Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-07-24
THE LIMITED EXPRESS.
Reflections Of Weldon Bradshaw
While on a Night Train.

Reflections of Weldon Bradshaw
While on a Night Train.
II was the last of January and
Saturday night A keen north wind
was blowing down Broadway, filling
the air with occasional flurries of snow,
and night had long since come, though
1t was only six o'clock.
]. 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. He was going out of town
now, as soon as he had swallowed his
dinner. Laige and important business
interests of client called him to the
northern part of the state, and 1t never
occurred to him to delay twcnty-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 passenger cur Of
the northward bound express in as
great state of irritation us he ever
permitted himself to indulge in. He
had neglected to engage berth in the
sleeper, and now found that he must
make the best of a night in chair, He
settled himself with the experiences 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 1t 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
IN instant
| He drew back and sat idly looking
before him till suddenly he became
conscious that there was something,
nfter all, to be seen in the window
his own reflection. He looked at him
self with growing interest; 1t was the
first time In many years he had had such
protracted opportunity for study of the
subject.
He felt as II the face opposite him
belonged to some familiar stranger,
met every day but never known. A
man well advanced In life, nearing six
tySperhaps, looked back at him. Hair
gray, getting a little thin now; aquiline
nose; clear, shrewd-looking eyes, Of no
particular color, with innumerable fine
wrinkles about the corners, as II from
constant contraction to enable them
the better to see through other men.
The lips Ind narrowed almost to 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 n great city, and 1t had marked
him Us Its own. He had wrung from
it wealth, position, recognition of his
ability by other men; but he had given
In return youth, love, pleasure, all as.
pirations after better things. AL
those longings and hopes which prove
the existence In us of some sparks of q
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 station ant
young couple got in. She was sc
bright and pretty and confding, he sc
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 quiclzened 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
1t was boys face, handsome, brave
and honest, with faith in those cleal
eyes, and promise of noble deeds
Other faces were there, too. A laugh
ing, winsome pair of eyes peered at hin
for moment, and then a gentle, sweet
old face smiled sadly at her boy" H,
remembered her dreams for him; h,
realized for the first time how far h,
had fallen from her ideals.
Now he fully understood what sh,
had once said to him: Experience /
sorrow. Only is life happy as we liv'
1t for others"
The face was mans now; hand
some still, but an eager look had com
into the eyes, and the mouth was NOR
firmly set he was starting out int,
the world anxious for knowledge of il
determined to fight and conquer
Clearly the night he left home cam
back 10 him. She of the laughing eye
was with him. but they laughed n,
longer. Tears were trimming over an,
the little lips too trempIous for words