Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-13
BETROTHED IN A SMASH-UP.
vexinS Interruptions That Tired the Soul
Of Young Mr.. WtnterbOttom.

From the Chicago Tribune.
The voice Of the young man had tremulous,
vibrant quality, and glow like that Of June
sunset spread over his face - he took the va
cant scat by the side Of the young woman and
greeted her joyfully.
''This d an unexpected pleasure, Miss BEANIE"
he said. u did not know you were ON the
train. am not presuming too much, hope,
In rejoicing in the anticipation Of delightful
trip instead Of the long, tiresome journey Of
half . day that had resigned myself to suffer
whom I came aboard"
Certainly not Mr.. winterbottom," she re-
Piled, and the observant young man noted an
increasing quickness in the huttering move
ments OF the feathers and dummadiddles on
the travelling hat Of his fair companion not
due altogether to the Jar of the train.
"Her heart is beating faster" he said to him
self; but even in the rapture that thrilled his
frame and tingled to the ends of his fingers at
this discovery he felt he had taken q sneaking
advantage OF her and learned something he
had no right as yet to know.
For months Cyrus Winterbottom had carried
In his heart the image of the lovely girl who
now sat by his side. For months he had hoped
that the time and the opportunity might come
when he-but let us not anticipate.
The train Numbered along over rocky gorges,
around the base of precipitous cliffs and down
into spacious valleys upon which the promise of
q glorious spring was already showing itself in
landscape that glowed and smiled beneath
the ardent rays of the sun. But the young man
needed not the panorama Of surprising lowell
ness that was unfolding itself on either hand
He had something better to look at.
"Miss Vanilla" he said, with beating heart,
as he braced himself with superhuman effort.
this may seem an inopportune moment for the
confession l am about to make, but am i'm
PEELED by feeling can no longer resist My
heart hungers for"-
"Ticketsi"
1t was the conductor who spoke.
A shade of annoyance crossed the brow of the
young man at the interruption. He produced
his ticket, handed it to the official, and in few
moments resumed:
II was about to say that have carried in my
breast burden / can bear no longer. 1t is for
you to say whether must suffer q still heavier
one, or whether life shall have IA new meaning
for me henceforth. Vanilla Beane. love-
"Caramels, peanuts, figs, gum?" inquired the
trainboy.
''Nor' said Cyrus, shortly. "Have you ever
felt that the time must come sooner or later,
Vanilla, when
"Life of Jesse james," suggested the train
boy, returning to tn. attack; magazines, Lat
est railway guide, Robert Els"
Il tell you don't want anythingr' exclaimed
the exasperated young man. MAY tell you
what is in my heart, Vanilla? mo, sir; I don't
know what the next station is, sir, and don't
care!-l nave looked forward 10 the time, my
own Vanilla, when could summon the courage
to tell you how inexpressibly dear to me you are,
and to ask you if you will be my wife. WHIP
There was sudden crash. A broken rail had
thrown the train from the track. The car rolled
down the embankment. At the first wild lunge
Of the coach Vanilla Beane had seized the young
man ab0ut the neck with a convulsive grasp,
and though the passengers were cavorting and
plunging from floor to ceiling and ceiling to
floor in the careless. unstudied freedom of mo-
ton and absence of all ceremony that may al
ways be observed in an affair of this kind, she
did not lose her self-possession.
"Cyrus Winterbottom, she shrieked into his
ear. with the resolute, fearless, let-no-guilty-
man-escape voice Of young woman attending
strictly to business, 'T"-
Bang!
'.Will"--
Thud!
"Be your
Crash
"Little"-
Crunchl
'.Wife!'
Boom! Rattle! Bang!
There, Cyrus, darling! We've got down to
the bottom at last. Straighten out my hat,
love-"