The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1892-01-23

cnuOr0n Occu.
.pying seat in front OF me. The lady
was neatly dressed and looked so
bright and happy and 90 lovingly
amused her pretty children that dis
carded rather dull book and gave my
! self wholly up to Watching my neigh
bore.
After time something in her face
struck me as being strangely familiar,
but where I had seen it, and under what
circumstances. ] had not the slightest
idea. -
Backward over the years went nv
thoughts, knocking at every dusty
chamber of my brain, yet Of no avail.
Suddenly an attitude unconsciously az.
sumed by the younger OF the chill.
dren, girl, furnished the key that un-
locked q long disussd chamber, and I
reraembered distinctly. had seen her
before, but under such different cir
cumstances that it was wonder that
lever recalled tho greatly changed face.
A fair face with streaming eyes was
vividly impressed on my mind by what
was nearly tragedy, and to think that
this happy, smiling face was the same,
seemed incredible, yet so It was.
Although my interest in her, twenty
years ago, was very great, l could not
DO so heartless as to break the spell
and rudcly plunge Lsr into that past,
which was now SO clearly forgotten.
Happily, she was SO engrossed with the
children that was unnoticed. Silent
iy watched her and thought that sell
dom had it been my lot to see such a
happy woman. When the brakeman
called the town OF L-- she gathered
up her belongings, but before she could
leave the car a stalwart fellow rushed
IN and, with an embrace that seemed
to include all three, was SO outspoken
In his JOY at seeing her, as he helped
them to the depot platform, that every
looker-on smiled.
! 1t Is strange how memory can bridge
chasms, and although many years had
passed since l had seen that woman,
yet 1t seemed as yesterday. was then
police reporter on metropolitan pa
per, and as this brought me in contact
with crime and misfortune of all kinds.
1t was q dull routine, seldom varied by
romance.
One morning woman was brought
insensible to the police station. She
was well dressed and quite young.
She had some money, but for some rea.
son had tried to drown herself. It was
. simple story that the colored man
who rescued her told. He had seen
her get off from an incoming train as
1t stopped at the depot and, almost reel
Ing, start toward the river Suspectinr
evil he followed her and arrived in
time to rescue her from a suicides
death.
, To a reporter the story was disap-
pointingly devoid of sensation, and
the articles found in her possession
clearly identified her, but told no story.
The girl was a good-looking Swede,
and that there was story she could
tell if she would made her an object
OF interest to all the police reporters of
the city papers
Someway we all took fancy to this
unfortunate girl, and frequently vis-
tied her at the hospital, where she
was slowly recovering strength. When
reason was recovered she could not
speak to us, but to an Interpreter she
hatly refused to make any explana-
tions. Despite her protests we knew
there was story behind the attempted
suicide and resolutely set about to in
gratiate ourselves into her go cd graces,
that the story might be told.
Aside from the intense competition
for scoop" we all were irresistibly
drawn to this sad young girl, who
could only look at us with mousnful
blue eyes and could sot speak o word