Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-07-09
THE LIMITED EXPRESS
Reflections Of Weldon Bradshaw
While on a Night Train.


Saturday night A keen north wind
was blowing down Broadway, filling
the air with occasional hurries of snow,
and night had long since come, though
it was only six o'clock.
j. Weldon Bradshaw, attorney and
counselor at law, stood on the steps OF
the building in which he had his office
and buttoned his overcoat as he looked
up and down the now deserted street.
For some thirty years he had done
the same thing at the same hour every
day, when he was not out of town on
business-he never went away for
pleasure. lie was going out of town
now, as soon as he had swallowed his
dinner. Large and important business
interests of client called him to the
northern part of the state, and it never
occurred to him to delay twenty-four
hours for what he considered mere
question of sentiment. Sundays were
pretty much the same to him person
ally as any other day, except that they
interrupted business.
True he had been wonderfully sue
cessful in life, but he would have told
you it was entirely owing to his own
efforts and not through any interven-
ton of Providence.
Shortly after nine o'clock that even
ing he walked into a passenger car of
the northward bound express in as
| great a state of irritation as he ever
| permitted himself to indulge in. He
had neglected to engage n berth in the
sleeper, and now found that he must
make the best of night in chair. He
settled himself with the cxpertness and
deliberation born of age and expert
ence. Then he took from his pocket
documents bearing on the coming case
and proceeded to read them.
Presently he found his mind wander
ing, thing it had not done for years,
and, putting up the papers, he turned
to look out of the window. In spite of
shading the glass with his hands moth
ing was to be seen, but an occasional
light flashed into view and out again in
an instant
He drew back and sat idly looking
before him till suddenly he became
conscious that there was something,
after all, to be seen in the window
his own reflection. He looked at him
self with growing interest; it was the
first time In many years he had had such
protracted opportunity for study of the
subject.
He felt as if the face opposite him
belonged to some familiar stranger,
met every day but never known. A
man well advanced in life, nearing six
ty, perhaps looked back at him. Hair
gray, getting a little thin now; aqui1ine
nose; clear, shrewd-looking eyes, of no
particular color, with innumerable fnc
wrinkles about the corners, as if from
constant contraction to enable them
the better to see through other men.
The lips had narrowed almost to a line
from long compression, and made the |
entire face look hard.
He had fought the world single-hand- |
ed-the hard, selfish, crushing business |
world of q great city, and it had marked |
him as its own. He had wrung from |
1t wealth, position, recognition of his |
ability by other men; but he had given |
In return youth, love, pleasure, all as |
pirations after better things. All |
those longings and hopes which prove |
the existence in US Of some sparks Of
higher nature. His very life he had |
given to become that most perfect me-
chanical production of the nineteenth
century-entirely business man.
The train slowed up at a station and
a young couple got in. She was so
bright and pretty and confding, he so
increasingly attentive and protecting,
the other passengers watched them
with interest. The men smiled and the
women sighed They sat in front Of
Weldon Bradshaw, and something in
the girls face quickened his memory
and sent his thoughts rushing back into
the past.
He turned again to his window, but
the past was with him and the face that
looked back was no longer old and hard.
It was a boys face, handsome, brave
and honest, with faith In those clear
eyes, and promise of noble deeds.
Other faces were there, too. A laugh
ing, winsome pair of eyes peered at him
for moment, and then a gentle, sweet,
old face smiled sadly at ''her boy" He
remembered her dreams for him, he
realized for the first time how far he
had fallen from her ideals,
Now he fully understood what she
had once said to himI Experience Is
sorrow, Only is life happy as we live
It for others"
The face was a mans now hand
some still, but an eager look had come
INTO the eyes, and the mouth was more
firmly set. He was starting out into {
The world anxious for knowledge of it; X
determined to fight and conquer.
Clearly the night he left home came I
back to him. She of the laughing eyes
vas with him, but they laughed no
onger. Tears were brimming over and |
he little lips too tremulous for words. S
&c held her hand and mighty st1pg-
PIE went on within him. He knew I
What the tears meant and he longed TO
AXE her In his arms but pride and eau !
ion whispered:
"WaitI You have the world before a
-ou." a
And so he spoke no word, but left her.
He had never really meant to give | c
Ter up. He intended in the near future I
o go back for her; but, first, he was
90 poor to take the time. and after q
ward the business world claimed him as J
Is slave-its slave when most he felt
limsef its master. 4
So the days passed By and be nsgey J E