The Portland daily press., 1880-04-10

| perhaps, not very clever, but preferred her
not being so for many reasons that would
rather not tell. She had nice little for
tune she had inherited, and when my moth
er told me in our days of courtship to ex-
press certain correct views to her touching
marriage settlements, she had interrupted
me quickly with a beautiful sentiment: 3sDo
you think, Theodore, that 1 should be afraid
to trust my money to man to whom am
not afraid to trust myself?'' Mother told
me MOTTO say any more on the subject, and
we found after the marriage that everything
had been tied up as tightly as law could tie
it. am compelled 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 allowed me some pocket money; and it
was natural that should be deferential to
her, for she was great deal older than
was.
Now had often heard the men around
me talk of romances and adventures and all
that sort of thing, and though envied
them knew that was married, and there
fore never could have any such experience; :;
but those recitals were of intense interest to
me, and as long as they would recount them
would listen, until there happened to me
Since that day have thought that I have
more in me than people imagine. But to 60
on with my story:
We were due at New York at o'clock
that night, and the short winter day closed
in earlier than usual as we sped on, breast
ing the most terrible snow storm ever en-
countered. / was afraid to look again at
that solitery girl; but when, picking up my
wife's muff, l took advantage of my position
to steal glance at her, saw that her face
was pressed closely against the window-pane,
and that she had tiYnid1v ctoppa1 +bo 49,.
ductor and asked some question, which, on
being answered, seemed to alarm her still
further, for she covered down deeper in her
seat l wanted to follow him out to uues-
ton him, but dared not leave Mrs. W. on
the plea of small smoke. for she never
allowed smoking when trayeling-indeed,
very seldom at any other time; but after
some cogitation muttered something con-
cerning her trunk strap having been loos-
ened by the porters. Mrs. w. is very strong
minded on some points, but she never could
attain any influence over baggage men, and
was therefore peculiarly alive to their de-
linquencies.
go, Theodore" she instantly said, "and
see about my trunk. My opinion is that
those porters throw the trunks deliberately
about, in the hope that some of them will
break, and so give them a chance of pill
lage."
rose quickly and sought neither baggage
master nor trunk, but the conductor, and
had short conversation with him.
"That young lady who is travelling alone
as politely as I could, for conductors are
sometimes of contrary temperament. 81
feel quite anxious about her."
"Oh, those kind get on very well," he an
swered, carelessly. "They have way of
looking that will soon induce any soft dis
engaged chap to take care of them, and no
harm done, either"
''But is she entirely alone?
"Yes, believe so. Lots of them run
all around the country at this season on
their own hook. Tell you, sir, the Ameri-
can female is some."
crushed my disgust at the fellows vul-
gar slang.
"Do you know to where she is bound? Is
her ticket farther than New York?'
He eyed me very unpleasantly.
You just let that girl Alone" he said.
"What have you to do with her? You look
as if you could hardly take care of your
SELF
"My wife is with me-" said with dignity;
'sand thought that if the young lady was
alone and in need of protection, we could
offer it to her when we arrived at New
York."
"All right, sir" he said more civilly. 81
guess she will need some one to see after
her, for she is bound for Balloon, in Maine,
and we shall miss the connection tonight.
There's an awful storm blowing''
went back to my wife, with many USE
less plans chasing each other in nv brain
for the accomplishment of my purpose. l
was compelled, in returning, to pass the
place where the poor girl was seated. She
looked up, and the terrified expression that
had settled upon her face changed to an ap-
pealing glance, so appealing that Ihesitated;
with question:
"Did you see that the strap was properly
fastened?' she asked; "and what was the
reason that you did not attend to it's being
correctly done before we started?'
''It is all right" said. 'My dear, the
conductor tells me that we shall be very late
in arriving. How terrible for those ladies
who are alone to get to the city in this
storm and darkness $50 long, too, after the
train has been DUE"
She turned asuspicious-a very suspicious
EYE upon me.
II am so very glad," hastened to say,
"that did not allow you to leave me, and
travel alone to New York. am ALWAYS
more comfortable in my mind when l am
near to protect you in time Of need" And
l really felt so.
"Mr. Witherton, she said concisely, 81 |
dislike platitudes"
We sped on in silence, the snow was so
deep; and at each station that we stopped at |
we dropped passenger or two, till but few |
were left, for we were an accommodation |
train. AT last we passed through Newark;
and then the poor girl, who had hesitatingly |
risen once or twice, and then sat down |
again, as if afraid of carrying out her inten-
tions, at last sprang up desperately and |
made her way to us. She looked once in |
Mrs. WIS face and then turned to me.
"When l left Washington this morning."
she said almost inaudibly, 81 expected to 90 |
right through New York to my home, but |
the conductor tells me we shall not make |
the connection with the Eastern train. l |
am all alone, sir, and much alarmed, for l |