Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-07-15
A FAIR S0MNAMBULIST.

SIR
And tho speaker, railway porter,
opened the door OF a second class com.
partncnt on one Of the Scotch mails,
which was already beginning to steam
tlowly out of pctcrboro station.
The traveller addressed hustled Into
the carriage with moro cnorgy than dig
nifty Of motion, and sank back on tho
cushioned seat very red In tho fnc,
aud painting vigorously. Mr Joshua
McPason was an oldish man, rather
stout and accustomed TO move dolibcr.
ately. Hence the necessity Of running
to catch the mail had taken Il out" Of
him with some effect. Indeed, II was
fully ten minutes before his lungs ~
sumcd their normal condition Of rcspl-
ration.
Looking round the compartment. 10
saw that II contained only one occu.
pant besides himself, n young lady. seat.
cd In the opposite corner A second
glnnce at her. "a sho rocined with her
head back, her eyes closed, aud her
lips parted. breathing with monotonous
regularity. showed him that slio was
asleep. And he took tho opportunity
OF careful survey.
She was very pretty, and remarkably
well dressed Everything about her
travelling appliances suggested afilucncs
and comfort, from the costly fur rug In
which her feet were wrapped TO the sil
ycr fitted travelling bag which stood
open on tho seat at her side. Close to
tho bag lay n pile Of newspapers and
periodicals. surmountod by yellow
back" railway novel.
Tho old gentleman glanced at the
title and m no noted II look o.
stern disapprobation appeared upon bis
face. He knew the book 10y reputation
s one Of dangerously ilippant tcnden.
cies, and being pillar OF tho Scottish
kirk. and severely puritanical In bis
VIEWS he regarded with scant favor
even the sobercst works OF fiction.
OF course, tho scathlng glance which
he cast at the Objectionable novel aud
then transferred to It's owner wns quito
lost on tho slunbcring young lady.
Aud Mr.. Joshua McParon. feeling, nc
doubt. the futiliiy Of thus wasting hi,
sweetness" on tho desert air, took up
his Times and began TO poruso tho
moncsmarlsot intelligence assduously.
lie remained absorbed In this study
for some time. too much taken up with
It to hRvo amy thought 10 spare for his
travelling companion, until ho WIS
aroused ngnin 10 an active conrclous
noss Of her presence 10y hearing her
make sudden movement CHANGING
quickly over tho top OF Ills newspaper
he saw that slic had opened her cyca
and sat up. She was looking rather
hard ut him, surprised very likely at his
presence In the compartment, md won
during how ho had come there. At
any rate, shc did not appear TO be trou.
BLEED with shyncss, for, instead Of with.
drawing her gaze when no looked up at
her, sllo continued to stare at him In
the face with the most perfect sang
froid. And each time, during the next
few minutes that no pcorcd at her round
the screen Of his paper. ho found her
eyes turned upon him In tho same
steady stare,
Mr.. McParson began 10 feel rather
uncomfortable. lilo had constitu.
tionnl horror OF boldncss In women,
and n nervous dread OF being made tho
object Of any attempted familiarity
especially ia railway carriage. Per.
hnps this well dressed young lady might
be an actress, or some abandoned croa'
turc OF that description, and
His spoculaiions were interrupted by
another sudden movement on the part
OF tho young lady which cansed him
TO peep at her once more. She wa
now standing up but her eyes still
looked straight at him Ia the same un
swerving gaze. Something, however
about them struck him this time which
lao had not noticed before. Tier,
wns sort Of deadness, n lack Of Intel
ligrnco IN them, for. though they wor,
turned directly upon himself, they dit
not appear 10 500 hun. Could Il b.
that the girlwas blindl
lilo cleared his throat, couelied ant
rustled his newspaper; but her face 10
manned absolutely unmoyed, giving u,
token that she had heard the sounds, u
was In anywiso conscious Of his pres
encc. That was very unlike bin,
people, who were always No qulcl
10 notice. Besides--ns his eye fell upoi
the novel and tho magazlnes-a bin,
person would not take works OF litera
tue for her travelling companions
No, blindness could scarcely DO tn
explanation OF her very strange dc
meanor. Hut II not that, what then
Was she In state Of coinal Or wa
she, perhaps, n lunatici
The notion Of this last possibilit
made him decidedly uneasy, and hi
heart began to beat with incroase
speed In Ills portly breast,
He watched her narrowly and ani
lousy, In Il minute, steadying hersel
with one hand by the rril Of the rack
she began To walk slowly across III
compartment Then the truth SCENE
To dawn upon Mr. McPaSon. She la
never awakened ut all, but was MOI
walking in her sleep.
This conviction did not bring niue
cOmfor. to the old nentleman'a min