The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-07
BEAUTY ANB THE BEAST.
a Girl uno g,,ayeI Ese,h Parts

You see it WAS done in this manner: The
young lady and her aged father and
mother came into the coach, the daughter
taking seat alone next in front of her
parents. thought the young lady was
the most beautiful I had ever seen. Her
complexion was that of the delicately
thin sea-shell held up to a ruddy sunset
-pearly white with tints of pink laid in
by Natures master hand. Her eyes,
large, brown, beautiful, were fringed
with long, dark lashes that shaded liquid
depths into which it seemed almost a
sin for the vulgar to gaze. This is the
gush of it-and always think that a
man who is ashamed to gush should
never undertake 10 say anything about
a beautiful woman
Well, this young lady occupied the
seat alone, and although many a young
man came down the aisle hoping he
could not find a seat elsewhere, every
body was well slowed away when the
train moved. The conductor came for
the tickets and the young lady looked
back and said Papa as sweetly as
oh, pshaw! what's the use of cUdgeling
ones brains for d comparison when
there is none?
The gray-haired father showed his
railway tickets and said he wanted a
section in the Omaha sleepingcar.
You must apply to the sleepingcar
conductor; | have nothing TO do with
that, said the ticket-taker.
a brakeman volunteered to make the
errand for the old gentleman, and soon
returned TO say there was not even a
berth to be had; the sleeping-car was
full.
And muat we sit here all nightp"
asked the beautiful young lady.
Il see no other way" said the brake
man, politely. (There, now, you may
know how beautiful she must have been
when brakeman was polite to her.)
At first she seemed saddered by the
information, and her eyes took on an ex-
preston not unlike that Of the wounded
deer pleading in the eloquence OF dumb
ness for mercy II the hands of the cruel
hunter Iwished owned golden sleep
ing-car that might place wholly at her
disposal Then her thin crimson lip be-
gan to curl mp under her perfectly
shaped nose, and the fire of anger was
kindled in her beautiful eyes. tried
to make myself believe this made her
look even more beautiful than before,
and might have succeeded had she not
turned to her father and snapped out:
That's just like YOU. If ! were man
I'd learn something about travelling. be-
fore / started OUT The silver-haired
mother leaned forward and soothingly
said: There dear, never mind; we Il
get along oil right Yes. all right,
indeed, This is a nice place to pass a
night And, turning to her old father
again, she added; Il declare, think
you are the stupidest thing ever saw?'
The old gentleman was wise enough
to make no reply. Iii would have been
we'll had the mother been as discreet,
since words only furnished fuel on which
anger may feed.
There, there. my dear, it can't be
helped now, you know said the old
lady, in a gentle, motherly tone.
No; it can't. 1t might have been
helped, though, If father had known
anything
The old gentleman looked the chagrin
be felt, and patient mother leaned over
and whispered something to the daugh-
ter.
II don't care if lie is; he's old enough.
then, to know something was the
young woman's reply, and She turned
her fierce eyes upen her old father, who
quailed under their fire and said he was
very sorry.
''Oh, yes; this is Il good time to be
sorry. I'd ike TO see you catch me go
ing away from home with y0u again y
The mother leaned forward and said
Dear, you can lie down on the seat and
get a little sleep, at any rate
Il don't want 10 lie down on the seat
I'd rather sit bolt upright all night.
swow never saw such plaguey stupidity
in my life. -
| If the young woman's face told the
truth. she would have enjoyed swearing
at her father, or even Shaping his poor
| old wrinkled face. She had attracted
the attention of the passengers in the
CIR, and some giggled at her, while
others, more sensible of the deep chagriI
and sorrow of the parents, glared at the
young woman as if they would like tc
box her ears. But she did not see any
of these. After short season of pout
ing, in which she slammed herself
around in the seat and shot revengefu
chances toward her father. she began tt
arrange the hand -sachel for pillow
The mother opened the shawl-strar
that lay on her lap, and tenderly spread
| I'll zhc h., al
smoothing out the folds with that pa
tient tenderness known only to a loving
mother. Spitefully, the young woman
re-arranged it. jerking it about, no
with any hope Of making tia more com
Portable pillow, but simply to show hel
disapproval OF her mothers methods
As the daughter prepared to lay he
head down, the old mother saw {
| wrinkle in the shawl and leaned forward
to smooth it out
''Do, for mercy's sake, let it alone,
said the daughter, impatiently and i'm
pertinently.
Il was only smoothing out"
Don't you suppose know it. " inter
rppted the touchy creature.
The old mother leaned her head OF
her husbands shoulder. She did no
shed tears, but her heart was full. Tn,
daughter laid her head, with its luxu
] RANT brown hair, on the shawl ant
closed her eyes. In few moments tn,
mother quietly removed the light shaw
from her own shoulders, softly, almos
slyly, laid it over her daughter, ant
STOPPING over to tuck it in about tn
smooth, white neck, she kissed the pinl
cheek and said: Goodnight, darling
'Oh do for Heavens sake let IA
alone"
After this burst Of heartless petuanc,
all was still, and found myself study
ing the faces of the passengers abou
me to see what they probably though
of the young woman, The thin-legge'
little snip in front-the fellow who ha'
mistaken bis cuff for his collar and but
toned it around his neek--twirled hi
struggling mustache and seemed to say