The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-04-24

told me not to say any thingImore on the
subject, and we found after the marriage
that every thing had been tied up as
tightly as lew could tie it. / 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 it
was natural that I should be deferential
to her, for she was great deal older
than l was.
Now l had often heard the men
around me talk of romances and ad-
ventures, and all that sort of thing, and
though envied them, still knew that
Was married, and therefore never
gould have any such experince; but
those recitals were of intense interest to
me, All 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 go on with my
story.
We were due at New York at 8 o'clock
that night, and the short winter day
closed in earlier than usual as we sped
on, breasting the most terrible snow
storm ever encountered. l was afraid
! to look again at that solitary girl; but
when, picking up my wife's muff, took
advantage of my position to steal a
glance at her, saw that her face was
pressed closely against the window
pane, and that she had timidly 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. l wanted to
follow him out to question him, but l
dared not leave Mrs. w. on the plea of
a small smoke, for she never allowed
smoking when traveling-indeed, verv
seldom at any other time; but after
some cogitation | muttered something
concerning her trunk strap having been
loosened by the porters. Mrs. w. is
very strong-minded on most points, but
she never could attain any influence
| over baggage-men, and was therefore
peculiarly alive to their delinquencies.
eco, Theodore, " she Instantly said,
"and see about my trunk, My opinion
is that those porteHs throw the trunks
deliberately about, in the hope that
some of them will break, and so give
them chance for pillage."
1 rose quickly, and sought neither
baggage-master nor trunk, but the con-
ductor, and had short conversation
with him.
"That young lady who is travelling
alone seems very nervous and timid," 1
remarked, as politely as l could, for
conductors are sometimes of contrary
temperament. 81 feel quite anxious
about her."
"Oh, those kind get on very we'll"
he answered, carelessly. "They have
a way of looking that will soon induce
any soft disengaged chap to take care of
them, and no harm done, either.'!
"But is she entirely aloneP"
eyes, l believe so. Lots of them run
all around the country at this season on
their own hook. Tell you, sir, the
American female is some.''
vn I erq gIhed my disgust at the fellows
"Do you know to where she is
boundp 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 herp
You look as if you could hardly take
care of yourself"
"My wife is with me-" l said with
dignity, "and 1 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"
"An right, sir" he said, more civil
ly, 81 guess she will need some one to
see after her, for she is bound for Bal
don, in Maine, and we shall miss the
storm blowing"
went back to my wife with many
useless plans chasing each other in my
brain for the accomplishment of my
purpose. was compelled, in return
ing, 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 appealing
glance, SO appealing that | hesitated;
but just then my wife turned toward me
with a question.
"Did you see that the strap was
properly fastenedp" she asked; "and
WudO Is luC IcdSou JOu tllo uOb oUtCllu
to its being correctly done before we
started?"
cit is all right" I 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 suspicious very sus-
picious-eye upon me.
81 am SO very glad" fastened to
say, +" that I did not allow you to leave
me, and travel alone to New York. /
am always more comfortable in my mind
when | 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-
tons, at last sprang up desperately, and
made her way to us. She looked once
in Mrs. W. 8 face, and then turned to
me