The National tribune., 1893-05-18

the last time. " Keep your
seat right through to Plattsburg Unless
the train is late there will be stop of 20
minutes at Rutland, but l would not leave
the car. Ask the porter to bring your lunch
to you, and give him q small fee for his
service You will reach Plattsburg by
o'clock, and there Uncle John will meet you.
Well, good-by. Write us tomorrow, with
out fail"
The long express-train pulled out of the
station, and pretty Lena Capen settled back
in her easy-chair, dried tear or two ut the
thought of three weeks separation from
papa and mama and brother Frank, and
then speedily took winged journey to
Rome at the beck OF the fascinating Sara
cuesca" On flew the train, at first through
the uninteresting enylrons Of the city, then
past the pretty suburban stations and hill
sides crowned with fine out-of-town resi-
dences, then out into the country fields, the
stubbes and the sun-browned pastures, Dor
dered by woodlands which were Just begin
ming TO flame into the crimsons and yellows
of early Fall.
Lena had promised to visit Uncle John
and Aunt Lucy in their lakeside home as
long ago as the preceding May. But there
had been the family trip TO the seaside, fol-
lowed by two weeks in the White Mount
aims, and then the Capens had had company
in their city home during the latter part of
August, so that Lena had not really been
able to leave for Plattsburg until the second
week in September.
1t seemed so nice, not to think of going
back to college right in the glory of the
early Fall; for the preceding year Lena had
graduated from Wellesley, and was now
more or less mistress of her own time. Yet
there was that sweetly-serious question con-
fronting her, as it confronts every maiden
who has passed through the preparatory
stages of life and stands facing the great
future-what to do, now that time was her
own, and life her own, and the dim future
hers to determine and to shape. There was
Joy in her new liberty, but underneath it
was the solemn sense OF crisis reached, q
threshold Of responsibility, upon which her
young feet must not linger too long.
By-and- by Lena laid down her novel and
began to look dreamily out of the window.
What was it that she saw? Not fields and
woods and skies, but the great landscape of
life, and in the midst of that landscape
what every woman sees, first and Last and
always, be her condition what it maya
little home, with love written over the door
wayi
Lena was somewhat rudely walked from
her reverie by the sudden application of the
arbrakes and the slowing down of the train
50 quickly as almost to throw the passengers
from their seats. The porter ran out on the
platform, but in q minute was back again.
i There is no danger, ladies and gentlemen"
he said. freight train is wrecked just
ahead Of u.s. and the track is blocked"
"Oh, dear!" sighed Lena. She knew what
u wreck meant on singe-track road. The ac-
cident had but just occurred, and the disabled
freight-ears were piled upon each other in
the utmost confusion, some thrown squarely
across the road-bed, and others, splintered,
and with trucks torn of, lying upside-down
at the foot of the embankment. The track
was badly torn up, and OF course there would
be no passing for hours-certainly not until
q wrecking-train could be sent to the spot.
Presently the conductor came into the
drawing-roOm car. / will telegraph to
Rutland for special train," he said, "and
we will carry yon by the wreck and send
you on as soon as possible. This train, of
course, must return"
Lena touched the conductor on the sleeve
as he passed her. Can't 1 get to Platts-
burg to-night?n she asked.
Perhaps so, Miss" he replied. If our
special comes in time, you can catch the
Adirondack train from New York to Rut-
land. Otherwise, you Will nave 10 20 up
the Central Vermont Road and cross the
lake by the Addison branch" The con-
ductor passed on hastily, and Lena took up
her novel again. But it WAS with heavy
and misgiving heart and sluggish interest
that she turned the Notwithstanding pages.
1t was two hours before the special train
arrived from Rutland. Lena was glad
enough to exchange her luxurious easy-ehair
for q seat III one of the upcOmfOrtabie old
fashioned emergency-cars and the privilege
of going on again. The special made good
time up the road, but when they reached
Rutland poor, hungry, tired Lena was dis
mayed to find that the New York Adiron-
dack train had been gone for an hour and a
half. The conductor of the special was