms and excelencies
to the reauer, it wouldn't do any good.
Such things have been tried before, and
failed. Let him imagine the fairest
brunette tho sun ever shone on, and he
may come somewhere near the mark.
Suffice it to say that she was as beauti-
tul as dream, and that Hatfield and I
we're both slaves at her feet.
Which of us did she like best? All,
that was the question! It was some
thing like the children's old game of
seesaw: Cup I go, down you come :"
Sometimes I fancied I had had the
ghost of a chance; some times was con-
WINGED that Hatfield was altogether the
preferred, and that I had better emf
CRATE to Australia at once.
"Hello!" cried Hatfield, breaking
unceremoniously in upon the thread of
my musings, "there goes the whistle.
We shall be off directly. Thank good
ness for that!"
And he put up his feet on the oppo.
site seat, and prepared for as comfort
able four-hours' ride as possible.
Clarence Hatfield and 1, be it under
stood, were employees in the extensive
business of Messrs. Jenkins, Jumperton
& Co., auctioneers, and had been down
in the country putting up" a sale of
swampy lots, cut into streets and
squares, according to the most approved
metropolitan methods of doing such
things.
It had been dismal business.
November is not an inspiring month at
the best, and three-days' fog had con.
spired against the success of "Mount
Nora Park" as Jenkins, Jumperton &
Go. had christened the new speculation
Yet we had done REASONABLE well, and
were now thankful enough to get back
to New York.
AS the train gave it's starting lunge,
the door few open, and in came tall
old lady, in prodigions black bonnet
and fur cloak, surrounded by perfect
chevaa1r de triese of squirrel cages,
leather bags, brown-paper parcels, and
sandwich boxes. She was followed
closely by younger lady dressed in
black, and closely yelled, and paused
hesitatingly in front of our seat.
Young man." said she, in low
voice as gruff as that of a man, is this
seat engaged?"
eyes" said Hatfield; cit u.s."
"For your feet?"
mo matter what for" superciliously
replied the head clerk of jenkins. Jump
erton & Go. Please to pass on, old
lady. You'll find seats enough beyond
But this was stretching of the truth.
There were no seats beyond, as the old
lady could easily perceive, unless she
chose to sit directly opposite red-hot
coal fire or upon one of those corner az
engagements close to the door, which are
equivalent to no seat at all.
The old lady hesitated and changed
her heavy carpet-bag from one wearied
arm to the other. L thought of my own
good Aunt Polly at home, and rose at
once.
"Pray' take this seat, ma'am," said I.
"And let me put your parcels up in the
rack for you"
@Clifton, what fool you are!" cried
Hatfield, in an impatient soto voice..
*Why couldn't you have sat still and
minded your own business?"
1T is my own business" I answered,
brusquely, Ito see that every lady is
made as comfortable as it is in the
nature of things to be. Now the SOUR
rel-cage, ma'am-it'u go very comfort
ably under the seat, I think"
Hatfield uttered a contemptuous
grunt, bat he never offered to trust his
feet off the opposite cushions, although
the younger woman stood in the aisle,
uncomfortably swaying backward and
forward with the motion of the train,
until q woman beyond, observing the
state of affairs, drew a sleeping child
into her lap, and beckoned the other to
take the place thus vacated.
BY this time my old lady had estab-
ished herself to her entire satisfaction,
and opened her sandwich box.
aMuch obliged to you, young man,"
said she. "lt's easy to see that you've
a mother of your own at home, and
you're in the habit of doing reverence
to her gray hairs. AS for this person"
with nod of her poke bonnet in the
direction of Mr.. Hatfield eff he's got a
mother, I can't say much for her bring
ing of him up. Perhaps he may be
old himself one day, and stand in need
of little politeness and consideration
from the young"
When I'm anxious for your good
opinion, ma'am, I'll let you know" re-
turned Mr.. Hatfield, rather fippantly.
The old Lady could only express her
self by a vehement sniff. And even I
NO IL L.