Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-05-05
A RAILWAY INCIDENT.

Little fire grows great with little wind
Shakespeare.
The steam gurglcd and whistlcd, and
arose in great hot, white jets through
the wintry morning air. The bright
brass bell Of the locomotive swayed to
and fro, ringing sonorously as the early
express Jared and rumbled out OF the
station.
Every seat of the car had just en-
tered was occupied; and feeling most
uncomfor;ably conspicuous, Iawkwardly
stood beside the door that had Just
slammed unceremoniously behind me.
"Poor thingl Doesn't she look in
teresting in that silver gray travelling
dress How slim and tall she is and
how pretty and pale" remarked some
one halfway down the coach.
81 think she looks decidedly
ghostly and commonplace" dissented
some other. - never admired that
particular tint of blonde hair. II is
certainly neither yellow nor golden.
Her gray eyes are rather handsome-or
would be il they were not quite 80
owlishly big and alert; and her skin is
really too fair. Such very fair com
pleXions do not wear we'll; they wrinkle
quickly and redden too easily. And
most bushes are so affected or country
fed. But, positively, 1 believe her
headgear is an affectation also. Is not
her bonnet quite caricature huge,
immensely faring, silver-gray plush
and smoke egrny, most enormous plumes.
Will no one ever give her seat ? II
really makes me nervous to see her
posing there in that spectral, Quaker
ishly, unadorned gray she eternally
affects"
al always thought Luleen Aymes
quite ingenious" observed the other
interlocutor; "and / am sure most
people think her very graceful and
lovely, and elegant and amiable. How
ever. you do not seem to appreciate her
ezcellencies. very much, Cara"
81 cannot appreciate what cannot
discern, asserted Clara, with half sneer
that did not dignity her small, dark
pret.iness.
Her companion smiled politely leni-
emit disapproval, and in more suppressed
tones, returned: "You have always dis
liked Luleen. And have often almost
believed that some significant speech of
ysurs was the cause of her sudden
estrangement from Larry Murray. Is it
possible you said anything silly or med
dlesomeg
"Ch, I dare say there are people
sufficiently proper and stupid to con-
slider me q very silly intermeddler in
deed" Cara lightly responded. How
ever, only kindly informed the gentle
man of few simple truths; and he was
good enough 10 thank me-"
"I fancy your way of speaking of a
simple truth would not always encour-
age one TO descend to the bottom Of n
we'll to find it," commented the elder
lady, still speaking with the look and
voice of courteous disapprobation.
"Poor, dear. pretty Luleenl" she pro-
ceeded. "Have you observed how very
white she is? how very disturbed she
seems? She mnst have been a pas
senger in that wrecked coach, and was
sadly frightened no doubt. ] am sure
it must be quite dreadful fora lady trav-
cling unattended to happen in on acci-
dent, but to be oil alone in such peril,
and deaf and dumb too, is really some
thing appalling"
knew both the speakers who had
been discussing my person and my
reputation, my faults and my misfor-
unes. But they little guessed that /
,ad heard their incautious, and MOI
articularly delicate and sympathetic,
omments AMI speculations. They little
xusased that was no longer deaf and
dumb--no longer tonguelessin in sound