Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-05-29
COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER.

,o- Who Was Not the Gay and
prn creature He Is Usually Thought
r,s q traveling-man. That fact
conveyed to the other passengers
F,he train by his good clothes and
.f,rtable air of well-to-do-ativeness
Encll as by his general bearing of
.r accustomed to luxuries. He had
s.st fare at the best hotels, and his
,1over's money paid for it as an in
tment that would return sure divi-
JAS. For the rest, he was absent
:, his family nearly ali the time,
(ro1inr night and day in close. hot,
'.nntjjated cars, worked like a ma,
line at every town on his route, and
tncd a better salary than any profess
NAL man of his acquaintance. He
: the first to make up a purse for a
dow or stranded fellow-traveler, and
han he read the newspaper stories of
! cav and festive drummer he Won
red why in the course of his travels
never met any of the craft. The
~ he knew were, like himself, of
[norable record, often inconvenience
E themselves to help one another on
way through.
There was a stir at a station, and two
Ipttv girls came aboard. They
ushed and giggled; threw kisses to
Eff friends at the depot; gave silly
essages and good-byes, and, as the
lin started, they took a seat behind
: commercial traveller. There were
her seats vacant, but they preferred
Is. and rustled into it with a series of
tie shrieks and giggles.
"Did you see Tom Barlow watching
Nellie? Te-he-he."
He'll be there to meet us when we
b back. see if he isn't, Kittie! Ha!
SAY, he's a drummer" gigeled
Ellie. launching her friend toward the
ont seat.
TOO awfully swell, amt hep Oh,
The traveller did not make anv
bswcr. His silk hat, as fine and pre-
bptious as the hat Of a man who does
Is duty and owes no man anything has
right to be, was pulled down over his
yes: his lips were compressed, and he
eplicd by no look or motion to the
pac speech of the merry girls.
Must be awfully stuck up"
rbispercd Nellie, but not so low but
hat the man on the seat before her
puld hear distinctly.
doesn't notice common people,"
nswered Kittie, with a toss of her
lead.
These were young ladies, dear
eadcrs. Not hobble-de-hoy school
iris or coarse, ill-bred hoydens. They
uoved in the best society, and their
c%spective fathers and mothers would
ave been greatly astonished to learn
hat their daughters firted. But then,
athcrs and mothers are usually the
asst to know what is going or among
heir own young people.
"W-would you be so kind, sir, as to
kl us what time it is?' asked Nellie,
D a little, meek, far-away voice, while
Ter companion Uttered and looked out
the window.
Both the young ladies wore watches,
swas patent to an observer, but the
kentleman addressed could do nothing
kss than answer so direct a question.
his he did in a brief manner, and
nth a voice that %noticeably trembled.
"Poorthing, he was quite overcome"
khispered Kittie, audibly. ''T'm go
ne to want this window put up pretty
loom"
ALLOW me-" said the travelling man
Fespectfully, and the disconnected
Dung lady blushed and simpered, and
TAT in the draught without protest.
The next move was made by the gen.
leman. He took from his pocket a
Photograph and inspected it long and
BADLY. Tears welled into his eyes, his
face flushed. and he returned it to his
pocket.
The two young ladies did not see the
photograph, at least not to recognize
whether it was man or woman, but
they te-he'd and simpered and even
Circulated in a low voice as to who it
might be-wife or sweetheart.
Don't tell me he's married" cried
kIittie in a loud whisper. He hasn't
he courage to pop the question"
That was his grandmother's pic
fnre,o chimed in Nellie. Good boy!
carries it with him SO that the old lady
Slll hear of tand leave him something
n her will"
Then they giggled in chorus, and the
ram drew up at a station where some
tFsry anxious looking faces were press
ng forward as if in search of some
one,
The commercial traveller caught up
Ms saschel and slung it over his Shout
aer; then he took the photograph he
aa1 been looking at out of his pocket,
snu turned to the two young ladies who
oesan to feel a little uncomfortable at
tls manner.
THAT is the picture of my little
aaughter," he said, holding up the
counterfeit of "a lovely, smiling child
ol SIX years; ':she is very ill, and 1 am
summoned home, perhaps to see her
u .a But let me tell you that 1 would
rather a thousand times know, at this
aoment, that the breath of life had
.preyer passed her sweet lips, than to
s u1,ak she could ever grow up into a
s1ii.' dishonest woman, tempting and
Ewsihgs with souls to feed her on wicked
Family"
Almost the next moment they saw
m,n on the platform, and a fair woman
sung on his arm and hio facn 1iphteG