Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1884-10-03

Ny story begins on the cars: so if vou
don't mind too abrupt a iiImD Won can
follow me on to the Blankyille X New
York train, bound Tor the latter place
winch. as everybody knows. with slow
time and waiting for another train. and
COWS on the track. was in early times a
two days journey. When | climbed
aboard the car and settled in my seat.
Was III Il resigned frame of mind, with
two newspapers and novel in my
pocket.
| soon fell to studying my ncighborS.
There WAS IL fat old gentleman across
the way-a 250-pounder at least st-witll IL
double chin and a merry eve, who was
chucklln% over some newspaper jokes: a
slim Young man and his mother in the
seat III front of the old gentleman, and
an old fellow with pop-cyeS and Il chalky
complexion. a little way up the aisle.
that thought would do to tie to. was
not fay"rably impressed with an ancient
maiden lady who sat behind me with Il
small dog of the worst temper in the
world; nor with the short thin man of
to' acco complexion and beard to match,
who sat two seats i'll front, with IA green
patch over one eye.
But right in the seat in front was the
most charming little woman it had been
my lot to see in the course of ten wears
travel. She was of middling height, and
her age might have been 5-and-2O; but.
rs for describing me, Won
couldn't expect me to do that Words
are cold things when il comes 10 that
kinu of il job. Just imagine to Your
self as much perfection as ever gets into
woman, and add TO it an air of sad
nc>S-a trace of melancholy that would
have been sadness in another, but il was
an added charm to her presence
YOU have her portrait. was a suSccpt-
ible young Sprig of 5-and-30 or there
aboutS in those days, and | was still
privileged To admire her in respectful
way without anybody to gainsay it.
soon picked up an acquaintance with
the fat old gentleman with the double
chin. He said his name was Roseburv,
and was soon poking me in the ribs with
IA funny story, and describing the re-
spective disadvantages of the eating
houses long the road From him
worked my way forward to the young
man and his mother by loaning them
my novel. as they were not much on
talking; and | captured the pop-eyed
old fellow by sounding him on politics
and finding that We voted the same
ticket
But all the time kept my eye on the
charming woman in the seat in front of
mine. waiting for the first chance to
tighten the troubles of travelling for her
by paying her some little attention.
was strongly impressed in her favor
by one thing that observed soon after
We started. She was ready with her
ticket when the conductor called for it.
AT first blush this may not seem such a
remarkable circumstances that it re-
quires an exclamation point, but the
more you reflect on it the more wonder
full it seems.
The chance was waiting for came at
last, when she wanted her window
raised. My ''Permit me, madam" won
the day, for she graciously preferred my
services to those of my tobacco-faced
rival.
This particular car window was the
worst of its kind, so far as my expert
ence goes. leaned over the back of the
seat and held the catch with one hand
while gave terrible heave at the
window with the other; then
moved little toward the aisle for bet
ter purchase, and she offered to hold
the catch, and tugged and strained at
it with both hands, and grew very red
in the face, while her cheeks turned the
color of blush rose, and she begged me
to let the window be; but got it up at
last.
In the few minutes that was tugging
and struggling with the window had a
touch of what the youngsters call love
at first sight," though, Of course, was
too far along in years for that. Well,
well. 1t seems but yesterday as | write,
though five-and-twenty years have
slipped away since lifted that car-win-
dow. My hair has turned gray, and is
getting on fast toward white; but, bless
you. could lift another one with the
best of 'em-thOugh | never venture
such an assertion to my wife.
The thanks got for that little job
were enough to make me too vain to
speak to common mortals for awhile, so
| settled down quietly for few minutes
TO recover l thought l had made a
good beginning for travelling acquaint-
ance with the seat in front, so when
got my breath well settled l went back
again to the fat old gentleman with the
double chin.
"Fine trick, that" he said. with nod
toward our fair fcllow-traveler, giving
me dig in the ribs as he spoke. Il
couldn't have done it better myself. Oh,
you sly dog" He gave me another dig
with his fat forefnger, and was much
flattered by his compliments and jokes;
but, of course, pretended not to
be. The pOp-eyed old fellow came down
the aisle as was sitting with my double
chinner. Say" said he in stage
whisper, leaning over us cOnidentially,
''the winders of the purity wimmen are
always hard to raise, amt they9" And
the pop-eyed old fellow and the fat gen.
tleman made themselves merry at my
expense, while the man with the green
patch eye glowered at me occasionally.
After had had enough of their chat
fling, went back to my seat. was
just in time, as it proved, for my fair
w-traveler-being a wOman-was
not satisfied to have the window up or
down. but must have it halfway OF
course gallantly came to the rescue,
just ahead of my tobacco faced rival
again, and made shift with the help of
a card from my case to secure the viii
dow to where it was wanted.
lraceiyed my lady's thanks with just
as much pleasure as though the old gen
tleman wasn't chuckling at me, and i'm
proved my opportunity SO well that fell
naturally into conversation with her.
found, by some cunnirsly devised ques
tions. that her name was Mrs. Wyn, and
she was on her way home from noted
health resort for invalids
had the good sense not to press my
advantage too far, and retired from the
conversation before she got tired of it
which is great point in matters of that
kind. drew out in good time, and felt
much tlattered shortly after when saw
her look on my card that was prorpine
up the window for my name.
When the train had dragged its way
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