Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-05-09
A W0MANS ODD CAPRICE
UNACCOUNTABLe, YET IT MADE Her
SUPREMELY HAPPY.

A sudden within seizos Her and she
Started = visit to New York by "A
/ Cirouitous Route---She Meets Long
Lost Brother.
my aunt, Mrs o. P. Smith, Of st.
Louis, started east to visit relatives Of her
husband in Dutchess county," said one
of those relatives, a well known railroad
man, Her direct route was by the
New York Centrals system to Fishkill.
and that was the way the trip had been
laid out. Half an hour before starting.
however, Mrs. Smith surprised her hus-
band by saying chat She intended TO 60
/ by the Erie route
That would necessitate u roundabout
way by New York city or by Newburg
I and across the Hudson, and her husband
/ tried +" argue her ont Of her sudden and
4 unreasonable determination Shestoutly
insisted, however, that she must go by
the Erie.
4" q can't tell you why have such an
inclination to go that way, she said;
but have that feeling, and do not be-
lieve l could bring myself to 20 any
other way
"Of course her husband gave in to her
within, and put it down to womau's ca
/ price, My aunt is u native Of Rich
mond, Va, and during the war, being
/ about sixteen, her only sister died and
{ her brother was killed in the defense Of
Richmond. This left her without
( known relative, unless the Oldest one of
the family brother, who had gone to
California in 1855, was living.
''She found home, however, with
u Richmond family, who moved west
after the war, where the orphan girl,
whose name was Allison, subsequently
met and married my Uncle Smith. She
/ was ten years old when her brother
went to California, and he was then
! twenty-five She had never heard any
I thing from him since the war broke out
Although her father died when she was
/ but eight, she retained vivid remem-
brance Of his face and manner,
a STRANGE MEETING.
"At Meadyille, Pa. the next morning
after leaving St. Louis. my aunt kept
/ her berth, While she was making her
toilet the porter had made up the sec
! ton. When she returned and sat down
sprightly but elderly man sat down in
the other seat of her section and said:
" Excuse me, madam. but III Just
drop down here while the porter fixes up
things in my section. I'm only going to
the next station anyway
"My aunt opened her mouth TO reply,
but she didn't speak She simply fast
ened her eyes on the old man opposite
He was tall and bright eyed. with sill
yer gray mustache and gnatee. the latter
long and pointed. He wore a wide
brimmed felt hat. Ny aunt's manner
seemed to nettle him, and he exclaimed,
rising:
"'If annoy you, madam, will go to
some other seat.
My aunt managed to loosen her
tongue then. and putting out her hand
begged him to be seated. He sat down
again, and my aunt looked out of the
window, or at least she says she tried
to, but she felt herself drawn irresistibly
to look coyertiy at the gray bearded
stranger, When the porter had arranged
the strangers section, and he arose and
went to it,, my aunt's eye followed him.
She tried to speak to him as he went
! from her seat, but she didn't seem to be
! able TO get out the words she wanted to
say.
The next station was Union City. 1t
was only half an hours ride from Mead
vile, and as the train drew uearer to it
my aunt says she could hardly breathe.
her heart be,.t so, and she felt as if she
must speak to the old man or die. Put
somehow she could not. At last ehe
train whistled for Union City The gray
! bearded man took his valise and pre-
| pared to leave his seat. The train be-
gan to slow up. The old man walked
/ toward the front end Of the car He was
\ passing my aunts section.
! THE RECOGNITION
She pressed one hand on her humping
heart and, almost choking, she touched
the strangers arm and gasped;
! Sir, isn't your name AllisonT
1.-THE man looked surprised and said,
why, yes; my names Allison.
Charles Jasper AllisonY
Eyes, said the stranger, looking still
more surprised.
Didn't your sister Carrie used to
call you JassY
She didr he exclaimed. But
why
oh, Jassl I'm your sister Carrieg
exclaimed my aunt, and her arms were
around the old mans neck aud he was
holding her to his breast, while both of
them sobbed like couple of children
THE long lost brother did not get off
at Union City. He was the very image
of her father when he died, my aunt
said, and that is why she felt from the
very first that he was her brother Jass
The brother is still Californian, an ex
tensive vineyardist, and while in Chi
cago he suddenly remembered that ap
old friend Of his was in or near Union
City. and he resolved to visit him before
returning to the coast. This had occur
red about half an hour before the train