Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-12-26
MY FRIENDS VALISE,
WRITTEN FOR TIE DISPATCH
BY EDMUND DOWNEY,
[Copyright, 1892, by the Author.I

As I stood at the bookstall at Euston
terminus one September afternoon, waiting
for my train, was tapped from behind on
the shoulder. Turning round found my
Jelf face to face with perfect stranger-a
beautiful young woman, with a sad, white
face, and piercing brown eyes.
The young woman blushed; SO did I. She
made a flurried apology, stating that she
had unsccountably mistaken me for friend
who was TO have met her at the bookstalL L
bowed and lifted my hat, as the lady, evil
IDENTIFY overwhelmed with confusion, tripped
lightly away
was bachelor, at the wrong side of 80,
and though 1 was by no means a gallant, 1
was not wholly unslsceptibie to feminine
charms; and the lady who had addressed me
was unquestionably pretty and strangely
attractive looking woman. What a pity
was not the friend for whom she had mis-
taken mel
As turned again to the bookstall, un-
certain what kind of good for the mind to
provide myself with, L was again tapped
on the shoulder; this time by porter, who
warned me that should lose my train if 1
a few newspapers, and handing the price
of my purchases to 8 bookstall clerk, fol-
lowed the porter, who conducted me 10 the
door OF my 'second-class
smoker" was no sooner seated comfort
ably in corner than the train began to
move out of the terminus.
had now an opportunity of examining
my fellow travellers. Opposite to me sat
young man, about nv own height, age and
build. Beyond height and build, and a
thick mustache, fattered myself the
stranger bore no further resemblance to
me. He was a pasty-faced young man,
with restless, ferrety blue eyes, and his un-
comely hands were literally jeweled. He
was smoking a cigar. My weakness is a
briar pipe. The other two corner seats were
occupied bv two elderly men, evid emily
friends, and I judged them, rightly or wrong
ly, to be commercial travellers.
When had filed my pipe, 1 could not
find nv matches Ny vis-a-vis, observing
this, politely and silently offered me
match box. When my pipe was alight,
and when 1 mad handed him back the
match box with a curt 'thank you," the
stranger, much to nv surprise-for 1 took
him to be gruff and tsciturn bagman of
OF low degree, a traveller in fash jewelry,
an agent prOFCc2teur IN the Dook trade,
q man uho carried samples of boots or tusel
oil disguised in whisky, or anything deserv-
ing the reprobation of peacefully disposed
citizens-addressed me in pleasant voice,
and with pleasant smile.
''Going tar, might take the liberty of
askIng?"
''As far as the train will carry me-"
answered.
The train was the $50 from EustOn to
Holyhead
''Ah! Then perhaps you are crossing the
Channel?"
"Yes. 1 am going to Dublin"
'Oh! excuse me!'' he cried; sitting bolt
upright and rubbing his eyes. "Been hav-
ing an unpleasant dream. Where are we2'
Just out of Stafford"
"Ah! think we stop next at Crewe,
don't we?"
Yes" could answer confidently, hav-
ing made deep study of the time table be-
fore purchasing nv ticket "Due there
something after TO-"
"Ahl Then Chester, think?"
eyes. But you ought to be better au-
thority thsn on the stoppages OF this
train, surely?"
80 ought But am q poor hand at