Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1893-11-04
A Pullman Car Episode.
BY CHARLES SUMNER CLARK.

So HAD just dropped my numer-
SHS Gus traps on the front seat of
sAIS section eight, car number twelve
of the Chicago limited, which left
New York city on Tuesday of last
week, when the brakeman cried, Gall
aboard !" the engineer opened the
throttle. the engine began to labor,
and by the time the last car had
reached the end of that vast Jersey
City shed the train was at full speed,
bearing its precious freight say
precious because every one had a full
pocket book, and necessarily soto
the Worlds Fair.
Unlike most men, l travel without
either silk skull cap smoking jac-
ket, buster, or pair of home made
slippers, for my street clothes and
etceteras are comfortable enough,
and even if they were positive tor
ture, all-possessing vanity forbids
that / should make an uncomely
spectacle of my carefully adorned
person, as some careless-of appear
ance sybarites are wont to do in their
journeyings. So without wasting
time in getting into dishabille, sank
into the unoccupied seat and viewed
the passing landscape until my head
began TO ache. Then I turned my
attention, not to book, hut to my
fellow-p passengers.
Sitting directly opposite to me was
girl. One glance was enough to
tell me that she was divine in feat
ures, form and dress. Of course,
having glanced once glanced again,
and at the second glance thought /
detected something familiar about
her. Where had / seen her? The
third glance solved the question.
Five years ago, when twenty -one,
spent the summer at Richfield, and
there met Margie Fenion. Margie
was fair, with laughing eyes, cherry
lips, and figure of willowy grace
Margie, too, was rich-or, al least,
her father was. Can you blame me
for falling in love with her?
All, what summer we spent -
Rides, drives, dances, dinners, lunch
cons, tennis, moonlight rambles, and
best of all, long talks in dark corners
where hands were clasped and vows
of eternal love were exchanged. And
so we lived in elysium; the pleasures
of each day married only by regret
that its passage brought the season
nearer to its close.
September 25th was the day set by
the Fentons for their departure. I
had to stay longer because my moth
er, supreme in her ownership of the
pocket book, SO wished. The train
left in the early forenoon, and with
it went the sunshine of my life, leav-
ing me inconsolabls. My only COM
foit was in writing letters. This ]
did at the rate of five day for one
week; but as Margie wrote only sew
en- In that time, / fearing that would
annoy her, dropped to the same num-
Der. We kept it up for two months.
Then she began to skip day now
and then, and so did /. After lit.
tie her ardor was represented by on
ly two letters week mine by the
same number. This rate was con-
tinued for about six months, when
all of sudden she stopped entirely,
and did likewise. Thus ended the
same old story.
However, her eyes, her lips and
her figure had remained fresh in my
memory. CHANGING once more at her
across the way / felt almost certain
that she was Margie Fenton. There
was a slight change in her figure, to
be sure. She had grown more plump,
as healthy girls are apt to do as the
years 60 on her hair, too, was prob
ably degree lighter, but that often
happens with the druggists aid. But
the nose, the eyes, the mouth. ] could
not be mistaken in them. "Yet, lift
is she why doesn't she recognize
me 7" asked myself. Surely she
doesn't blame me for breaking our
summer engagement She evil
IDENTIFY did, however, for she never
looked up from the book she held be-
fore her, though she knew that / was
intently watching her. But shis
knowledge apparently caused her no
ANNOYANCE. for her face wore a roou.