The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-14
A WOMANS ODD CAPRICE
UNACCOUNTABLE, YET IT MADE HER
SUPREMELY HAPPY.

| A Sudden Whim Seizes Her and She
Started on Visit to New York by .
Circuitous Route-Shs 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, well known railroad
man. s.Her direct route was by the
| New York Central's 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 saving that she intended to go
by the Erie route.
That would necessitate roundabout
way by New York city or by Newburg
and across the Hudson, and her husband
tried to argue her out of her sudden and
unreasonable determination She stoutly
| insisted, however, that she must go by
the Erie.
"'I can't tell you why have such an
inclination to go that way she said;
but have that feeling, and do not be-
Eeve I could bring myself to go any
other way
'Of course her husband gave in to her
whim, and put it down to woman's ca
| price. Ny aunt is a 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 q
known relative, unless the oldest one of
the family, brother, who had gone to
California in 1865, was living.
''She found home, however, with
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
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.
STRANGE MEETING.
cat Meadville, 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 I'll just
drop down here while the porter fixes uI
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 goatee. the Latter
long and pointed. He wore o wide
brimmed felt hat. My aunt's manner
seemed to nettle him, and he exclaimed
rising:
eff annoy you, madam, will go tc
some other seat
MY aunt managed to loosen hel
tongue then, and putting out her hand
begged him to be seated. He sat dowr
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 covertly at the gray bearded
stranger. When the porter had arranged
the strangers section, and he arose anG
went to it, my aunt's eye followed him
She tried to speak to him as he wen
from her seat, but she didn't seem to bt
able to get out the words she wanted tx
say.
The next station was Union City. II
was only half an hours ride from Mead
vile, and as the train drew nearer to il
my aunt says she could hardly breathe
her heart beat SO, and she felt as if she
must speak to the old man or die. Bu
somehow she could not. At last the
train whistled for Union City. The gray
bearded man took his valise and pre-
\ pared to leave his seat. The train be
Z 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 Allison?
"The man looked surprised and said
why. yes; my names Allison
Charles Jasper Allison?
Yes said the stranger. looking still
more surprised.
Didn't your sister Carrie used tc
call you Jass?
She didr he exclaimed But
why
I" oh, Jass! I'm your sister Carrie.
exclaimed my aunt, and her arms were
around the old mans neck and he wa:
holding her to his breast, while both Of
them sobbed like a couple of children.
The long lost brother did not get of
at Union City. He was the very imags
of her father when he died, my aunt
said, and that is why she felt from thu
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 ar
old friend of his was IN or near Unior
City, and he resolved TO visit him before
returning to the coast. This had occur
red about half an hour before the traiZ
he was to take left Chicago, and he wa.
just able to catch it by an extra effort
Suppose my aunt hadn't suddenly
taken that whim to travel by the Erie
Or suppose her brother hadn't suddenly
bethought him Of his old friend in Unior
City: And how do you account for j
ali, anyhowyr-New York Sun
Derivation Of Two Common Words
Our common word abrdge has no con
nection with bridge. IL is modih
cation Of the Greek brachus. short