The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-12-12
At the Horseshoe Bend.

The parlor car on the fast line from
Philadelphia was comparatively empty
when the train pulled out of Harris
burg, after stopping the usual twenty
minutes for dinner. The three drum
mers had retired to the smoking room
for post-prandial cigar, and the only
other occupants of the car were young
lady and a gentleman.
She was about 20, a blonde, with
little rings of soft hair falling over a
white forehead from beneath the turned
up brim of jaunty straw hat. Her
nose was what Tennyson calls tip-tilted.
Her laughing blue eyes rebelled against
the otherwise demure expression of her
face, and the slightly-parted lips re-
vealed a glimpse of pearl-like teeth
which one could never associate with a
dentists chair.
The young man on the other side OF
the aisle, Immediately opposite, evil
IDENTIFY appreciated the points of excel
lence in his fellow traveller. He held
a book in his hand, but was not so abb
sorbed in it that he did not cast many
covert glance at the pretty face half
turned toward the window in admira-
ton of the scene. He was bright
young fellow, with a dark mustache,
and a silk travelling cap thrown care
lessly on the back of his head. In the
seat by his side was small satchel,
which he had never let out of his sight
since leaving Philadelphia, and upon
which he rested his hand most of the
time. 1t was easy to see that he was
travelling on business, and that he was
used to it. He was as much at home
in the swinging-chair as if he owned
the car and all its appurtenances, and
he commanded the services of the col
ored porter in the off-hand manner
characteristic of your experienced trav-
eler.
"Wonder what makes my fair neigh
Dor so fidgety?" he was saying to him
self. "Seems to me something is troub-
ling her. She looks awfully worried.
Not used to travelling alone, I guess.
May be she thinks there is danger OF
our being attacked by train-robbers OF
Indians, or something of that sort. She
does not look like fool, though. There
is a good deal of intelligence in that
face"
The lady had been feeling in her
pocket and had closely examined the
contents of her hand-satchel, drawing
therefrom handkerchief, a vinaigrette,
pair of gloves, bundle of paper pat
terms, some crochet work, and a few
crumbs of cake. The last she put in
her mouth in an absent-minded way,
signing heavily as she replaced the other
articles. Then she tried to raise the
window. In an instant the young man
was at her side, rendering his assistance.
She thanked him with a glance of her
blue eyes.
"At what time shall we be at AL
toona2" she asked, in a low, sweet
voice, in perfect keeping with her ap-
pearance.
"About 7 o'clock. We are little
behind time"
"We shall pass Horseshoe bend by
daylight, shall we not?"
eyes. Just about sundown. You
have seen it before, of course?" be in
terrogated.
"No. 1 have passed it several times,
but always in the dark. Papa prefers
travelling at night, to save time. I am
making the journey by myself this time,
and it is the first opportunity have had
to enjoy the scenery"
"Altoona! Twenty minutes for sup
perl"
The young man hastily seized his
satchel and left the car, telling the
porter, as he passed him, to see if the
lady wanted anything. But she did
not. She told the porter rather short
ly that she did not want any supper,
and then, as soon as the man had dis
appeared, burst into tears. When the
young man returned in about fifteen
minutes, with stray crumb on his
mustache and an aroma of coffee clinging
to his clothes, he noticed that his trav'
cling companions eyes were red, and
that she looked generally disconsolate.
"Does not like travelling by herself
and feels lonely" was his inward com
ment, as he settled himself in his seat
after placing his satchel by his side
and throwing paper bag of cake:
down with it.
The train started, and the young
man gradually let his book drop on hi
lap, as his head sank back, his eye!
closed, and his mouth opened. HI
was not exactly asleep, but had almos
lost consciousness when he became
aware that his satchel was moving
slightly. Without opening his eyes h
let his hand fall on the satchel. AS h
did so he touched the slim fingers of
hand that he recognized with thrill
to be those of lady. The hand wa
quickly drawn away, but the younl
man was now broad awake. So broa'
awake that he pretended to be still
asleep as he opened his eyes just wild
enough to peep through the lashes a
the troubled face of the young lad
who was "traveling alone for the frs
time" She had moved to seat il
front of him, and her dainty, unglovet
hand was hanging over the back, as
she had been afraid to take it ava
when the young man moved.