The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-10-12

OF tho wind was a little outside the sphere
of my influence. What I really wanted to
know which route Maude would take.
Her solicitude about the weather and
the .statsroom told me that she was
coming by boat, but there are two
boats. One of them comes all the way, and
the other stops at Portland, and leaves its
passengers to complete tho journey by rail.
AS to this latter. or inside route, there was
another element of uncertainty. Maude
might take either of two roads. The trains
were due at the same time, and the stations
are a quarter of a mile apart. In this con-
dition of affairs it looked as if | shouldn't
meet Maude except by accident. When 1
received her message it was too late to wire
back for further information, and when I
had paid for it, I didn't feel able to afford
any more electricity. The thought of what
Maude might be led to do, in an effort to
make herself clear, appalled, me.
However, there was n ray of hope. The out
side boat was due in Boston at five O'Clock
in the morning, whereas the first train
Maude was likely to take from Portland
didn't get in until nearly II. So it would
Maude wasn't on it, to take chances on the
two depots. | was a little late to meet the
boat. l am always a little late to meet
anything that is due in the early morning.
Tt is true that | once met n sunrise in Bos-
ton; but l didn't recognize it. l was going
AoAALo Nv ehC lA4lS NllA U plC loSy
flush in the east for the light of a big fire
down town. CONGREGATIONS always pos-
sessed a great charm for me and | pursued
this one nearly two miles before it revealed
itself as the sun. Then, although the fire
was so much bigger than l had supposed, I
decided not to go.
In the case of the boat. my hurry was
unnecessary. She hadn't arrived. An old
salt on the wharf said that it had been
thick outside and she wouldn't get in be-
fore noon. Another old salt said that it
hadn't been thick. and she might get along
any minute. I decided to wait. There are
a great many cranks who admire Boston,
but I doubt if the worst Of them would be
able to see any fun in waiting four hours of
a foggy morning on a wet wharf with only
the east wind for breakfast.
At half past ten O'Clock an official OF the
company told me that the boat probably
wouldn't be in before noon, and 80, as the
trains were almost due, | decided to shift
the scene of my vigil. / hired a herdic,
and bounced over to the Boston and Maine
depot in Haymarket square. Arrived there
] asked the driver to look in the corners of
which had been shaken off during the ride.
lie found a few bones which had belonged
to previous passengers, but nothing that l
could honestly claim.
In the depot I learned that the train was
fifteen minutes late. Advices to that effect
itN at1iV0A I1oH Il way htEblOu. lulS
looked like a blessing in disguise for it
would give Inc tims to step over to the
Eastern Division depot on Causeway street,
and meet the train over that route. I'm
happily this train was also late to the ex-
tent of twenty-five minutes. 1t seemed
best to hurry back to the other station. |
did go, and learned that the train in which
l WAS interested had suffered a fur
Their delay of twenty minutes, and
would thus arrive sixty-ive minutes
late. l snatched Il hasty sandwich
and fed back to Causeway street.
Ihe train had arrived and the passengers
had all gone. The other was due by the
time that l had ascertained these facts. /
plunged madly back 20 Haymarkct square.
Here. too, the Portland train had arrived
and discharged it's human freight.
A bright thought struck me. | would
look for Maude's trunk among those which
the baggage men were hurting about. 1t
wasn't there. This is the way most of my
bright thoughts turn out.
Nothing o remained for me but to en-
trust my precious skeleton to another her
die and seek the steamboat wharf. I did
30 and escaped with my life; but the boat
had already arrived and Maude was no.
where TO be seen.
A model young man whom l used TO
know way back in the days when | too was