Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-15
EUREKA!

A stout black-whiskered man sat i'm
mediately in front of me in the rail-
road car. and indulged from time to
time in the most strange and unac-
countable manGuvres. Every now and
then he would get up, and hurry away
to the narrow passage which leads to
the door in these drawing-room cars;
and when he thought himself secure
from observation, would fall to laugh
ing in the most violent manner, and
continue the healthful exercise until he
was as red in the face as lobster.
As we neared the city these demon
strations increased in violence. save
the stranger no longer ran away to
laugh, but kept in his seat and chuck
led to himself, with his chin down deep
in his shirt collar. But the changes
those portmanteaus underwent! He
moved them here, there-he put them
behind him. He was evidently getting
ready to leave, but, as we were twenty
five miles from the city, the idea of
such early preparation was ridiculous.
If we had entered the city then, the
mystery would have remained un-
solved. but the stranger became SO ex-
cited that he could keep his seat no
longer. Some one must help him. and
as l was the nearest to him, he select
ed me. Suddenly turning, he said.
rocking himself to and fro in his chair
in the meantime, and clapping his legs
together, and breathing hard:
"Been gone three years."
"Ahr'
"Yes, been in Europe. Folks don't
expect me for three months yet, but /
got through and started. l telegraph
ed them at the last station-they'y
got it by this time"
As he said this he rubbed his hands.
and changed the portmanteau on his
left to the right, and the one on the
right to the left again.
.'Got wife?" said l.
..Yes, and three children" he re-
turned.
He then got up and folded his over
coat anew, and hung it over the back
of the seat.
''You are pretty nervous over the
matter, amt you?" ! said watching
his fidgety movements.
"Well, should think so," he re-
1lied, II amt slept soundly for week.
nd you don't know" he went on,
ghnciDg around at the passengers and
speaking in low tone. II am almost
certain that this train will run off the
track and break my neck before get
to Boston. Well, the fact is, / have
had too much good luck for one man
lately. The thing can't last, faint
natural the thing should, you know.
I've watched it. First it rains, then it
shines, then it rains again. 1t rains SO
hard you think it's never going to stop,
then it shines SO bright you think it's
always going to shine; and just as You
are settled in either belief, you are
knocked over by a change, to show
that you know nothing about it.
"Well, according to your philoso-
phy," / said, "you will continue to
have sunshine, because you are expect
ing storm"
..It's curious" he returned, 'but the
only thing which makes me think l will
get through safe is, because l think /
won't"
well, this is curious" said L
YES" he replied. Il am a machin-
ist-made-a discovery-nohody be-
lieved in it-spent all my money in try
ing to bring it out-mortgaged my
home-all wen. Everybody laughed
at me-everybody but my wife-spunky
little woman-said she'd work her fin
gers off before l should give it up.
Went to England-no better there
came within an ace of jumping offLon-
don Bridge. Went into a workshop to
earn money enough to come home with
there l met the man l wanted. To
make long story short, I've brought
s5oO.oOO home with me, and here l
am"
Good for you," exclaimed.
"Yes," said he, $500, 900, and the
best of it is, she don't know anything
about it. I've fooled her SO often, and
disappointed her so much, that just
concluded would say nothing about
this. When l got my money, though,
you better believe struck a bee line
for home"
.And now 1 suppose, you will make
her happy?"
"Happyr" he replied, "why, you
don't know anything about it. She's
worked like a dog since have been
gone, trying to support herself and
children decently. They paid her thir-
teen cents apiece for making white
shirts, and that is the way she lived
half the time. She'll come down there
to the depot to meet me in gingham
dress and shawl hundred years old,
and she'll think she's dressed up. Oh,
she won't have no clothes after this
oh, no, l guess not!"
And with these words, which implied
that his wife's wardrobe would soon
rival Queen Victoria's, the stranger
tore down the passageway again, and
getting in his old corner, where he
thought himself out of sight, went
through the strange pantomime, laugh
ing, putting his mouth into the drollest
shape, and then swinging himself back
and forth in the limited space as if he