Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-06-10


men as they jostled each other In the
streets. and the women looked weak
and wilted. The very horses hung their
heads as they stumbled along with their
heavy loads.
1t was in the great city OF the
worlds fair" and was then q mod
est little woman in literary way on
one of the big newspapers. The ex-
citement attendant upon the work fas-
cinated me, and, as ] had always led
rollicking, jolly, bohemian life, l was
in my element
had wandered about aimlessly for
greater part Of the forenoon, finding
nothing Of interest, when / was sum-
moned back 10 the Office by n fellow re-
porter whom | met on the street.
was beginning to lose my temper.
Everything had gone wrong that day.
had awakened with a severe headache
and the intense heat had aggravated it
10 such an extent that my brain seemed
to be on fire. | had missed seeing Jack
in the morning Jack was my sweet
heart and he was going away that day
10 bc gone ever so long. knew he was
Obliged by business interests to leave
at any cost, and 50 | carried with me
the consciousness that he had left with
out saying good-by and that it was the
first time in the five years that had
known him.
Musing in this unpleasant way, l
swung open the portals Of the great
gray doors with much more energy
than small woman should exhibit, to
find the editor, notwithstanding all the
heat, looking as fresh and happy as the
cool violets that used TO blossom under
the spreading branches in the old home
Of which sometimes dreamed.
II was refreshing, truly, and when
he detailed me 10 do "A bit Of work that
took me out into "A country town my
restlcssness vanished, and / became
once more my happy self.
/ walked down TO the station with
lighter step, and armed with a tablet
and other articles of journalistic war
fare ensconced myself on the shady
side of the car and rclapsed into n state
of delightful semi-unconsciousness.
How long remained thus I do not
know, but gradually became aware,
with that indcfnable instinct with
which one sometimes becomes pos
sessed, that was the object of a steady
gaze. | raised my eyes, and as did 20
an irresistible impulse impell ed me to
look across the aisle.
Have you ever seen den of snakes
that writhe and cling with their bodies
together, their hooded heads raised TO
strike, and those awful scrpentine
tongues darting in and out? Did you
ever stand transfxed by the brilliancy of
those glittering eyes? 1t was such 4
fascination that possessed me. Yet in
the mans outward appearance there was
nothing that should have rcpclled mo.
On the contrary, found myself uncon-
! aoiouoly ainiiringhi powerful physique.
the sincwy supplcness Of his body, the
finely shaped hand, with It's glistening
almond nails, and the general appear
ance and bearing that indicated the
gentleman.
He was looking at me intently and
his eyes possessed peculiar glitter
that had never seen In human eyes
before. AS my glance met his he seemed
about to rise and come 10 me. / tried
TO break the spell. I could not until,
after what seemed TO me ages, the traip
shot under u bridge and the darkness
Immediately surrounding closed out
those balls Of fire with their red flashes.
| sank down almost lifeless In my
seat and placed my hands to my throb-
| bing head. ! tried TO fancy II hallu-
cination, but my better sense predom-
mated. A thousand thoughts flashed
over me and when the darkness cleared