Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-06-26
THE LIMITED EXPRESS
Reflections Of weldon Bradshaw:
While on a Night Train.

1t was the last OF January ana q |
night. A keen north wind |
was blowing down Broadway, filling |
the air with occasional hurries of snow,
and night had long since come, though
It was only six o'clock
j. Weldon Bradshaw, attorney and
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, Us soon as he had swallowed his
dinner. Lalge and important business
interests of client called him to the
northern part of the state, and it never
occurred to him to delay twenty-four
hours for what he considered q 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 interview
ton of Providence.
Shortly after nine o'clock that even
ing he walked into q passenger car of
the northward bound express in as
great state of irritation as 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 night in a chair. He
settled himself with the EXPERIENCES and
elaboration 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 it 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
an instant
He drew back and sat idly looking,
before him till suddenly he became
conscious that there was something,
after all, to be seen in the window
his own reflection. He looked at him.
self with growing interest; it was the
first time in many years he had had such
protracted opportunity for study of the
subject
He felt as If the face opposite him
belonged to some familiar stranger,
met every day but never known. A
man well advanced in life, nearing six
ty, perhaps, looked back at him. Hair
gray, getting little thin now; aquiline
nose; clear, shrewd-looking eyes, of no
particular color, with innumerable fine
wrinkles about the corners, as If from
onstant contraction to enable them
the better to see through other men.
The lips had narrowed almost to q 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 q great city, and it had marked
him as it's own. He had wrung from
1t 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 haG
given to become that most perfect me
chanical production of the nineteenth
century-entirely @ business man.
The train slowed up at station anC
young couple got in. She was 81
bright and pretty and confiding, he 81
INCREASINGLY attentive and protecting
the other passengers watched then
with interest. The men smiled and tn
women sighed. They sat In front o
Weldon Bradshaw, and something IL
the girls face quickened his memor.
and sent his thoughts rushing back int
the past.
? He turned again to his window, bu
the past was with him and tho face tina
, looked back was no longer old and hard
It was boys face, handsome, brav
and honest, with faith in those clea
eyes, and a promise of noble deeds
Other faces were there, too. A laugh
ing, winsome pair of eyes peered at hir
+ tor moment, and then gentle, swee'
!, old face smiled sadly at cher boy" Fl
s remembered her dreams for him; b
s realized for the first time how far b
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 q mans now; han'
some still, but an eager look had CON
. into the eyes, and the mouth was mol
o irmly set. He was starting out int
y the world anxious for knowledge of
" determined, to fight and conque
Clearly the night he left home can
back to him. She of the laughing ey,
is was with him, but they laughed 4
1T longer. Tears were trimming over al
= he little lips too tremulous for word
-U