The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-04-04
MR.. WITHERTON'S ROMANCE.
Why a Certain Dollar Bill Is Dear to Hi
lHarper's Montbly.l

WnaG pEebby, very DTeLby girl afie 6epBleO
ne looked at her, seated In front of me, owe
on the right side Of the ear, with her fac
furned at an angle which gave me the contour
Of her delicate oval chin and regular brow
A long time did watch her, that very col,
day near Christmas, when we travelled th,
whole way on the came road. and found g,
much TO attract In the changes of her face tina
I noticed nothing else without or within. She
was alone, and appeared to be keeping sherf
lockout upon all her fellow travellers. more
from timidity, ] think, than from any eurios
ity as regarded them. Every man who rose
to go TO the end of the car TO get drink o
water, or to leave It for the pleasure of "a
little smoke" or 10 lounge up to the stove
from pure restlessness, Immediately iniiu.
eneed her expression Of countenanee. At the
first movement he would make she would
start, look apprehensive as he rose, alarmed
as he advanced toward her seat, terrified ae
he came elose and relieved In proportion az
he heightened the distance between them.
noticed as time passed ON, with increasing In
terest, every new alarm, and the expression
each elected depicted upon her speaking
countenance and was almost lost In conjec-
ture as TO where could be her destination.
what her position In life and anteeedents,
when ! was suddenly startled by my wife g
voice at my slide, saying:
"Theodore, what In the world do you see IN
that girls face, that you have been watching
her go intently for the last hour2"
MY dear" | answered, 'sheis very pretty.
she reminds me most forcibiy of you when
HtHt met you ust-a-a-Newport"
Like me2" she said, sharply. what like
nees could any one possibly see between
dark girl with brown hair and eyes, and the
hong thin face that che has, and round fair
one. with blue eyes and light hair, like mine
at least" In answer 10 s,y glance, like what
mine was. However, ii you are amused or or
interested In what you have been gazing at,
am quite satisfied"
Mis-. Witherton had married me MANY
years ago. through the suggestion of mutual
ifiende, and to the sreat qualification Of my
parents IhHfe l,a... bad Seen SO mucn "s"s,..
=. ,s,.sing anything In the way OF business
had to be abandoned ul think III that eo as Is M often
the case In large families, my capacity has
been underrated. Until married Mrs. With
erton had been under my mothers care,
and then my wife had assumed the charge of
me, and we have been as happy, / think, as
people generally are. Mira. Witherton was
not handsome, but my mother said that
beauty was great snare; and she was, per-
hape. not very clever but preferred her not
being 30 FOR many reasons | would rather not
tell She had nice little fortune which che
In our days Of courtship TO express certain
correct views to her touching marriage get
Elements, che had interrupted me quickly with
n beautiful eentiment! "Do you think, Theu-
siore, that should be afraid to trust my
money to man TO whom am not afraid to
trust % myseliY' Mother told me not to say
anything more on the subject and we found
after the marriage that everything had been
tied up as tightly az law could tie IL. | am
compelled to tell you all thie 70 make you I'M
derstand my story. Mrs. Witherton, how
ever. 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 |.
We were due at New York at o'clock that
night and the ahort winter day closed In
earlier than usual as we eped on, breasting
the most terrible snowstorm ever encoun-
tered, was afraid to look again at that soli-
fary girl; but when, picking up my wife's
muff / took advantage of my position to
ftnaI 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 come question, which, on being
aylewered, seemed to alarm her still further.
Inn ehe was covered down deeper In her seat.
4 wanted to follow him out to question him,
hut dared not leave Mrs. W. on the plea OF
a amall smoke, for she never allowed smok-
ing when traveing-indeed, very seldom at
nny other time; but after some coaitation !
muttered something concerning her trunk
strap having been loosened by the porters.
Mrs. W. Ia very strong-minded on some
noints, but she never could attain any IN
iiuence over baggage men, aud was therefore
peculiarly alive to their delinduenciee.
'(io. Theodore" she instantly said, "and
see about my trunk My opinion is that
those portere throw the trunks deliberately
about in the hope that some OF them Will
break, and go give them chance OF pillage.
rose quickly, and sought neither baggage,
h,,f thn nNr
a short conversation with him.
'sThat Young lady who is travelling alone
seems very nervous and timid,' remarked
as politely as | could, for conductors are
sometimes of a contrary temperament, Il
feel quite anxious about her.
"Oh, those kind get on well" he answered
earelessly. They have way OF looking
that will soon induce any soft diaengaged
chap to take care of them, and no harm done,
either"
"But is she entirely alone" 7" .,
"Yes. | believe so. Lots of them run all
around the country at this season on their
own hook. Tell you, sir, the American fe-
male is some.
crushed my disgust at the fellows vulgar
'Do you know where che is hound2 Is her
ticket farther than New York;?
He eyed me very unpleasantly.
you just let that girl alone, he sald.
"What have you to do with her? You look
my wife is with me-" said with dignity
sand thought that If the young lady was
alone and needed protection we could oter IL
to her when we arrived at New York"
"All right, SIR" he said, more civtlly. Il
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 useless
plans clasping each other In my braln Ior the
oaoprl Mi sfnpnt nt NV purpose.
did you see that the strap was properly
fastened2' she asked; land what was the
reason that you did not attend to Its being
correctly done before we started9
ut is all right" said. MY dear, the con.
ductor 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 ana
darkness i-so long, too, after the train mas
been due"
EYE upon me.