Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-04-29
logged way that he seemed to take

| patient. " on can't SIT here all day,
you know. Where do you want to go?
"I-I-don't know" / stammered.
Il was told to sit still, and II must
wait till the person comes back"
The man ssared back at me now with
interest "WheIe's your ticket?' said
he, extending dirty hand
81 haven't got it" 1 answered in a
meek and conciliating tone. "My-
Char-at least, the gentleman who is
with me has got them both"
''The gentleman Pretty fellow he
must be Told you to sit still, did he 2"
made no reply TO this unwarranta-
bic lack of respect in referring to my
absent lord, but drew myself up and
looked severely out of the window.
"Wel, you can't go back to New
York" observed my tormentOr, sum
marty. THE best thing for you to do
is to get out and look for your gentle
man, miss" Saying which, he jerked
my bag down from the rack, turned the
opposite seat which Charlie had inyert-
ed, back into It's place and, by a species
Of moral suasion, caused me to pick up
my shawls, parasols, etc, and follow
him in abect submission to the door.
Now where did the gentleman go?"
he demanded, as / G handed me out on
the platform
He went to get me some lunch, F"
/ replied almost ready at this crisis, to
disgrace my bridehood and cry.
"And told you to sit still, did he?
Well, you stand right here, and keep a
lookout for him. There's the Boston
train over there, goes in fifteen minutes,
and he can't get into it without you
seeing him, if he amt inside already;
and my advice il, stick fast to him if
you find him, for he must need looking
afterW
With which remarkable words the
man sat down my bag, and winked at q
bystander
whats the row." inquired the per
son thus invited tn participate in the
enjoyment of my woes. Then they
whispered about me, / suppose-and
everybody stood and stared at me.
Poor little BRIDE There / stood hold
ing fast my parasol, with shall on one
arm my own small satchel on the
other, and Charles bigger one at my
feet, feeling like a very clone lorn
1 CTlIItI lIllecu. 1ncTG SlOOU IHIcG
men III 4 knot, contemplating me, and
any quantity Of the same species COM
ing and going, who all looked at me as
they passed, and then turned around
and stared agair.-and there was no
Charlie visible in fall the range !Of
surrounding country. Dire thoughts
began To be borne within me, and to
turn me cold and damp with extreme
terror; the nightmare of my infancy
l-"being lost"-came back upon me,
and crushed my seventeen years and
the new dignity Of Mrs. Charles Vail,
Jr., with fell swoop. What was to
become Of me? Surprising there had
been an accident, and Charlie knocked
down and awfully mangled. or that he
had just vanished away, as one occa-
sionally hears Of respectable gentlemen
having done, and never would appear
again, or be heard of ut all; supposing
! were just to stand there waiting, the
train shrieking away in the distance,
and night coming on, and all these
strange men stirring and whispering?
Pretty soon should begin to cry, for |
couldn't stand it much longer; and
here | began to feel for my pocket
handkerchief, and that reminded me
of my pocketbook rs a slight resource
| | dived to the utmost corner of my
| pocket before ! remembered that had
conflded it to Charlie, with wifely duty,
at the very outset of our wedding trip
AT this alarming discovery cold
moisture broke out upon my entire
frame. a night passed under the lee
| - fl1n lonnf 1rn,,ol,nI
| tie possessions, now doomed before me
unless | could deposite the same
poss essions or pawn my diamond ring
and my gold bracelets for a single
nights lodging and ticket back to
New York. | suppose the horror de
picted on my countenance was suf-
ficlent challenge for inquiry. | don't
know what an extreme it must have
reached, but somebody appeared to
find it moving, for benevolent voice
presently saluted my ears
Are you waiting for anybody,
miss2'
| turned around with gasp of alarm,
which subsidized little, when | met an
elderly face, specialized, and benign in
the extreme.
Excuse me, miss, said the old gen
tleman, III sympathizing tone, care
you waiting for any one?"
Ives, sir-Im waiting for"
came to dead stop. For Charlie,
should say? my husband was Il
step beyond utterance just now. |
only turned scarlet, choked, and twist
ed the handle Of my bay in silence.
us there anything can do for you?"
'I-don't know where to so !" /
burst out quite involuntarily. They
told me to change cars, and | didn't
exgeet to, and | don't know what to
do"
Ny new friend looked bewildered,
and came.a step nearer, as he inquired
in sclemnly lowered voice Are
you alone ~
No, nc" said very quickly under
my breath.
"Who is with your" said lie, with Il
kind of confidential compassion that a
little confused me. | did not under
staud it,
y-a-a-g gentleman. | faltered
out. lie went out TO get me some
thing, and he told me to sit still and
not move and man came and made
me change cars-and | don't know
what cars we We're TO and-and
Il don't see him anywhere"
Here | choked and fell to biting my
lips and winking my two eyes hard, to
wink the tears down.
"A gentleman !" repeated my friend,
suddenly. By this time two more men
had drawn near to listen. Your
father?''
No"
Brother, then p very mysteriously.
"N-no."
l began to get very red and uneom-
Portable, and to wish that they wouldn't
stare SO.
where are you going, my dear?"
asked the first Samaritan, after Il sol
emn pause of some minutes,
Il don't know" | answered family.
He didn't tell me: he just said, when
he went to get me some lunch, that l
wasn't 70 move if the man said to change
-.