Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-10-16
TAUGHT BY FATE.
The Lesson Was CHASTITY; It's
Results Were Priceless.

II was four o'clock on depressing
autumn afternoon.
The railway station at one OF our
most popular watering places was not
so crowded but that the noisy mirth
of "a group of yachting men, assembled
to take leave OF one of their number,
attracted considerable attention among
the passengers, porters and loiterers
collected on the platform.
In one instance this notice was
wholly OF condemnatory kind.
Opposite the spot where the young
men stood gentleman sat alone in n
first class compartment, from the win
dow OF which he cast frequent chances
OF contempt and disapproval at the
loud-voiced mon outside.
These last were typical Englishmen;
four tall, well-built young fellows.
with fair skins burned red or copper
colored, gathered round fifth, still
taller than they, and evidently older
yellow-haired giant, with a fine fig
ure that was. beginning to tend toward
stoutness. a good-looking, red face,
and manner that was at once genial,
didactic and seit-assertive
Whether from instinct, or from the
fact that he was Numerically opposed
in type to this particular individual,
the solitary traveller before referred
to took an especial dislike to this pom
derous fair man.
Great buPptious bruter he said to
himself. Fancy being married to
such o mani"
With this second reflection, the
blood rushed to his sensitive, dark
face.
He was rather under than over the
middle height, with q slight, boyish-
looking hgtfe, a face rather interest
ing than handsome, and delicate. rest
less hands, With which he necessarily
stroked his rpustaohe. His nerves
were strained to their utmost tension;
doubt, uncertainty, pity and passion
ate love were blended ip his mind
with great desire fot solitude; and,
in this phase OK nerve tension, the
noisy laughter Of those four bronzed
yachting men. and the selt-complacent
platitudes Of the fifth, irritated our
traveller almost Beyond endurance.
Suddenly the door OF his compart-
ment was burst open. The yellow
haired man jumped in, directed por-
ter where to place his portmanteau in
deep bass voice, suitable to his large
frame. tossed the man sixpence, with
an air of princely patronage, then rat
tied down the window, and leaned out
for a few valedictory words to his
friends.
81 shan't go northward until to-mor-
row." he observed.
At which there was laughing cho-
rus Of:
Tomorrow, Teddyw
well. they don't expect me yet"
he went on, smiling, with radiant,
superior calm. ~ Gay, boys, we really
have had q most Excellent time to-
getherr
PITY you didn't keep up that diary.
Might have interested them at home"
suggested one OF the four.
You might compile an amended
edition in your spare time in London,
Gilpinv' put IN another.
IL can't make you boys believe IL;
but ! shall only stay in town long
enough to see my lawyer
"And then take the next express
back to the bosom of your family. We
know, Gilpip."
And, afterwards" the big man
went on, imperturbably, IL shall per-
manently settle down in the North and
put together my experiences'into book
form"
The train was moving of by this
time. The four yachting men ran
alongside OF IL, waving noisy good-byes
until IL steamed more quickly out Of the
station; and the fair man, after re-
peatedly nodding to his friends, sank
heavily into seat and gazed around
him with an air OF patronizing benev-
olence.
He evidently wanted TO talk, and.
what was more, he meant TO.
First, he asked concerning thC win
dows, whether his travelling cohlpan-
ion minded having them down; next.
he grew discursive on the fact that IL
was not smoking compartment, but
that he meant TO smoke Aftor which.
observing with genial smilo aud a
North Country inhscti9n' x