The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1885-06-13
THE COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER
A Drummer Who Was Not the Gay and
Festive Creature He is Usually Thought
to be.

EeSClve CTe8tuFe he Is Usually I0Ou&0t
to be.
He was a traveiing-man. That fact
was conveyed to the other passengers
o the train by his good clothes aud
comfortable air of well-to. do atiyeness
as we'll rs by his general bearing of
being accustomed to luxnries. He had
the best fare at the best hotels, and
his employers money paid for it as an
investment hat would return sure di,
vidends. For the rest, he was absent
from his family nearly all the time,
travelling night and day in close. hot,
ill-ventilated cars, worked like a ma
chine at every town on his roLte, and
earned a better salary than any profes
sional mar Of his acquaintance. He
was the first to make up II parse for a
widow or stranded fellow-traveler. and
when he read the newspaper sto
ries Of the gay aud festive drum
mer he wondered why in the
course of ms travels he never met
u Of the craft. The men he knew
were, like himself, of honorable record
often ioconveniencing themselves to
help one another on the way though.
There was a stir at a station. and
two pretty girls came aboard. They
laughed and giggled ; threw kises to
their friends at the depot; gave silly
messages and good-byes, and, as the
train started, they took Il seat behind
the commercia! traveller. There were
other seats vacant, but they preferred
this, and rustied into it with a series of
little shrieks aud giggles.
"Did you see Tom Barlow watching
US, Nellie I Te-he-ha.n
"He'll be there to meet rs when We
go back see if he isn't, Kittie Ha !!
hal"
''Say, he's a drummer giggled Mel
lie, launching her friend toward the
front seal.
"Too awfulIy swell, amt he 7 Oh,
my"
The traveller did not make any ans
wer. His silk hat, as fine and preten
tious as the hat of man who does his
duty and owes no ia anything has a
right to be, was pulled down over his
eyes; his lips compressed, and he re-
piled by no look or motion to the rude
speech of the merry girls.
Must be awfnlly stuck up,' whispered
Eellie, but not so low but that the man
on the sea before her could hear her
distinctly.
"Doesn't notice common people,
answered Kitt:e, with a toss of her
heed.
These we're young ladies. dear read.
ers. Not hobble- de hoy SCHOOLGIRLS
or coarse. ill-hoydens. They moved in
the best society, and their respective
and mothers would have been
astonished to learn that their
daughters f1irted. But then. fathers
and mothers are usually the last to
know what is gong on among their
young people.
"W-would you be SO kind. sir, as to
tell US what time it is ?;.asked Nellie in
4 little meek, far-away voice, while her
Uttered and looked out of
the window.
Both the young ladies wore watches,
IS was patent to an iobserver, but the
gentleman addressed could do nothing
less than answer so direct q question.
This he did in a brief manner. and
With q voice that noticeably trembled.
"Poor thing, he was quite overcome"
Kittie. andibly. I'm 90.
ng to want this window put up pretty j
ALLOW me-" said the travelling man
especially, and the disconnected s
Dung lady blushed and simpered, and
at IN the draught without protest. L
The next move was made by the gen q
leman. He took from his pocket a !
photograph and inspected it long and !