New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-08-18
Mr.. WITHERTON's ROMANCE.

Mr.. WITHERTON'S ROMANCE.
WHAT pretty, very pretty girl she
seemed, as looked at her, seated in
front of me, over on the right side of the
car, with her face turned at an angle
which gave me the contour of her deli
cate oval chin and regular brow! How
clear and pure her temples were, and
how very neatly the hair grew back
from them!
A long time did watch her, that very
cold day near Christmas, when we trav-
eled the whole way on the same road,
and found so much to attract in the
changes of her face that l noticed moth
ing else without or within. She was
alone, and appeared to be keeping q
sharp lookout upon all her iellow-trav-
elers, more from timidity, I think, than
from any curiosity as regarded them.
Every man who rose 10 60 to the end Of
the car to get q drink of water, or to
leave it for the pleasure of ga little
smoke" or to lounge up to the stove
from pure restlessness, Immediately in
fuenced her expression of countenance.
At the first my ;ment he would make
she would star, lock apprehensive as
| he rose, alarmed as he advanced toward
her seat, terrified as he came close, and
relieved in proportion as he heightened
| the distance between them. noticed.
as time passed on, with increasing in
terest, every new alarm, and tho ex-
preston each elected depicted upon her
| speaking countenance, and was almost
lost in conf lecture as to where could be
her destination, what her position in
life, and antecedents, when l was sud-
denly startled by my wife's voice at my
side, saying,
Theodore, what in the world do you
see in that girls face, that w.. have
been watching her so intently for the
last hour?"
"My DEAR" answered, i" she is very
pretty. She reminds me most forcibly
Of you when l first met you at-a-a-
Newport
IL never went to Newport until had
been almost ten years married." said
Mrs: Witherton. my name is Theodore
| Witherton.)
"Well," 1 said, 81 mean at that
time"
"Then why did you not say 'ten
years after our marriage?' don't think
that people can be too particular in their
statements" said Mrs. w. "If every
one observed this rule, fewer quarrels
would occur in families, and society
also, and less mischief be made"
i" Yes, my dear; I was only thinking
at the moment of the likeness.'
"Likeness?" she said, sharply.
"What likeness could any one possibly
see between dark girl with brown hair
and eyes, and the long thin face that she
has, and round fair one, with blue eyes
and Ii ght hair, like mine-at least," in
answer to my glance, "like mine was.
However, if you are amused or interest
ed in what you have been gazing at, I
am quite satisfied
She was so well satisfied that she
turned squarely round, with her face to
the window, and four blocks of black
and red plaid shawl alone given me for
prospect; for my wife was of comfort
able dimensions, and quite filled up
three-quarters of the seat we mutually
occupied, and the whole of the window
besides.
Mrs. Withcrton had married me many
years ago, through the suggestions Of
mutual friends, and to the great gratii-
cation of my parents. There had been
so much difficulty in finding any thing
in the way of business that could man
age, that the effort at last had to be
abandoned. think that, as is often the
case in large families, my capacity has
been moderated. Until married Mrs.
Witherton l had been under my moth
er's care, and then my wife had as
sumed the charge of me, and we have
been as happy, l think, as people gen.
orally are. Mrs. Witherton was not
handsome, but my mother said that
beauty was great snare; and she was,
perhaps, not very clever, put I prefer
red her not being so for many reasons
that would rather not tell. She had
nice little fortune she had inherited, and
| when my mother told me in our days of
courtship to express certain correct
views to her touching marriage settle
ments, she had interrupted me quickly
with beautiful sentiment: "Do you
think, Theodore, that l should be afraid
to trust my money to a man to whom I
am not afraid to trust MYSELF" Mother
told me not to say any thing more on the
subject, and we found after the marriage
that ever7 thing had been tied up as
tightly as law could lie it. I am COM
PEELED to tell you all this, to make you
understand my story. Mrs. Witherton,
though, always paid my bills, when she
thought them reasonable, and also al
lowed me some pocket-money; and i;
was natural that should be deferential
to her. for she was great deal older
than was.
NcW I had often heard the men
around me talk of romances and ad-
ventures, and all that sort of thing, and
though I envied them, still knew that
was married, and therefore never
could have any such experince; but
those recitals were of intense interest to
me, and as long as they would recount
them, would listen, until there hap
pened to me the adventure that I am
going to tell you. Since that day have
thought that have more in me than
people imagine. But to 60 on with my
story.
We were due at New York at 80 o'clock
|
closed in earlier than usual as we sped
on, breasting the most terrible snow
storm ever encountered. I was afraid
to look again at that solitary girl; but
when, picking up my wife's maff, I took
advantage of my position to steal a
glance ct her, / saw that her face was
pressed closely against the window.
pane, and that she had tinidly stopped
the conductor and asked some question,
which, on being answered, seemed to
alarm her still further, for she covered
down deeper in her seat. I wanted ia
follow him out to question him, but
dared not leave Mrs. w. on The plea Of
small smoke, for she never allowed
smoking when travelling indeed, very
seldom at any other time; but after
some cogitation l muttered something
concerning her trunk strap having been