The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-07-16

,Ot there still, for the weight '
Vas there; and I curiously as. }
.ociated Il with all the articles I
n the room, - they came out, one by
,ne, like squaintances Of . time gone by. q
could even perceive that they were
older than when saw them before, or I
seemed 10 see them. In spite Of care
Or, perhaps, in consequence Of it-they {
had gather the marks Of age. They had {
been brushed and and rubbed into pre-. {
mature decay, though the effort was cv.
idcnt to keep them AS they were forever.
lpinched my ear to ascertain whether
I was In the body, and l stretched out
my legs to the stove TO make sure that
awful bundle Of dry-goods was
not still cramping INV limbs.
Just then I saw It resting
upright against the wall, where myself
had placed it. II was sailors clothing,
and seemed to take the shape Of . man,
with Charlcy's head on It. This WAS too
much. sprang to the spot, and discov.
cred that on the wall above the parcel
hung life sized photograph OF the fca.
lures Of that very Charley whom ! had
seen in this room when was dreaming
in the railway car. "Fudge!" Isnorted,
and rubbed my eyes and thrashed my
limbs, to work myself, Il possible. out OF
my mystifcation.
II was not to be. I should not be
awakened from my cloudiness SO readily.
The door opened, and my fellow.trayeler
returned, preceding her mother. And
that mother was the mother whom l
had already seen. She had the same
dissatisfied look with which she dis.
turbed the te.e.a.tete OF Charley and
Minnie. but the lines in her face had
deepened, and the discomfort Of time
had palpably worked into her features.
l could have counted the years In tho
indurated wrinkles which had stereo.
typed her frown since I saw her dismiss
poor Charley from that room. You
will observe that speak Of the railway
experience rs OF an actual one Of many
years ago. can not help It, and have
no other mode Of expressing the idea Is
II impressed my mind.
Ibowed, in depreciation Of oil ill.hu.
NOR, and turning to the daughter, said,
"Niinnie. I will 60 away on the next
train. l."
Minnie, indesd!" the old lady broke
in-"Minnie indeed! You have grown
wonderfully familiar on . short &C.
quaintance. My daughter told me that
she had never seen you before. and l
can not tell whether che has brought
home tramp, or . burglar, or . forger,
, or what"
Poor Miunie's face put on . look Of
wondering confusion. So, ] suppose,
did mine. The old lady continued:
, "And, Mary, you must have become
, quite confidential in your ride, when
. this man--this genslsws0S-knows you
/ by pet name never heard out OF shi'
} house." "i l..s .rt
, 1t was . quandary, more for Minnie
than for me, and yet sufficiently mys
i. terious even to myself. Just then
1 heard railway whistle. Eager to es
cape, I said, "There's my train, ant
III 60 at once"
= lit is the eleven o'clock up train,
/, said Minnie; and her mothers brow
/, dsrkened, IL possible, still more. "YOu
I train down will not be here for IN hou
). yet"
!. What moro might have been said 0
b done in the fog We were oil in-Minni
= even more perplexed than |, and tn
}. mother wrathful besides-will never b
!, known. For there came knock Ut tn
Q door, at which mother and daughte
| started and stared aghast. Only brit
Y or death should cause summons hk
d that, at near midnight, In the village
Wampum Station. The knock bein
n unanswered, there came tap upon u
X Windows trembling, nervous tap. tt
N mother reluctantly went to tho doc
10 Scarce had We heard her challenge, On
9, the sound Of tho bolt Withdrawn, whs
n she came flying back, screaming In to
L. ror, and rushing ~ for - tho Mario
Of limits Of tho room would allow, b
hands TO her head, and her face In
ID corner. Following her, entered . sto
ID good.looking sailor fellow, who sto'
to Tor an instant by the roll Of goods a
ct the portrait, presenting to my contns'
Oh eyes and my departing wits tsco Cha
i'd !eys!
le. An instant he stood-it WAS only
he instant. Minnie threw herself upon t
ed living Charley, who, nowise loath, x
10, onded her hug with ardor. And
". Why, I naturally looked round to
10, what part the old woman took In Il
,er chapter OF accidents. There she !,
re- dropped down In . confused tangle
red the floor.
II "Charleye" l said. m
10 "You seem 10 have got my name
led the number Of my mess, shipmate."
isr .LooE tserei" said I, and pointed
the mingled mass Of woman and MI
n" shawls. -
an. "Avast huggipg for . bit, Min,
Tie while ws uncoil your mother. 81
like . bunch Of foul hawse there In
nv. corner" D..
:" And forthwith Charley took tho
aid lady BY tho head and shoulders I
Strengthened her out on the door.
beckoned him away, and, with Min
rain chated Il slapped) her hands,
ver bathed her temples with water. q
ont ME bathed; / confessed that l dous'
n As she opened hsr eyes at length,
rht stammersd,
Ala. "Where-whers is-where !; Il
TIA The GhOste''
But, not to multiply words, the
," / lady finally kissed Charley with her
u lips and oil her heart-which she
"ln' not do when arst saw her ut that o
and distant time declaring that she
M "clean tuckered ont and done ov
- she tottered out Of the room.
re Is "Thsrs Is my train now"
With catching up my hat.
Won "Hotd on there, and belay all"