The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-07-22
HE WASN'T THAT KIND.
n Young Lady's Mistake on the st.
LOuis Express Last Night.

| HE WASN'T THAT KIND.
n YOUNG La@y's Mistake on the st.
| Louis Express Last Night.
| Rochester Express
Probably there is no train which
comes into Rochester on any of her sew
eral railroads that brings more news
paper.items than the St. Louis express
from the west just before midnight.
Last night, if the story of a Rochester
passenger who came down from Buffalo
may be believed, there was an amusing
and a somewhat exciting incident on
the train. An Ohio farmer, from the
vicinity Of Cleveland, had been riding in
the first coach back of the smoker all
the way from the city last named. He
wore homespun blue pants and a coat
which he had evidently purchased
ready-made. On his head was a broad
brlm black hat, and around his neck
was the unmistakable paper collar per-
meated with perspiration. At Buffalo
a young lady IN brown travelling dress,
with an apparent abundance Of new
tangled, spread-eagle crinoline beneath
it, got aboard the same car and COM
menced casting about for seat With
that characteristic selffshness which
marks the American traveller of to-day,
nearly every man in the car who had
not a lady or another man in the seat
with him, had placed his little satchel
on one side Of the seat and himself on
the other, to carry the idea that the
whole seat was ''taken." The damsel
wriggled through the car and then start
ed disconsolately to walk back. She
hadn't reached the middle of the car
when our Ohio friend hitched his
shoulders with marked individuality.
twisted his shaggy head around on a
laige, thick, sun-burned neck. to see if
| anybody else was in the same pre-
dicament, lifted his carpet-bag from the
outside of the seat to the floor, coughed
nevousl y, and said to her:
II reckon can make room fur YOU
eff you want a seat
! She did want one, and she wasn't too
bashful to say so. They had travelled
side by side till they passed Croft's
station, when Il freight train suddenly
came alongside and ratified by them in
the opposite direction. The first crash
ing sound Of the freight reminded the
Ohioan of death and disaster, no doubt,
for he turned his head with a Jerk to-
ward the window. Then observing that
there was more scare than danger, he
sat down, somewhat embarrassed. But
the sudden movement had been too
much for the paper collar. It was all
broken up. His fair companion had
spotted him as a good-souled old gen.
tleman, and she laid aside her retiring
disposition when she observed his en-
barrasment in the disjointing of the
collar. She arose very politely, and
said
Cant I pin it for you, sir?"
"H'm! [ reckon you kin, eff you're
mind to-" said he, looking her squarely
in the face and becoming treasured to
such an extent that he soon acted per-
fectly at home. Progress was then the
watchword between the two, and before
the train reached Batavia, one would
have mistaken them for an old widower
ana his gushing young bride, SO
thoroughly did they improve the time,
chatting Che about "the gals at home,"
and she about everything.
The conductor had been through and
taken up the tickets this side of Batavia,
and the damsel's small talk, like a toy
watch which is wound every hour had
about run down. Finally she took out
her embroidered handkerchief and
yawned behind it. Then she began to
wink very slowly, as if by effort, and
finally began to nod. Feeling quite as
much acquainted as if it had been his
own neice that sat beside him the old
gentleman put forth his hand to "nudge"
the sleepy girl and remind her that it
was "only Il few miles further" Fatal
movement for him! He touched her in
about the locality of a pocket in her
cloak. Springing to her feet like young
tigress aroused, she exclaimed in tones
approaching scream, which few of the
sleepy passengers failed to hear:
"Don't you dare to touch my porte
monnaie again! I might have known
that you were one of those sharp young
railroad swindlerss disguised. They al
ways put on a paper collar, poor clothes
and wig, to deceive people and steal
| their pursesW
All this was said about as rapidly as
the words could be put together. But
the astonished reply came as quickly as
it could follow:
Thunder and lightnin'! Who are you
a-talkin' to Miss! But you can't black
mail me-you can't; I'll expose you!
Durn me, eff I wasn't all took in! Now
get your seat whar you kim" and he
planted the carpet-bag back beside him
on the seat.