The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-10-03
A PECULIAR EPISODE IN THE LIFE
OF A TRAVELLING MAN.


The Saturday afternoon train at Point
Tiburon was crowded as usual, and peo-
pie were streaming through the cars in
the hurried search for vacant seats.
Little Mr., Tom N. Oddly, who was just
setting out on his two days vacation,
knew there would be this rush and 80
was the fret to scamper off the boat,
Chamber into the nearest coach, and pre-,
empt the best middle seat on the shady
side of the car. Then, after the misera
BILE fashion Of his kind, he proceeded 10
cover the entire seat with himself, his
overcoat, his cane and his valise,
This exercise of seltishness accom-
plished, he drew an evening paper from
his pocket and pretended to be absorbed
in the baseball reports. AS he read,
however, he could not help being con-
scious Of a persistent shadow that fell
upon the sheet, Other shadows went
forward and backward like jostling sil
houettes, but this one stayed. GlanciDg
out of the corner of his right eye he saw
small black-gloved hand resting upon
the top of the seat just where his over
coat lay, and then, curiosity leading him
further afield he glanced still more, and
found that the hand belonged to one Of
the most charming women that it had
ever been his undeserved good fortnne
to see.
Her face was rather pale, almost sal
low indeed, but lit up by pair Of great
black eyes that were as luminous as a
child's and as gentle as a does. The
nose was short, straight, but rather too
stout; the mouth was full and red, with
a provoking little droop to the lower lip,
and the chin was rounu and slightly
double. The eyebrows were heavy and
the hair was black with coppery tint
at the edges. The dress was black, re-
Ieved by three great damask roses at
the bosom and was so draped as to show
with some degree of accuracy, 1.-the
but well rounded figure.
1t may be repeated that little Mr.. Tom
N. Oddly felt that he had never before
seen so bewitching a creature, and when
she looked at him in a pleading, ,timorous
way and asked in low voice il 'this
seat was engaged" he swept his things
out of the way with a single movement
and declared himself delighted to be
atle to say it was not, She thanked him
with little faltsring smile and sat
down.
She was uuprovided with currentIlit.
rralure. and 80 little Mr.. Tom N Oddly,
the first advance toward his deter
m'ned plan Of making himself agreeable
"ffered her part of his paper. At this
she stiffened some what then prettily de
clined the offer, saying that it hurt heI
eyes to read on the train. AS she said
80 she turned those beautiful oIhs OF here
upon the young man, and just to show
that he knew what was proper under the
circumstances, he replied that no book
or paper that had yet been written was
worth spelling those eyes over. She
threw up the lids a little more at this
then smiled again and lifted her shoul'
ders in something very near shrug.
Little Tom N. Oddly observed this-ht
was a very observing young man-and
hazzarded the remark that she was q
foreigner.
NO." was the reply, Il was bprn in
California"
"Ah, indeed" said he, with fine spirit
$50 was $50 that we are native son
and daughter of the Golden West, and
therefore related"
That's quite ingenious, she remarked
"are you lawyer ?"
mo" he answered, getting rather red
|
Sock, Tie & Co."
II have IA friend who deals there, u
said she, sweetly; "are you one OF the
partners 2"
mo-" he replied, feeling very warm
about the ears; II have charge OF the
suspender department.
"Oh, that must be very nice, said She
''such pleasant, clean business, ism I
it ~
eyes" he replied, but without anv
very great enthusiasm, for this was q
subject on which he did not particularly
care to converse. He did not mind 1t
when he was with the "fellows' who
earned their living in the same state oil
life," but at present, when he was deep
ly possessed of the necessity OF making
an impression on this beautiful creature
he felt that the topic was one that ought
to be changed as speedily as possible
So, gTasping his cane in such a way az
to bring flashing ring within range of
those lovely eyes, he asked their owner
il che was going far. -.
ITO Santa Rosa, D." she said; "and your
"Oh, I'm going on back Of Cloverdale
for little roughing it," he said with de
lightful airine,s, although he forgot tc
add that the scene Of the roughlng was
his mothers ranch.
"Does it hurt you-to rough 1t r she
asked, With such gentle interest that b'
= thought he had never met with anything
quite so tender and unsophlsticated.
"Bless you, no." be cried; why, III
the pleasantest kind Of life. Fresh air
fresh milk, and an occasional bear"
Bears n she cried. But surely tho 4
nasty, hugging things must be danger
] QUE r.
''Of course they are," said he, valiant
ly, "but / go well prepared. ] have I
revolver in my valise and this cane is
sword cane"
"Is it, really, now ?" she asked, will
ready interest. How does il work
But perhaps it is not light to display !
here"
J 81 don't know but what you're right
assented little Mr.. Tom N. Oddly, les
h pecially as that fellow across the wal
J; has done nothing but stare at us eve
since the train started. / must say be-
L exceedingly impairment to go looking
like that at people he don't know"
"Ah, but that's not all" she said
"would you believe it, that man has fol
lowed me ever since left my house, go
ov tho On mo hoat and noxy hpra ha il M