The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-08-01
ne COMMERCIAL Traveller.

~
Festive Creature He is Usually Thought
to Be.
He was traveling-man. That fact
was conveyed to the other passengers
on the train by his good clothes and
comfortable air of well-to-do-ativeness
as well as by his general bearing of
being accustomed to luXuries. He had
the best fare Mt the best hotels, and his
employers money paid for it as an in
yestment that would return sure divi-
dends For the rest, he was absent
from his family nearly all the time,
travelling night and day in close. hot,
lll-ventilated cars, worked like a ma
chine at every town on his route, and
earned better salary than any profess
sional man of his acquaintance. lie
was the first to make up Il purse for
widow or stranded fellow-traveler, and
when he read the newspaper stories OF
the gay and festive drummer he Won
dered why in the course of his travels
he never met any of the craft. The
men he knew were, like himself, of
honorable record, often inconvenience
ing themselves to help one another on
the way through.
There was stir at q station, and two
pretty girls came aboard. They
| laughed and giggled; threw kisses to
their friends at the depot; gave silly
messages and good-byes, and, as the
train started, they took seat behind
the commercial traveller. There were
other seats vacant, but they preferred
this, and rustled into it with series Of
little shrieks and giggles.
"Did you see Tom Barlow watching
us, Nelliep Te-he-he.
He'll be there to meet us when we
90 back, see if he isn't, Kittie! Ha!
har'
4 ''Say, he's q drummer" giggled
Nellie, launching her friend toward the
front seat.
TOO awfully swell, amt hep Oh,
myr'
The traveller did not make any
answer. His silk hat, as fine and pre-
tentious as the hat of a man who does
his duty and owes no man anything ha:
a right to be, was pulled down over his
eyes; his lips were compressed, and he
replied by no look or motion to thu
rude speech of the merry girls.
''Must be awfully stuck up,
whispered Nellie, but not so low bu
that the man on the seat before he
: could hear distinctly.
\ doesn't notice common people,
answered Kittie, with u toss of he
/ head.
! These were young ladies, dea
1 readers. Not hobble-de-hoy school
girls or coarse, ill-bred hoydens. The
, moved in the best society, and thei
respective fathers and mothers woul
have been greatly astonished to lear
n that their daughters flirted. But then
a fathers and mothers are usually tn
+ last to know what is going on amoa
a their own young people.
= "W-would you be so kind, sir, as I
e tell us what time it isP' asked Nellie
u in a little, meek, far-away voice, Will
q her COMPANION Uttered and looked OF
Il of the window.
t Both the young ladies wore watches
II as was patent to an observer, but tn
"a gentleman addressed could do nothin
less than answer so direct question
This he did in brief manner, an
with q voice that noticeably tremblet
Poor thing, he was quite overcome,
e. whispered Kittie, audibly. I'm g
soon"
es "Allow me- said the travelling ms
a, respectfully, and the disconcert'
"a young lady blushed and simpered, ar
u sat in the draught without protest.
WI The next move was made by the ge
lg tleman. He took from his pocket
ii photograph and inspected it long al
he sadly. Tears welled into his eyes,
III face flushed and he returned it to
"a pocket,
!, ~ The two young ladies did not see t
- - photograph, at least not to recogni
" whether it was man or woman, b
70 they te-he'd and simpered and ey
80 specialized in a low voice as to who
a as might be-wife or sweetheart.
a. 6Dou't tell me he's married" cri
~ Kittie in loud whisper He hasi
"a, the courage to pop the question"
US THAT was his grandmother's p
u ~ ture," chimed in Nellie. Good bt
III carries ii with him so that the old la
:. will hear of itand leave him somethi
a.. in her will"
. ne Then they giggled in chorus, and
~, 90 train drew up at a station where so
ne ne very anxious looking faces were pre-
~ ing forward as if in search of so
H. one.
n0 The commercial traveller caught
-. his satchel and slung it over his she
los der; then he took the photograph
= had been looking at out of his pocf
~ ~ and turned to the two young ladies Y
'e g. began to feel little uncomfortable
"a his manner.
4ho THAT is the picture of my Ii
t the daughter" he said, holding up
,no counterfeit of lovely, smiling ci
lI9 of six years; ''she is very i'll, and |
w. ~, summoned home, perhaps to see
'I Tf. die. But let me tell you that wo
~ rather thousand times know, at
~ moment, that the breath of life
J Iio forever passed her sweet lips, thai
'''@ think she could ever grow up I'M
silly, dishonest woman, tempting
at toying with souls to feed her on vic
4 a vanity"
sse Almost the next moment they
fed him on the platform, and fair VOL
NOT hung on his arm, and his face Ggf
with pleasure at her words. But
two sank back out OF sight, enrat
mortified, yet conscious that they
ltlv found, in one travelling man, an hon