Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-09-25
JACKS GREAT PERIL,

never saw such change in - man in
my life! When we last met, Jack
well, | must not give his real name, con-
sidering what / am going tO relate, so
III call him Jack Pallant-was, as he
had ever been since | knew him, one of
the lightest-hearted. cheeriest fellows in
the world. full Of fun and up TO every
thing, and rs gentle and tender as \
woman, with the courage of n lion. And
now, what did fiEd him2 Even though
but three months had elapsed, he had
become n grave, detected, saddened man
in n word, hardly recognizable. either
mentally or physically. / was shocked.
and of course he saw that / was. He
came to see me, indeed, the moment he
heard ] was in town. that might learn
from his own mouth what had happened.
instead of at secondhand.
Jack had always been more or less n
spoiled boy-only sons are always more
or less spoiled-and having lost his
mother when quite n child. IL was not
wonderful that his poor old dad made
much of him. But he had taken the
sJoiling kindly. and beyond making him
perhaps n little idle and thoughtless, il
had done him no harm. There was no
harm in the fellow he spent more money
than he should, but many young soldiers
do that without coming to much grief
in the long run. and his father, n soldier
before him, regarded the failing leniently,
paid his bills and looked pleasant. Be-
yond adding that he was rather short.
dapper little fellow, need not say much
more about him; have only to try and
put into coherent shape the strange and
tragical business which had so fearfuly
altered him.
He was coming to town one autumn
evening for few days leave from Gun
nersholt, where he was quartered. can
see him as plainly "a If / had been there.
springing into the first carriage that
offered room, without regard to who was
in 1t; for he was the least lastidious OF
men. without the slightest particle OF
"hawhaw pride and nonsense, or that
stand-of-ishness of manner, too usual
with men in his position; ready to make
himself happy wherever he was, or in
whatever company.
But 1t so happened. 1t appears, on this
occasion that he got into an empty car.
riage; Mt least he thought so, for Il was
twilight, and he did not observe for the
first moment the figure Of n woman,
seated in further corner, dressed In
dark clothes and thickly veiled.
The sudden discovery that he was moi
alone rather startled him for n moment
and 1t may be, as he said, that the eve.
ming before having been guest night al
mess, his nerves were not quite up tt
their usual tone. He was not the lad
however, to be long in such a situation
without making some remark to his fel
bw-traveler. though in this case an un.
usual hesitation TO do so came over him
ewing to- her mysterious appearance and
extreme stiffness. The between-lights
Of the carriage lamp and the evening sky
prevented him from discerning details
but there she sat. perfectly rigid. ant
with not a vestige of her face visible
through the thick black vail.
Aheml ahemr' he said Mt last. shift
ing one seat nearer to her and nearly op
posite ;s"I hope ! have not intruded OF
you; thought the carriage was empty
/ may be disturbing you, ] fear" III,
would say anything. In a random sort o
way, to break the ice, rs he called IL.
No answer. A long pause. "VerI
singular" he thought; and he moved e
= seat exactly opposite to the figure
making another commonplace observa
ton. No response. or any movement.
ASLEEP. i suppose he said 10 him
self; and he sat quietly watching her
while the train ratified on for a mile oi
two. 4 station was reached and stop.
page made, with the usual ACCOMPANY
ments of scrcech and whistling Ind slam.
ming of doors, but without producing
any change In the posture Of the occu.
pant CT the opposite corner. The train