Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-01-03
The train rolled It ratified, It squeaked,

femininity; heated, wearied, glowing
fenininity, clad in the calico of labor and
bearing the basket of economy. They
swayed and jolted through the aisle;
they hung On the straps, as the squeaking
ceased and the rolling and rattling re-
commenced. Here and there men, keen
and alert in expression, yet whose eyes
said that business and kindliness were not
antagonistic, sprang to their feet with
natural chivalry. But Arthur did not
move. One glance he cast, to see if he
might detect the bonnet of luxury. One
glance suficed. He stretched himself
vet more arrogantly and continued hi.
educational process.
"Mind your eyes!' he angrily squealei
at van woman with a shawl aud baby
10 utually involved, who had stumbled
over his feet ''Do you think that patent
feathers grow on treess"
The wan woman clung more closely t.
the indetermlnate bundle, but answered
not word. She was used to unkind
speech; it reminded her OF home ano
husband.
But she of the gaunt elbow upon his
left flushed and hustled as though heat
and humidity had regained courage, ana
had actually attacked her. She prolonged
a. finger; she tapped Arthur on the
shoulder.
Young man." she cried in buzz-saw
tones, "aren't you going to give this poor
woman your seat!"
He stared in amazement over bis
glasses.
81 never do" he drawled; s'not if l
know myself What do YOU take me FORE
Stand yourself, if you want to; you
ought to know how by this time. All,
40; I've cut my eye-teeth, old lady"
He lolled more extendedly than before;
his coat tapped more widely. His eyes
and nose and chin were eagerly engaged
with the details of fashionable wedding.
He saw, he heard nothings
The indignant female gave a snort of
defiance, it may be of warning. He
never does!" she muttered 81 couldn't
ind better subject if went to Harlem
One. deft, rapid motion did that spatu
lated hand make from the reticule to the
side-pooket of the tapping coat of the
unconscious Arthur, who was mentally
personating the best man. Then she
sprang to her feet and gave her seat to
the wan woman, the shawl and the baby.
More jostlings, more scrambings, more
rollings. Heat and humidity returned
from the pursuit and rayaged the bodies
of the vanquished. Arthur still stretched
himself and read. The keen, alert busi
ness men swayed easily with the motion;
the wearied women exhibited the CEN
triiugal force of each curve. The gaunt
and angular female, with one hand up
raised grasping the strap, stood as rigid
as the Goddess of Liberty enlightening
| the world.
But as the rolling internationally slack
J ened aud the squeaking increased, she
suddenly released her hold and fumbled
through her reticule; then she uttered a
series of shrill screams, which startled
the alert business men, the baby in the
shawl, the gyrating women, and the
locomotive, which hitherto had deemed
itself proficient in that line. 1t recalIe |
Arthur from the wedding breakfast
where he had been doing the elegant tc
an American duchess.
"Oh, I'm robbed, I'm robbed" she
cried. ''And by that bold, bad man
And she pointed full the doubly articu
Mr.. Chumpney.
Immediately there was confused dill
which drowned the squeaking of stop
ping at q station. The alert business
men, the guards, the station men pressed
forward. The debilitated women
screamed surprisingly, and dropped
their baskets The beshawied bao.
doubled its fists, grew red in the face
like the sun, and yelled. The anguIal
female still vociferated in tin horn TOMS
"It's him! Don't let him escape. Ca.cl
him, kill him, the rascal, the thief! Oh
my precious earnings
"What have you lost, madamf' n
quired one of the aforesaid representa-
tives of commercial activity.
''My all. Ny pockes-book. Oh
don't let him escape" she incessansl
mined like a siren in fog