Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-02-08
A CHANCE ACQUAINTANCE.

"You are sure you have forgotten
nothing. Kitty?"
81 think not, Jane" making thor
ough examination of the contents at her
handbag. 81 have my trunk receipt,
and my KEYS, and my ticket. aud a shoe
hook, and black and white pins. and
my purse for small change, and u pocket
comb. And, o ycs.'-invcstiga,ing
moro freely-"tho small mirror. and
three-four extra handkerchief. and
my bottle Of heliotropc. | really can't
remember anything that | have for
gotten" meditativcly, except perhaps
u might be- the coupon for the sleeper,
and John is getting that"
II is the afternoon OF damp, doleful
September day. The place is. nnroman-
tically enough, the Chicago depot. The
speakers. Jane Spencer aud her sister.
Miss Kitty Warner. who has been visit
Ing Western friends and l. about To take
the next Eastern train for home. To
say that Mrs. Spencer Is in n state bor-
dering upon distraction is simply % gild
refined gold. Originally simple, I'M
suspecting countrywOman, who has
been introduced rather late in life Co the
evils OF great city as eXcmplificd in
certain experiences with burglariuus
serving men and maids, and daily diet
upon the pot-pourri of crimes served up
by the press, u nine hundred mile Jour
ncy Tor her young, pretty and unpro-
tccted sister seems 10 her mind an I'M
dcrtaking fraught with the most terriiy-
ing dangers. And many and solemn
are tho warnings which she bcs;ows
upon Miss Kitty anent the porils to be
avoided and the precautions 10 be taken
until she reaches New York.
II am so sorry that our train starts
before yours Is durl' she cxclams. fret
fully, with tears In her eyes. "If il
were not for Aunt Eunice's telegram.
JOHN and | might have staid over ill
tomorrow, so rs as To- have seen you
fairly of And the nervous little wom-
an shakes out n fresh handkerchief and
brushes n rising tear from her left eve
just as her husband comes up with the
depressing Intelligence that the plan Of
the sleeper ON the Pennsylvania Rail-
road will not be visible for twcnty-cight
minutes yet-iust n quarter of an hour
after their train Is 90 leave.
This last calamitOus piece of news has
n paralyzing effect upon Mrs Spencer;
and she looks on in distressed silence
while her husband gives Kitty few
parting instructions. as together they
pore over n railway guide.
IL have u novel somewhere for YOU
TO read on your journey. Kit" John
says, presently; and reaching over To his
light overcoat, which is thrown care
lossly across the la K Of the nearest
sotteo, he produces a dun-colorod volume
from one of il capacious pockets. And.
q luckless John! in his explanations he
brings TO light something else. Two
letters, which he produces with tremb-
ling hand. and delivers To their re-.
spcctivo owners, his wife and his sister
in-law
Whcrcupon the spell of silence that
has been laid upon Mistress Jane is
broken, AMI she oNclaims, in n voice of
rcproachful tone: "Well. Jonathan
Spencer. | actually don't believe that
You could remember the day that YOU
were bornr'
mo matter, Jenny. At any rate
never shall forget the day that was
married." rctorts her amiable spouse,
with facetiousncss that under the cir
cumstanccs Is odiou.. for skillful
nross-eXaminatiOn d'scloses the fact that
s9e wretch has carried these letters i'm his
pocket for nj least three days.
but before the long-sulfering Jane
has time To properly rrbukc him passen-
gers for the Southern train are warned
that time is up. So Miss Kitty. hastily
thristing into her bag the letter which
n glance tells her is from her brother
Edgar. descends the steps with her r,ya-
tives. and chats with them upon the
platform rs cheerfully ~ Jane misgiy-
ings will permit until the last gong
strikes, and they enter the train lust NJ
Jane Is In the midst of recountinV n tale
that she read in some newspaper about
lady whose pocket was picked bv n
gcntlemanly-appcaring man who polite
" helped her of the ears.
Now remember. Kitty dear" she
whispers. leaning from the window.
and speaking In deep. impressive
tone. you arr TO trust nothing TO an
pcaranccs. The bcst-dressed mon are
invariably the ones 10 be suspicious of
be careful OF your tickets aud money
aud here the cars are fairly In motion
write as soon as YOU reach New
York. And, oh Kitty Beware of drum
mers! And with n theatrical wave Of
her gray-kiddcd hand. AIRS. Spencer
draws in her head and disappears from
her sisters view.
In spite Of herself An.s Kitty feels
rather lonely as she returns TO her seat
In the waiting room. and seeks consola.
ton in her brothers letter. II bears
date nearly week back. and l. about
as illcgiblo rs an unusually careless
legal hand and an eNccrable Colorndo
can make y. But Kitty Is thoroughly
familiaa with her brothers scrawls. and
by skipping n word here. and guessing
one there, her mind eventually grasps
the drift OF the welcome. entertaining
home news and airy gossip with which
tho screod abounds. The concluding
paragraph reads like this:
81 rvccivcd iotter from my friend UaseL
den, last evening. In which he tells mo that he
= 20 Be IN Chicago this week and part OF newt
n you write me what day you intend coming
have hsm call on you. tie Il looking after
some legal Interest OF hts fathers who. per.
eeaPs yog NOV already. u a manufacturing
md ~ rich a. Jewclerl IN his own rirht
l,Oh, doarr interpolates Kitty. ia Is 80 fun
hitting puns"fl / would tell YOU All about
him. but am In tremendous hurry now az
there are couple Of bores IN the outer Office
waiting tor consultation. and my pen stub
bornly refuses 90 write any more. Irv 10 on.
Joy yourself. sls. and Whenever YOU Srow
tired Of lie wild. Wild West. come homo Il.
yours frntcrually. EDaNR"
With little pout aud a smile at the
villainous puns which her brother has
thoughtiully underlined ("As though
should fail TO recognize them. in
deedr') Kitty returns the missive to
It's broad. soap-colored envelope. and
raises her eyes just in time 10 meet a
surprised and steady look from n gen.
ucman who has Just come up the stairs