Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-08-17
TAUGHT BY FATE.
The Lesson Was CHASTITY; Its
Results Were Priceless,

1t was four o'clock on Il depressing
autumn afternoon.
The railway station at one of our
most popular watering places was not
80 crowded but that the noisy mirth
Of group OF yachting men, assembled
to take leave OF one of their number.
attracted considerable attention AMONG
the passengers, portcrs and loitcrors
collected on the platform.
In n instance this notice was
wholly of a condemnatory kind.
Opposite the spot whore the young
men stood a gentleman sat alone in a
first class compartment, from the win
dow OF which he cast frequent glances
OF contempt and disapproval at the
l~oud-Toicod NOR outside.
these last were typical Englishmen;
four tall, well-built young fellows.
with fair skins burned red or copper
colored, gathered round Il fifth. still
taller than they, ana evidently Older
a yellow-haircd giant, with a fine fig
ure that was beginning to tend toward
st"utncss, Il go~od-looking, red face.
ana a manner that was at once genial,
didactic and self-assertive.
Whether from instinct. or from tbe
fact that be was diamctrically opposed
in type to this particular individual,
the solitary Traveller before referred
to took an especial dislike to this pon.
deroGs fair man.
Great bumptious brute" he said to
himself. Fancy being married to
such a man.
With this second reflection, the
blood rushed to bis sensitive. dark
face.
lie was rather under than over the
middle height, with a slight, boyish-
looking figure, u face rather interest
ing than handsome, and delicate. rest
less hands, with which he necessarily
stroked his mustnche. His nerves
were strained to their utmost tension:
doubt, uncertainty, pity and passion
ate love we're blended in his mind
with a great desire for solitude; and.
in this phase Of nerve tension. the
noisy laughter Of those four bronzed
yachting men, and the self-complacent
platitudes of the fifth. irritated our
traveller almost beyond endurance.
Suddenly the door of his compart-
ment was burst open. TIE yellow
hurried man jumped in, directed a por-
Ter where to place his portmanteau in
q deep bass voice, suitable to his large
frame. tossed the man s~ixpencc, with
an air OF princely patronage. then rat
tied down the window, and leaned GU,
for a few valcdictory words to his
friends.
Il shan't go northward until to-mor.
row." he observed.
At which there was q laughing eho.
rus OF:
Tomorrow, TeddyP'
"Well, they don't expect me yet"
he went on, smiling, with Il radiant,
superior calm. "a say, boys, we really
have had a most excellent time to-
.gethcr!.H
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,
Gilpin!' put in another.
II can't make you boys believe it;
but shall only stay in town long
enough to see my lawyer"
"And then take the next expire
back to the bosom of your family. We
know, Gilpin."
"And, afterwards" the big man
went on. imperturbably. a shall per-
manently settle down in the North and
put together my experiences into book
The train was moving off by this
time. The four yachting men ran
alongside of it, waving noisy good-byes
until 1t steamed more quickly out of the
station; and tho fair man, after re-
peatedly nodding to his friends, sank
heavily into a seat and gazed around
him with an air OF p~atronizing benev-
olence.
lie evidently wanted to talk, and,
what was more, he meant TO.
First. he asked concerning the win
aows, whether his travelling compan-
ion minded having them down; next,
he grew discursive on the fact that 1t
was not a smoking compartment. but
that he meant 70 smoke. After which,
Obssrving-sit : genial smile and q
North Country inasetions