The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-08-19

seemed TO be suffering from face-ache, to
i Judge from the amount of hacdkerchiei
passed under his chin and knotted on the
top OF his head. He seemed any tking but
pleased to find strong fresh current OF all
sweeping past him. and motioned to her
lmDerlou5ly to put the window down. He
waved his hand toward it second time,
and seeing that she had no idea giving in
to his wishes, bounced violently out of his
seat and under her very nose seized the
sash and brought it down 50 emphat eally
that the pane was cracked in half and thai
few pieces of glass fell ont on the floor.
Such an exhibition Of violence and bad
temper paralyZed Miss Roberta and sub
dued her. Ii he could do this what was ne
not capable OF! so that beyond a "4 our
conduct amaZes me, sir; it is disgraceful
disgracefulr' she made no attempt to as
sert her rights, and he seemed perfectly in
different what she thought so long as he got
his own way. At least he made no reply to
her indignant little speech, but fell 30 nurs-
ing his swollen cheek again, too absorbed IN
his woes and the application of hniment
apparently to even look toward her again.
Miss Roberta noticed with chagrin that
the other passengers had maintained a
most apathetic attitude in this fracas.
Most of them. indeed, paid no attention to
1t whatever. Those who were reading did
not so much as look up from their books,
and on her expressing her views very hotly
to the lady Immediately behind her that
person looked studiOusly. out of the win
dow, as though holding herself aloof from
vulgar disturbance, not committing her
self by SO much as single phrase either
OF sympathy or condemnation. This an
noyed Miss Roberta extremely. "Just as
! If | were in fault! The idea of their not
| taking the least notice Of such srandaious
treatment of lady. Why. in Virginia he
would almost have been put off the train
| I'm sure, Il is so exactly what | should
have expected of the West" thought she,
as she stiffened perceptibly and leaned
back in her corner
So little breeze sifted in through the
window that Miss Roberta was uncom-
Portable enough, and seeing that lady
opposite twho looked up from some knit
| ting just then and smiled pleasantly on
| meeting her gaze), had two palmetto fans
! lying by her unused, Miss Roberta forgot
| her wounded dignity and asked for the
| loan of one.
The lady ignored her request calmly,
and.with her pOrtmanteau and shawl i'm
provised a couch and lay down.
well, do think these people are bra
| zen!' thought Miss Roberta. Keep your
old fan, then! I'd be burnt to a cinder
| rather than take it now, if you offered it.
What would Sister AuastaSa and Sister
Elizabeth think of your She sternly de-
termlned to have nothing more to do with
them.
1--we often been told that Northern peo-
pie were not administrative and cordial in
manners and that in travelling especially
they were very much on their guard against
strangers and very reserved, but had no
idea they were SO quiet and formal and
hateful" unused she, judging of them en-
tlrely by her recent experiences and draw
ing the most sweeping conclusions.
Five minutes later she again forgot her
anger, for the train curved boldly away to
the right and came upon a beautiful river,
on the banks of which she caught glimpse
of a large building with tall towers and an
extensive facade. Anxious for better
view she crossed over to a seat occupied by
a richly old lady, who was sitting
alone and with every apology begged to
be allowed to look out of her window for q
moment The woman did not heed her
apparently, and she walked with swift i'm
patience further down and made the same
request to young man yawning over his
newspaper. The same silence met her
eager, little speech, and she saw the
passengers gazing at her curiOusly across
the way. Utterly COMPOUNDED she walked
rapidly back to her seat, thoroughly
mind for some explanation of such
strange behavior. Her head whirled
with the rush of thought. Where was she?
What did it mean! How was it that no
one had answered a single remark of hers
from first to last! What did this stiffness
tHcdH! OOucUulHS hdu SIG really
spoken out loud, or only fancied that she
had! Like flash all this came and more.
Sac remembered that the doctor who had
attended her the winter before in a severe
attack Of bronchitis had said that unless
she was very careful she might lose her
voice, and at once she felt sure that this
was it, Her voice was gone! But how could
she be sure after all She would put it to
the test at once by giving a loud call AMI
watching the effect. BY this time she was
wrought up to the highest pitch of nervous
cxaltation and was as white as her hand
kerchief. She sat still, her hands clinched
in her lap, and proceeded to put her ideas
into execution. First she gave q little
shrek, then louder, louder, LOUDER! Her
eyes were fixed intently on the faces Of the
passengers. not one of whom stirred hand
or foot or noticed it in the least. Tremb-
ling in every limb, her heart beating to
suffocation, Miss Roberta yelled out in
frantic, despairing way: Cant you hear
me! O-o-o-Ohn' and having her worst sus-
picions realized by the dead silence around
her, she tore wildly at her bonnet, dashed
off her mantle, and gave such violent ex-
preston to her grief and fright that two
gentlemen rushed forward and, Selling her,
forced her back into her seat, from which
she had arisen. This did not tend to
compose her. nor did the alarmed
faces OF the passengers, nor did the fact
that when she turned to the man who
made last appeal to him he only shook
his head and began to talk to her on the
fingers OF his right hand. His companion !
did the same, and she saw several of the
others at it. There was no longer any !
doubt in her mind. Her voice was gone |
Or was it her hearing, or other senses: In !
an hysterical frenzy she broke away from !
her captors. raced down to the other end OF !
the car, scrambled up on seat, and rang
the bell-cord attached to the engine. The !
two gentlemen gave chase, recaptured her, /;
and. after struggle, in which Miss Roberta |
gave a lively account of herself, dragged :
her down on the floor. The whole car was in !,
connection. The train stopped. Asevere- /
looking conductor and an elderly gentle !
man hurried in to find Miss Roberta in hys- :
terics and her fellow passengers in an |
almost equal state of excitement.
When the heroine of this adventure conld !,
do so she sobbed out: ''You hear me. |
you! Thank Heaveni o. thank Heaven
Copious tears followed, and then: what !
is the matter with these people: Are they |
dead. or crazy, or what!' Explanations |
followed. The car was a special one in
which the inmates of the Hitchcock Deaf |
and Dumb Asylum were being conveyed !
to q new building awaiting their occupancy |
in another part of the State. Miss Roberta
had been put into it by mistake. arrivingas
she did at the last moment in the wake of /
the special" They had been quite as
much alarmed bv her conduct as size had |
been by theirs, fancving that she had gone
ont of her mind Many were the apologies
of the kind hearted superintendent, who
had been taking his ease in the next
car: stern and gruff the comments
of the disguised conductor WHO re-
moved meekly-penitent, much dishevell
ed spinster promptly to the very last /
coach of the train, where he mounted
guard over her as dangerous character
from waom another outbreak was to be
expected at any moment; endless the tele-
graphing between her late fellow-passen-
gers; immense the relief of Miss Roberta