Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-09-29

ikN VAIN wac pullllls puI VI
when the corpulent man in the plaid
suit who was occupying much of the
available space in the smoking compart-
ment of the sleeping chr Silas remarked
cheerily: at looks bit like rain"
So obtrusiye and commonplace state :
ment under similar circumstances on the
New York limited or the Boston special
would have been received with merited
contempt But Trinidad is in the heart
of particularly arid and uninteresting
part of Colorado, where a sense of com
panionship in suffering puts travellers
on easy and agreeable terms. The young
man who sat in the corner with his
travelling cap pulled deiectedly over
his eyes, frightened up and replied :
"Very."
Thereupon emboldencd, the stout
party entered upon q monologue of a
meteorological nature, and passed by
easy and graceful stages through a
diversity of topics, displaying large
fund of information and ereditable
tiuency of expression. Noting the list
less and apathetic demeanor of the young
man, he said brusguely: "Ain't you
we'll? Coming down to New Mexico
for your health 2'
The young man redeemed and smiled.
There was something in the stout maa' IS
manner that cheered and attracted HIM.
Corpulency always carries with it a
measure of comfort and reinsurance and
invited confidence. "Oh, yes, I'm well
enough" he answered Then as the
genial warmth. of the stout man per.
vaded him, he asked abruptly: "Did
you notice the two ladies in section 81"
"The old lady and the girl ?" with an
emphasis on the girl" swell, should
say did"
The young man hesitated. 81 don't
know that it will interest you. | used
to know those ladies back east"
"My boy, it does interest me. | con
graduate you"
The young man laughed--not d very
,earty laugh, but for the first effort in
that direction since the train had left
ia Junta it was success. IL believe
I'll tell you about it," he went on
desperately. 1--WE corked it up SO long
that I'm tormentcd inside. The plain
truth is that | was once engaged to that
young lady"
The stout man gave him such look
OF encouragement and appreciation that
he continued
cts q rather commonplace story after
all and follows the conventional lines.
The girl is an orphan, and, for some I'M
heard Of and impossible reason, the
alnt--thats the she-dragou with her
wouldn't listen to me on any pretext or
at any price. Her only idea seemed to
he that | was dissipated and worthless,
something between dude and a pirate,
and she SO worked on the girl that she
cent me letter saying-well, you know
the same old story, would always love
me, would never marry, part forever
and all that sort of thing. That was
year ago. | packed up, came out to
Denver, went into business, and am
getting on first rate when this horrible
meeting came to spoil me. Here | am
on my way TO Los Angeles, and whom
should | stumble upon at La Junta but
the very woman am trying to forget?"
"What the devil do you want to for
get her for?" asked the stout man
warmly. "Why don't you brace up and
talk to EN-"
The young man gave his companion a
quick gance of horror. "What Talk
to that old lady? You don't seem to
know her."
The stout man threw his cigar away,
buttoned up his coat and said with de-
termination: "My boy, you have excited
i my sympathy, and, hang it, I'm going
TO see you through. haven't been en-
gagged to the young lady. | haven't
made any fatal plays with the old
woman. amt afraid of dragons, male
'or female, and I'm the champion of
beauty in distress every time" With
this he opened capacious grip.
What are you going to do?" asked
the astonished young man.
II am about to produce my letter of
introduction, my credentials for good
society. Do you see these views OF the
Pacific coast5 Never knew 'em to fail.
Will guarantee q speaking acquaintance
in five minutes, intimacy in 10, undyinc
friendship in Is. Good on all trains
west of Kansas City. Stick to me, nv
boy. I'm enlisted for the war;
The ladies sat in their section, appar-
entity ohlipious Of their fellow -passen.
.gers. The day was hot despite the
breeze that was beginning to blow from
the mountains, but the Eastern women
doesn't thaw rapidly ona railway train,
The girl was looking despondently out of
Il 'NHS " AiADh anu lllS OluCI Mtllhll. very
stern and hard, was pretending to read
."David Grieve." Everybody with m
atom Of responsibility pretends to read
"David Grieve."
The stout man came gayly down the
aisle and dropped into the opposite sec
s'tlon, humming q sentimental melody as
only tat man can. He glanced care.
lessly over his picture, and then, as if a
bright idea had seized him, he leaned
over with most engaging air and said:
~ beg pardon, ladies, but perhaps these
views may interest you. AS you are in
the San Diego car | conclude you are
going through to the coast. You are
certainly from the east; no Disgusting
the eastern air. Allow me to put these
pictures at your service"
The surprised matron glanced haugh-
tily over her eyeglasses, but before She
could frame a fitting rebukc the young
lady said eagerly: "Oh, anything for
diversion, Aunt Mary; let's look at the
4 pictures"
\ "rhis," said the stout man, sis the
Coronado Observe the surf rolling
madly on the beach. No, on second
glance its the Del Monte but the surf
is there just the same. A line sight, Mrs.
Err.
The elderly lady looked stonily at the
lpicture and the unabashed man con-
tinued Here is view of the finest
iorange grove in the southern country.
4 Let me call your attention TO the magni-
y tlcent oranges that grow on the most
glorious of fruit trees, Miss ah-h."
"Really," said the young lady, coolly,
81 never knew before that grapes grew
4 on orange trees. What a remarkable
country"