Telegram-herald., 1891-06-16
THE LIMITED EXPRESS
Reflections Of Weedon Bradshaw
While On q Night Train.

Il was tho last of January and a
Saturday night. A keen north wind
was blowing down broadway. filling
the air with occasional durries of snow.
aud night had long since come. though
1t was only six o'clock.
j. Weldon bradshaw, attorney end
counselor at law. stood on tho steps OF
the building in which he had his Office
aad brttoned 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 Oh
business-he never went away for
pleasure. He was going out of town
now. as 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-fouf
hours for what he considered mere
question of sentiment Sundays were
pretty much the Same 20 him person
ally as any other day. except that they
intercepted business
True'he had been wonderfully sue
cessful in life. bat 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 a passenger car OF
tho northward bound express in as
great state of irritation as he ever
permitted himself to indulge in. lie
had neglected to engage berth in the
sleeper. and now found that he must
make the best CT a night in 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 dono for years,
and. putting up the papers. he turned
shading the glass with his hands moth
ing was to be seen, but an occasional
light flashed into view and out again In
| on instant
He drew back and sat Idly looking
before him till suddenly he became
conscious that there was something.
! after ell, 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 a. II the faco opposite him
belonged to some familiar stranger.
| met every day bsit never known. A
| man well advanced in life. nearing six
". perhaps. looked back at him. Hair
gray, getting a little thin now; aquiline
nose; clear, shrewd-loolsing eyes, of no
| particular color, with innumerable fine
wrinkles about tho corners, rs il from
| constant contraction to enable them
the better to see through other men.
The lips had narrowed almost to hne
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 great city, and it had marked
him as it's own. lie 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 All
those longings and hopes which prove
the existence Ia US of some sparks OF q
higher neture. His very life he had
| given to become that most perfect me-
chanical production of the nineteenth
ccntury-cntircly n business man.
| The train slowed up at a station and
young couple got In. She was 20
bright and pretty and confiding, he so
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. aud something in
the girls face quickencd his memory
and sent his thoughts rushing back into
the past.
He turned again 10 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 clear
eyes, and promise of noble deeds.
Other faces were there, too. A laugh
ing. winsomc pair Of eyes peered at him
for a moment, and then = gentle. sweet,
old face smiled sadly at her boy" lie
! ItI1tinttIta htt aFftHt> NV hAits br
realized for tho first time how far lac
| had fallen from her ideals
Now he fully understood what abe
had once said 70 him: Experiences Is
sorrow. Only is life happy as we live
| IL for others"
The face was n mans now: hand
soma still. but an eager look had come
! into the eyes, and the mouth was more
firmly SET Tie wns starting ont intu
sh. world anxious for knowledge OF ~
| determined 10 fight and conquer.
Clearly the night he left home came
hack ~ him. She Of the laughing EYES
was with him. bet they laughed no
longer Tears were trimming over ard
The iifsle lipe 80 sremulcus for words.
N. held her hard and mighty str,e
Gle went on Within him. tie ksc+v
wha. sh~ tear. mean. and h- lougrd -
take her n ~. arms. but prize and eau
sioa whispered,
Watt You have the world h~so-s
ypa~
Ard ss he spes. 10 ~osa. bs.t ieft her
he hsd e~~sr rally meant a. ssv'
her ~ he Intended IA The rear fuiar'
e. 90 kark fs~ hers hut> frst he va
sxya rNssT - tsirs gt@ tissse, ard after
~aesi sba. ssvssuess wofid ciassaed him a
&C. ssssa@ IA. slsrs when most hs fss