Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1890-04-11
MisCkllamenMs.
IA STRANGE, and Ye Took Me In. !"


The $3.50 express, with n rush and a
roar, approached the station at Quincy,
and with culver throughout the entire
train, and a throbbing and straining on
the part of tho almost human engine,
came to standstill. The conductor
sprang off, helped the few passengers
alight, exchanged word or two with the
station master, swung his arm as signal,
took his place upon the platform Of the
car, there was u great rush of steam,
and the express was again upon it's way.
Upon the platform there remained
two men and an old lady. One man
took charge of n trunk which had been
deposited by the express, the second
man went away whistling. and the old
lady looked around in bcwildercd way,
and then walked into the gentleman 8
room No one was there, and she sat
down quietly near the stove She was
apparently unaccustomed to travelling,
yet she was person Of very refined ap.
pcarance, handsomely, or rather richly,
dressed, and her snow white hair and
wrinkled face, showed her to be aged
She was patiently waiting, evidently for
some whom she expected, for she glanced
toward the door whenever she heard u
footsteep on the platform outside. IL
was what the passenger called "of-
hours" After the $3.50 express, there
was no train until q o'clock, and there
fore the waiting rooms were deserted.
The hands of the clock pointed to four,
to five, and still the old lady sat pa
tiently waiting by the fire. Then one
by one the men began to come into the
room. One glanced at her and threw
aside his cigar, another sat down near
her and held his paper before his face
and curiously scanned her by CHANGING
over the top of it.
At half-past five the passenger agent
looked in, and with much hustle opened
the ticket office. He stared at Mrs.
Dean for few minutes and then came
out of his office and approached her.
"You will find it more comfortable
in the ladies' room, madam he said.
The old lady looked up in surprise.
Il thought this was the place." she
said, I've been waiting here for Mar
tina since half-past three. Do you sup
pose Martha missed mo somehow 7"
VERY likely she would not think to
look in here" replied the officer. "You
IN ay find her now in the ladies' room
first on the left-Pll hold the door,"
In half-bewildered and altogether
anxious way, tho old lady went to the
room where her daughter had waited ia
vain from four until five and found il
empty and deserted, Out on the plat
form about the station, people were COM
ing and going, carriages drove up, bag.
gage was delivered. In a'fcy minutes
even the ladies' room was full Of women,
with bundles waiting for the train. The
old lady pcered out into gathering dark
dess, anxiously. If Martha had missed
her what could she dol 1t was her first
visit to her daughter, who had giver
her every direction in her power, and tolt
her on no account TO leave the station
II will drive down and meet the 3:3(
train" she had written, and now it wal
almost q o'clock. How was the lonely
mother to know that Mrs. Forests two
bay horses had stood paving the grount
for an hour, while she had waited ant
looked for her mother in the ladies'
waiting room, and even now there wa
telegram awaiting her in the room
she had left, that the next day at tn
same hour Mrs. Forest would meet her
1t grew dark, the lights twinkled in th
busy little town To Mrs. Dean it seeme
as If everybody talked to everybody else
and only she was alone in oil the wild
world. She would wait for the g o'cloc
, train, perhaps Martha will come yet,
she thought.
But the train Numbered in and th
passengers steamed out of the station
and few minutes Of confusion, Of gret
blowing of whistles and ringing Of bellI
, the twinkling lights were far away dow
the line, and the waiting room was agai
deserted,
Only two people remained, and elder
woman aud her daughter, plain uapr
tending people, who seemed to be wal
ing for carriage to come for then
The station master came in q momsn
aud seemed to know them and 50
J. something TO them in low tone. Bo
d mother and daughter looked toward Mr.
Dean, and seemed TO hesitate, but aft
% a moment the mother approached be
1.-The station master tells me you ha
waited long time." she said, I'VE
: you expecting some one q
~ "Ycs, my dear" said the old lad
. who was more weary aud disappoint
$, than she had acknowledged to herse
0, was almost overcome by this first wo
" of kindness that had been offered to b.
-, waited since balf-past three for I