The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-08-07
THE LIMITED EXPRESS.
Reflections OF Weedon Bradshaw
While ON q Night Train

Saturday night. A keen north wind
was blowing down Broadway, filling
the air with occasional hurries of snow,
and night had long since come, though
il was only six o'clock.
j. Wee,lon bradshaw, attorney and
counselor at law, stood on the steps of
the building in which no had his Office
and buttoned his overcoat rs he looked
up and down the now deserted street.
For some thirty years he had done
the sarne thing at the same hour every
day, when he WAS not out of town on
business-he never went away Tor
pleasure. lie was going out of town
now, as soon as he had swallowed his
dinner. Laige and important business
interests of client called him To ths
northern part OF the state, and it never
occurred to him to delay twentyfour
hours for what he considered mere
question of sentiment. Sundays were
pretty much the same TO him person
ally rs 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 70 his own
efforts, and not through any Enterren-
tion of Providcnce.
ing he walked into q passenger car of
tho northward bound express in rs
great state OF irritation as he ever
permitted himself to indulge in He
had neglected to engage IA berth in the
sleeper, and now found that he must
make the best of n night in chair. He
settled himself with the expertness and
deliberation born of age and export
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, a thing it had not done for years.
and, putting up the papers. ne 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 locking
before him till suddenly he became
conscious that there was something.
after all, To he seen in the window
his own reflection He looked Mt him
self with growing interest; IL was the
first time in many years he had had such
protractod opportunity for study of the
subject.
lie felt as il the face opposite him
belonged tn some familiar stranger,
met every day but 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-loolling eyes, of no
particular color, with innumerable fine
wrinkles about the corners, a. il from
constant contraction 10 enable them
the better to through other men.
The lips had narrowed almost To n line
from long compression. and made the
entire face look hard
He had fought the world single-hand-
ed-thc hard, selfish. crushing business
world of great city, and il had marked
him as its own lie had wrnng from
il 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 in US of some sparks of a
higher nature. His very life he had
given to become that most perfect me
chanical production of the Nineteenth
century-entircly business man.
The train slowed up at station and
a young couple got in. She was So
bright and pretty and confiding. he 50
increasingly attentive and protecting.
the other passengers watched them
with interest The men smiled and tn,
women sighed. They -at in front of
Weedon bradshaw, and something in
the girls face quickened his memory
and sent his thoughts rushing back into
the past
He turned again to his window, but
the past --as with him and the face that
looked back wns no longer old and hard.
II was a boys face. handsome, brave
and honest, with faith in those clear
eyes, and a promise of noble deeds.
Other faces were there, too. A laugh
ing, winsome pair Of eyes peered M him
for n moment, and then n gentle, sweet
old face smiled sadly at ''her boy" He
remembered her dreams for him; he
realized for the first time how far he
had fallen from her ideals.
Now he fully understood what she
had once said to him: Experience Is
sorrow. Only is life happy a. we live
il for others"
The face was mans now; hand
some still, but an eager look had come
into the eyes, and the mouth was moro
firmly set He was starting out into
the world anxious for knowledge of II:
determined TO hght and conquer.
Clearly the night he left home came
back 10 him. She of the laughing eyes
was with him. but they laughed no
longer Tears were brimming over and
the little lips too tremulous for words
he held her hand and a mighty strug-
gle went on within him. He knew
what the tears meant and ne longed 10
take her in his arms; but pride and eau
tion whispered:
Wait, You have the world before
you.
And 81 he spoke no word, but left her.
He had never really meant T. give