Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-16
A HAND.
As SMALL As A cH1LD's AS SOFT AS VELVET.
AND OWNED BIZ A DARLING LITTLE WOMAN.

As SMALL As cHILD's. AS SOFT AS VELVET.
AND OWNED BIZ A DARLING LITTLE WOMAN
am a sound sleeper. With clear conscience
and robust constitution. IL Is impossible for
man 20 toss sleeplessly on his bed But that
morning awoks suddenly two hours before my
usual time. and felt 50 wide awake that thought
IL must certainly be 2 O'Clock at the latest I
pulled aside the curtains Of my berth, and held
my watch under the glimmering light 10 was
only 5! shook 10, looked again at 1t, and glanced
up and down the car. No one was stirring; not
even the porter In sight I pulled my head In
again, shivered little, turned over ana tried 70
90 TO sleep. but the pillows seemed out OF shape.
and could not comfortably arrange them. The
covering would not adjust itself 70 me, and after
trying 70 keep my eyes shut few minutes at last
The air outside looked Keen and Swapping. The
ground with It's covering OF snow sparkled as n
some prodiyal hand had scattered diamonds in pro-
fusion everywhere. The moon was low. but seemed
70 oe lingering for one last look on 50 beautiful
landscape Away ahead could occasionally catch
gimpSes OF the engine as she rounded the curves,
covered with clouds Of steam that fell back over
her dusky form like mantle OF elder. she held
allel lines running on into innnity, like a hound
on the trail while the light on her forehead darted
hasnes IKE meteor On We new The low rum
bic and swaying motion OF the car on its springs
betOkened our speed.
i lay back on my pillow, thanking fortune that
was Ia comfortable quarters, and not breathing
the frosty air, as the men the engine. As dawn
appeared pulled up the curtain at the foot OF the
berth, piled the pillows under my head, making
my position a semi-reclining one, and watched the
eject OF the bright streaks OF crimson which were
now shooting over the hills and making the shad-
ows In the valley disappear.
on entering the car the evening before, as far as
! could notice, the apartments were nearly all
nlled. Seeing this, gave my valiSe and coat TO
the porter, entered the smoking apartment, and
did not leave 1t until late-so late In fact that It
was almost impossible 20 ind my BERTH owing to
berths
/ now noticed as raised the lower curtain, in
the half light Of morning that filled my apart
ment, white object at the upper inside corner OF
the berth, 10 which I az nrst gave no attention,
thinking, as / remember now. that IL was the cor
ner OF the sheet that covered the berth above me.
At one time saw II move, but the movement was
30 unnatural for an inanimate object that IL gave
me slight start. As the light increased found
my attention was all the more keeny riyeted on
TINS whlte OBJECT In the corner. 1 saw IL move a
second time and by degrees IL began 70 take shape
now discovered that II was a hand, but whether
large or small one, mans or woman's,
could not discern. i was pleased at making the
one discoyery-a little more daylight would tell
what kind OF q hand IL was and give me some idea
found out as my vision became palmer that It
was small-prooaoly child'S- Next, that 1t was
too slender Tor a chlldS and not large enough for
mans A slight movement OF the hand be-
trayed beautiful solitaire ring encirclIng the
third nnger-my interest very percepubly in
creased thought was too old 10 be Interested
In such things When a man looks back over a
stretch or thirty years, and can honestly confess
that such trivial things as being interested
SERIOUSLY in a wOmans heart never troubled him,
he should not confess that IN the secondary con-
sideration be should be taken so completely un-
awares by wOnan's hand wished my bed had
been made Up the other way, then would be d.
rectly under the little hand and could study IT,
from q distance, 10 be sure, but more infinitely.
The light grew In volume, but not fast enough to
suit my Impotence. i watched the hand as IL
hung there, limp and motioniess. with Increasing
interest was fearful every moment IL might BE-
wthdrawn- sat up In my berth, but my view
was not sufficiently compensated l tossed my
pillow 10 the other end OF the berth and changed
my position closer view OF the hand showed
me also wee bit OF well-rounded wrist protrud-
Ing from a black sleeve trimmed with lace The
hand was a beautiful one SMALL peaTly white
and looked as soft as a babyS. The veins were
marked only the faintest under the most trans
parent skin The nails were beautiful, well
rounded, daintily kept and polished. Ny In
qulSitiyeness would not stop where the hand LETT
on was lot now satisfied with the Closer in
spection han obtained. but wanted 10 know II the
owner OF the hand was as comedy in person the
ntte sample had OF her led me 10 believe was
the Case. l argued that such White skin
must belong TO fair complexioned lady; q bru-
nettes would be creamy IN color. l, OF course,
wondered how old she wa-I could not see
wrinkle-she must be young. Was she married or
single? ] never gave much OF any attention TO
rins fashions, but knew that young lady was
at least engaged II she wore a ring Oh her nrst
Enser IL gave me pleasure 10 know the ring did
hot osIoken sweetheart Had the ring been
married lady, but then, II married, where was the
pain oand wedding-riRg? IL was wanting. The
Thing next tried TO recall all that had ever
heard IN regard TO palmistTy- i had given the
matter some little attention years before and
could only recall the cardinal signs. The hand
was partially closed; THIS was against me,
but but by twisting n my neck found the
lines. which could now see but indis-
Iinetly. The line that is nrst considered
Is the lhe running around and encircling the
6ase OF the thumb, called the vital line, If remem-
Der correctly The line was so marked that it be-
tokened a good constitution and a fair lease OF
lie. Its course was nearer the base OF the thumb
thsn Is usual, showing her 10 be Of warm, con-
ndlng nature, nrm. but sympathetic. Some other
a ilVa ~ NJ rauHan and
Judgment; others coquettlsh, rouglsn nature;
others that she was tender OF others feelings.
This mCcE found: That was unconsciOusly TAX
ing as much interest IN the "tale OF the hand" as
II expected my own hand 10 be crossed with
silver piece when had finished the examination
lew markings In the center OF the hand de-
sired 10 see, that the half light in the apartment
did not reveal l never knew how 1t happened,
my endeavUr 10 trace out those markings that /
forgot the hand belonged 10 any one-forgot where
was or the situation, and turned the hand
around 70 the light
noticed that my story was not much appre-
clated oy my audience This was made Very EVIL
dent BY an occasional yawn from some OF the
members OF the party. or from their changing
their posltionS occasionally l did not desire 70
bore them with a story that mysen thought In
sipid, and as i closed the last sentence said:
Il see you are not Interested and we are all tired
let US postpone the balance Of the story until to-
morrow night"
NO. no; 80 on said Madge. at is Just begin
Ming 10 get interesting. What did she do when
you caught hold OF her handr"
The moment my hand came In contact with the
hand from above i realized my mistake. The
hand was suddenly Withdrawn. An oyervhen-
Ing sense or my folly came over me- / would
apologize, but how? / could not say IL was an
accident, because had taken hold OF the hand
deliberately Had merely touched IL that would
nave been ano,her matter. / did hope az that
moment coIsion would happeD that IN the up
Soar could drop out into the snow unObserved
Win a feellng somewhat akin 10 criminal. I
dressed quickly, secured my vaIise and coat and
placed them In a seat not occupied farther up the
car, ana thcn went into the washroom. Not until
Preached II did feel secure. plunged my burn
a little. AS gathered my scattered forces while
completing my morning toilet, / smiled al NV
sudden trepidatiOn- had not been seen; why not
go back and from another seat see II the owner Of
TIE hand was as comedy as / had pictured herr
Ihere We're twenty other persons IN the car; how
could she listing ulsl me from the others
went back Into the and took a seat near
my Own berth and waited patiently for the occu-
pant or upper seven" TO make her appearance
After lapse OF time that seenle1 hours, while in
reality IL may have been twenty minutes. saw
the porter approach the berth with the ladder
and Immediately a girilsh head prOtruded from
the curtains with nalf-frightened expression on
her face. What i expected from so beautiful a
hand was more than realized The lace was beau
tIuI-la *. !ustroUS eyes a beautiful complexion
and well-Iorined head crowned with a luxuriant
growth OF auburn hair. As the curtains parted
which way 10 60 caught her full outline She
was medium in size, graceful la every movement
and was clothed In a warm coiOred fabric which
lsigltenel eOlOr d CON