The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-11-06
WOODSTOWN, M. FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 6. 1885.
AT THE HORSESHOE BEND.

ner. The three drummers had retired to
the smoking room for n post prandial
cigar, and the only other occupants of the
car were a young lady and gentleman.
She was about 90, a blonde, with little
rings of soft hair falling over a white fore
head from beneath the turned-up brim of a
jaunty straw hat. Her nose was what
Tennyson calls tip-tilted. lHer laughing
blue eyes rebelled against the otherwise
demure expression of her face, and the
slightly-parted lips revealed a glimpse of
pearl-like teeth which one could never as
sociate with a dentists chair. Her neat
figure was set off to advantage in a tight
fitting light dress, and the cluster ofcarna-
tons on her bosom bespoke a love of
nature.
The young man on the other side of the
aisle, Immediately opposite, evidently APP
preciated the points of excellence in his fell
low traveller. He held a book in his hand,
but he was not SO absorbed in it that he
did not cast many Il covert glance at the
pretty face half turned toward the window
in admiration of the scene. He was a
bright young fellow, with a dark nous
tache, and a silk travelling cap thrown care
lessly on the back of his head. In the seat
by his side was a 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 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 chair and all its appurtenances, and he
commanded the services of the colored
porter in the off-hand ann characters
tic of your experienced traveller.
"Wonder what makes my fair ~neigbbor
SO fidgety? % he was saying to himself.
'sSeems to me something is troubling her.
She looks awfully worried. Not used to
travelling alone. | guess. Maybe she thinks
there is danger of our being attacked by
train robbers or Indians, or something of
that sort. She does not look like a fool,
though. There is a good deal of intelli-
gencc in that face
The lady had been feeling in her pocket
and had closely examined the contents of
her hand-satchel. drawing tlerefrom a
handkerchief, a vinaigrette. a pair Of
gloves. a bundle of paper patterns, 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 re-
placed the other articles. Then she tried
young man was at her side, rendering his
assistance. She banked him with a glance
of her blue eyes.
cat what time shall we be at Altoona.?'
keeping with her appearance.
'About I o'clock. We are a little be-
hind time
"'We shall pass Horseshoe bend by day
light, shall we not?"
eyes. Just about shutdown. You have
seen it before, of course ?" he interro-
gated.
sNo. have passed it several times, but
always in the dark. Papa prefers travelling
at night, to save time. | am making the
journey by myself this time, and it is the
first opportunity l have had to enjoy the
scenery"
"Altoona Twenty minutes for supper"
The young man hastily seized his satchel
and left the car, telling the porter, as he
passed him, to see if the lady wanted any
thing. But she did not. She told the
porter rather shortly that she did not want
any supper, and then, as soon as the man
had disappeared, burst into tears. When
the young man returned in about fifteen
minutes, with a stray crumb on his nous
tache and an aroma of coffee clinging to
his clothes, he noticed that his travelling
companions eyes were red, and that she
looked generally disconsolate.
''Does not like travelling by herself, and
feels lonely was his inward comment, as
he settled himself in his seat, after placing
his satchel by his side, and throwing a
paper bag of cakes down with it.
The train started, and the young man
gradually let his book drop on his lap, as
his head sank back, his eyes closed and his
mouth opened. He was not exactly asleep,
but had almost lost consciousness when
he became aware that his satchel was NOV
ing slightly. Without opening his eyes he
let his hand fall on the satchel. AS he did
he touched the slim fingers of a hand that
he recognized with a thrill to be those Of a
lady. The hand was quickly drawn away,
but the young man was now broad awake.
So broad awake that he pretended to be
still asleep as he opened his eyes just wide
enough to peep through the lashes at the
troubled face of the young lady who was
''traveling alone for the first time" She
had moved to a seat in front of him, and
her dainty. ungloved hand was hanging
over the back, as if she had been afraid to
take it away when the young man moved.
Five minutes passed, during which she
sat perfectly still, looking at the appar-
emily closed eyes of the young man, while
the loud talking and laughter of the three
drummers, who were telling each other
highly-colored anecdotes in the smoking
room, were the only sounds to be heard
save the rumbling of the wheels.
Strange how a man may be deceived, y
thouoht tba yo1uo man 81 ALWAYS con-