The Portland daily press., 1891-12-12

old LADY, young lady ana boy about
seventeen, evidently mother, brother ana
sister The mother attracted my atten-
ton first, and l was idly admiring her
still unusual beauty, sublimated, but
not destroyed by age, when the young
lady turned around.
'Aunt, she might have been the origi-
nal of your picture, SO like she was in
every detail. Twas astonished and could
hardly believe my eyes. watched her
quietly and studied her features until
there was no doubt about it. There was
the broad brow, the dark brown hair
loosely confined, the dark gray eye, tnae
sweet, firm mouth, and above all the ex-
preston of intellectually, unselfshness
and righteousness. | forgot the story,
and could not take my eyes off her one
minute fear she must have noticed it."
81 know she did," interrupted Mrs.
Henderson. "You must have stared her
out of countenance."
81 suspect l did, and all the time I
was endeavoring to realize my good for
tune, and thinking how l should manage
to find out the young lady's name and
'After an hours ride in this way I
went into the smoking car for my cigar
case, which / had left there. I was de-
tanned by friend whom met there and
left the car just as the train was starting
again after having stopped at a small
station. CHANGING to look to one side, l
saw my new found ideal and her party
just getting into a carriage, which had
apparently been waiting for them. Aunt,
Just one thought filled my mind that I
could not afford thus to loose my ideal so
soon, and that unless followed her she
was lost. This was rather an impulse
than thought-there was no time for
that, and piled off after her.
''The carriage had started, and there
was only one man in sight-the depot
agent. spoke to him and asked who
the people who had just left were. He
said that he did not know; that he had
never seen them before; but I believe
now that he did and that he must have
taken me for lunatic; my appearance
was outlandish enough and l suspect my
manner was excited. l tried to hire a
horse, offered him large price for the
use of one an hour, but the fellow told
me thathe had none and there was none
in two miles. The carriage was now al
most out of sight, and still hoping to
and out something about it started out
after it.
"But I did not go far before realized
that pursuit was hopeless and that by
such conduct was making myself
ridiculous, and / returned to the. station
then for the first time remembered
that / had left all my baggage, which
was very valuable, my umbrella and
overcoat, on the train, and even my hat,
as at the time of the incident Twas MAX
which was all now had to protect my
ambrosial locks from the elements.
81 was now sufficiently disengaged to
find out something about the place
which had SO Unexpectedly visited. It
consisted of the railroad station and one
store, which was unfortunately closed
the agent informed me that it's owner
was attending camp meeting six miles
away. questioned the agent again
about the party had pursued. but
gained no further information. I tele-
graphed to the conductor on the train I
had left to take care of my effects,
which he was kind enough to do, and
after twelve hours in this neglected spot,
spent sitting on barrel, realizing my
ridiculous conduct and bemoaning the
loss of my ideal, took the next train
and finished my journey in safety"
"Well, that is quite story" said
Mrs. Henderson, and you have seen how
have enjoyed it. Who but you would
have fallen in love in such way, and it
is too bad that you lost her. But it can
not have gone very far, even with you,
and you will soon find some one else"
"We shall see about that. l don't
know whether it is love or not, but be-
lieve that / shall find that girl again
some day, and I am not going to marry
until do"
Two years passed during which George
had been true to his resolution, and used
often to say that he was waiting for his
ideal. Then he was transferred by his
house to the west and took up his abode
in Texas.
Not long afterward Mrs. Henderson
received from him letter giving the
following account of his experiences:
81 have another story to tell you, and
as before think had best begin at the
beginning. Hampstead is a nice place
TO live in, and / have had pleasant
time here and have made many friends.
You know that l am not society
man, and steer clear of the profess
sional Four Hundred which we find
in every city. But the larger class
of cultivated people like, and go when
l can to their occasional entertainments.
Three months ago went to one-it was
given by musical club, and combined
a programme of the best amateur talent
with social features-that am likely to
remember. For one of the last pieces
was song by Miss Ethel Lyndon It
was we'll sung; I noticed that, but my
chief interest was in the singer-in
whom recognized my ideal.