The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-06-21
A DOCTORS STORY.

""S pAoSn6 ~ sAo ooutA W0se-
ern railway to visit friend and former
patient, resident Of Portsmouth, Eng
land. 1t is not often that medical
man gets a holiday, and but for the
kindness of fellow practitioner, in
taking my practice for fortnight,
should not have had this opportunity of
enjoying the sea breeze.
The train by which started was an
early one, and, having procured my
ticket, took my place in a second class
carriage, and lit my cigar, for it was
smoking carriage. On entering it was
surprised, and think, naturally So
to find the further corner of it occupied
by lady.
'Oho" said I, inwardly, "some Am
erican demciselle who desires to indulge
in q cigarette"
On observation, however, it appeared
to me that the features of my fellow
traveller did not bear upon them that
impression of cuteness which marks
American nationality. She had soft
brown eyes, full, round face, and
profusion of chestnut hair. She was
dressed in plain travelling suit, bound
with white braid, and wore straw hat.
''Maybe, German" 1 soliloquized
'they are terrible smokers"
But again it occurred to me that pos
sibly the young lady might be neither
American nor German, but had got into
the carriage without noticing that it
was one reserved for the use of smok-
crs. Under this impression 1 bowed
slightly to her, saying:
II fear my cigar may annoy you'll
Perhaps you are not aware that this is
smoking compartment"
"Oh, yes" she answered, with
slight German accent, Eyes, yes, yes,
yes"
There was something peculiar in her
slow, deliberate utterance and the four
times repeated monosyllable. A dreamy
look, too, in the speakers eyes, as if
her mind was prcoccupied. However
the train was now in motion, and had
nothing for it but to cnsconco myself in
my corner, look out of the window,
and take birds eye view of the sur
rounding house-tops.
For short time this was we'll en- ough !;
but began at last to weary of the mo-
notony of such an amusement. We
Englishmen, as rule, arc so reserved
and unsociable that we shrink into our
selves, and every fresh addition to the
occupants of a railway carriage or an
omnibus is received with black looks
and sort of tacit intimation that he
has no right to enter. Now, am free
to confess that, whatever my faiiings,
want OF sociability is not one of them !;
and determined to try to engage my
companion in a little convers alton.
There could be no impropriety in man
of my age q was 3S endeavoring to be-
guile the tedium of lazy journey by
conversing with fellow-traveler, a
school-girl-and certainly not out of
her teens. 1t was, therefore, with an
almost paternal feeling that l add dressed
her.
"There are not many passengers by
this train" ! remarked.
Two thousand and three" was the
answer, that not o little startled my
equanimity.
looked at the speaker expecting to
find mischievous smile dancing in
her eyes or lurking at the corners of
her mouth. Nothing of the sort. She
was perfectly serious, even stern, and
her eyes had still the same dreamy, far
away look in them.
Every absented-minded, or else in
love, i thought to myself. However, 1
tried again.
II think we shall have fine day
for our Journey" ventured to remark.
She turned upon me with that fierce,
despairing, yet restless look that we see
in trapped rat
How you talk, talk, talkp she said
Indignantly.
"But-"
"Are ou madf" she screamed in
tone of such intensified shrillness and
with such an awful, hungry look in her
eye that the truth flashed upon me like
IN inspiration.