Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-31

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der If I look e a villain or a piratep
mine. Girls don't like boards, especially
my proffered protection and sympathy,
or be more heightened than comforted.
,.a had bettei }ait until she becomes more
the casesin which it is better not to do
to-day what you can put off until to-
morrow"
And he pulls down his hat, opens
newspaper, and begins running through
its columns with the eye of man who
keeps up with current events, and only
reads the latest developments.
In the meantime his neighbor has re-
gained her composure in a measure, and
the telegraph poles, as they fly by her
window, peep in at avery sober, though
pretty face, which watches them steadily
with its thoughtful. tear-stained eyes,
After awhile she begins to look around
the car and hears a one-sided converse
ton between the Englishman and the
deaf gentleman, which, though amiably
conducted, is vastly puzzling to both,
and the shadow of smile comes to her
lips. Then the deaf man produces an
cti tIuiupCt. anu tildJ TbIulHUS Ulle Jour
list that somewhere in his notebook he
has an authentic narrative to the effect
that in a Western town in America,
where ear trumpets are unknown, deaf
gentleman at an clearinghouse answered
walters inquiry by putting up his
trumpet, into which the waiter Ggno-
rant of its use) poured plate of soup!
When this recital was finished and the
t., l,eI,, I, InI
savage ignorance, you know!' our blue
eyes fairly danced with merriment, and,
looking around, they encountered those
of the red-bearded gentleman similarly
amused. He relapses suddenly into the
again to the telegraph poles, as if she
had an intimate friend among them, and
wanted to distinguish him as he passed.
Dear me!' she is thinking, suppose
he should think was smiling at him!
Or, suppose he was smiling at me!
How dare he! shall be careful not to
catch his eye again [Stealing glance
at him. What an awful red beard.
Why will men wear beardsP He has a
kind, genial face, though, and his hands
are white and firm, like a gentleman's
1 don't think he was smiling at me, or,
if he was, it was only because he remem-
bered my crying at the station-and
here am laughing at silly story about
an ear-trumpet. He thinks me a child,
and looks at me as if he would like to
pat me on the head and offer me candy!
l wonder how old he is? [Steali'ag an
other qlance.1 Not over thirty at the
most, but with self-poised, travelled air
that makes me envious! What a timid,
shrinking little thing l must seem to
him. I'd like to have an opportunity of
showing him that / am not baby if
did cry when mamma left me; but, of
course, can not speak to him, and
mamma told me to be very careful not
to get into conversation with strangers.
He may not be gentleman, after all,
and-heigho! Four long days ahead of
me without companionship! l wonder
how far he is going? Perhaps to Chicago.
He might know Uncle Ned. IF could
only ask him! What would mamma
say at the,.idea of my speaking to stran-
ger or his speaking to intellectually
improper Then we must not allow it,
and I'll devote my attention to the dear
old deaf gentleman.
To which purpose she adheres until
the porter comes around to light the
lamps, and her friends, the telegraph
poles, become invisible in the gathering
twilight. Then her neighbor goes off to
get supper and smoke, while she makes
first day s attack on her lunch basket,
which. like all first days attacks, con-
sists more of unwrapping and wrap
ping up than eating.
Finally, out of sheer desperation and
loneliness, she has her section ''made
up" and, after a season of perplexity
as to how much, or rather how little,
she shall undress, she seeks it's seclu-
sion, fully convinced that if the remain
der of the trip is as tedious as the first
afternoon the four days will seem a
| month.