The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-07-14
A REPORTEH'S STORY.

Recently while travelling my atten-
ton was directed TO lady and two
children occupying a seat in front OF
me- Tho lady was neatly dressed and
looked so bright and happy and so
lovingly amused her pretty children
that / discarded rather dull book
and gave myself wholly up to watch
ing my neighbors.
After q time something in her face
struck ne as being strangely familiar,
but where | had seen 1t and under
what circumstances, | had not the
slightest idea
Backward over the years went my
thoughts, knocking at every dusty
chamber of by brain. yet Of no avail
suddenly an attitude unconsciously
assumed by the younger Of the chill
dren, girl. furnished the key that
unlocked q long disused chamber, and
| remembered distinctly. / had seen
her before. but under such different
circumstances that it was a wonder
that | ever recalled the greatly chang
ed face.
A fair face with streaming eyes was
wildly i1npr5 ssed on my mind by
what was nearly a tragedy, and to
think that this happy, smiling face
was the same, seemed incredible, yet
so ii was.
Although my interest in her, twenty
years ago, was very great, | could not
-be so heart,ess as to break the spell
and rudely plunge her into that past,
which was now SO clearly forgotten,
Happily, she was SO engTossed with
the children that | was unnoticad.
Silently | watched her and thought
that seldom had it been my lot to see
such . happy woman. When the
brakeman called the town of Il
she gathered up her belongings, but
before she could leave the car a stal-
wart fellow rushed in and, with an
embrace that seemed to include all
three, was-so outspoken in his Joy al
seeing her, as ne helped them to the
depot platform, that every locker on
smiled.
1t Is strange how memory can
bridge chas!ns, and although many
years had passed since | had seen that
woman, yet 1t seemed as yesterday. l
was then police reporter on metro
| politan paper, and this brought me III
contact with crime and misfortune Of
all kinds. it was a dull routine, seldom
varied by romance.
One morning q woman was brought
insensible 10 the police station. She
was we'll dressed and quite young She
| hal some money but for some reason
uied to drown herself 1t was simple
story that the colored man who
rescued her told He had seen hel
get off from an incoming train rs il
stopped at the depot and, almost reel
ing, start toward the river Suspect
ing evil he followed her and arrived
in time to rescue her from suicides
death
To reporter the story was disap
pointedly devoid of sensation. and the
articles found in her possession clear
ly identified her, but told no story.
The girl was good-looking Swede
and that there was q story she coulo
tell if she would made her an object
Of interest to all the police reporters
Of fhe,city papers.
Someway we all took fancy to this
unfortunate girl, and frequently Wis
tied her at the hospital, where she was
slowly recovering strength When
| reason was recovered she could moi
speak to Us, but to an interpreter she
fatty refused to make any explana-
tons. Despite her protests we knew
! there was a story behind the attempt
ed suicide and resolutely SET about tc
ingratiate ourselves into her good
graces, that the story might be told
Aside from the intense competition
for Il scoop" we all were irresistibly
drawn to this sad young girl, who
could only look at us with mournfu
blue eyes and could not speak worC
Of our language The tell tale eyes
told plainly of the effort to conceal
but what 1t was we were unable TO in
agine.
| Two days before she was to resume
her journey, was promised her story
She was to write it and give it to mt
on the evening of her departure.
At the appointed time 1 was at tht
hospital door. only to be handed til,
promised letter and to be told tha
She had gone on the morning train
| was deeply disappointed, for l hat
grown to like this incomprehensibl
girl.
The only scoop that l got out OF /
was the announcement OF her depar
ture, for | did not tell the boys any