Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-22
THE WIDOW AND DRUMMER.
A Romantic Story of Love, Jewelry and
Police Courts.
A Washington Man Loses . Girl and Gets
Arrested Besides-He Did Not
Have . Good Time.

There are many things in this vale Of tears
known as the world which are infinitely harder
to bear than being caught in . financial panic
or squeezed BY four aces in q little game OF
draw. To lose chance Of making s6.45 leaves
q dull, sad feeling Of remorse on the brain, but
to have an opportunity to captivate q Young
and charming woman and then to let the OPP
portunity slip by sinks still deeper and sears
the heart. At any rate. these are the opinions
OF young and dashing male member Of WASH
ington society, whose business nscessitatss fire.
quent trips ont Of town. Recently this young
man returned to the city, having penetrated
the wilds Of North America, even as far a.
Baltimore.
did have = good trip" he remarked in
answer to the anxious inquiries Of his friends.
wen, In all honesty and frsnknese L must con-
Tess that on this excursion good times and my
self did not speak as we passed by. Saw, let's
have something and I'll tell you about IT. Now,
You fellows know that when left here the
other day was handicapped for real jovial
time with the best of luck. Getting to bed at
8 In the morning and being hauled out few
short hours after has a way of its own of causing
the world to take on dull dead hue. and when
got on the train pessimism Cozing from me in
streams. Icurled up in q seat on the express
going to Baltimore and paid little attention to
my fellow travellers but tried to WOO the drowsy
entrance OF a finely formed lady with bright
bewitching eyes, dark hair which strayed in
curls all round q pretty red-cheeked face, while
a stylish and becoming Rownin all its black
folds indicating widowhood but enhanced the
many natural charms. She gracefully entered
the seat opposite mine and 1 thought OH
What an opportunity. If 1 was only in good
form
~ took an extra twist and tried to sleep, but
my widow" engaged too much Of my mind.
Twenty miles or more were passed when low
moan aud q rustling Of skirts warned me that
my widoF' was in distress. A glance-she
was about to faint-I must to her aid. Just
my luck. I was too comfortably fixed, and.
hasten as I would. arose just in time to see .
gentleman in a light suit and broad-brim straw
hat coming quickly toward my widow with .
glass of water, lean gracefully over, and. in
sympathetic tones, say: ALLOW me to and
you
She Was Rescued.
Another weak and fainting woman had been
rescued; another man made happy.
preceded by a sweet smile, q gentle voice
answered: 4 am so sorry to have troubled
you sip OF water, then, oh, thank you
you are SO kind
"'No trouble at all, assure YOU; rather a
pleasure to aid 40 fair a lady in distress Can I
do anything more for you-hoist the window?
(suiting the action 10 the word.)
Then he quickly reached a fan from the rack
overhead and sitting down beside my widow
he began to fan her. From time to time
glanced across the aisle. There he sat- that
pretty head close to his arm, aud that fan max
ing one hundred beats q minute.
Luck. Well, some people fall into It; but %
for me, well. had not been in any luck for
twenty days except i'll luck. Remaining awake
to see the end OF this romance, or O chance to
slip into the other fellows place, I overheard
portion Of the young lady's sad history.
Married in April to a government clerk
she had been made widow by the Ford's Opera
House collapse. She WAS now on her way home
to her own people in Philadelphia. but feared
the unusual travel aud the late bereavement had
unsettled her nerves 90 much that de should be
compelled to stop for . few hours h Baltimore
at her cousins until she could recover. DO
you think you could get the conductor to stop the
train at Pennsylvania Avenue station in Balti-
more2' she asked him. That fan stopped for one
half minute as he replied, i think sowe will ask
him, anyway aud then away il went faster than
ever. A man never did know how to fan.
INV cousin lives on PENNSYLVANIA avenue near
the station, and il would be 30 convenient and
save me 80 much trouble. OH do ask him?'
came again those sweet tones across the car
He assured her between bursts Of tanning that
he would. and wouldn't she give him her adj
dress so he might call aud assure himself that
she arrived safely. She would and would be
charmed to renew the acquaintance under more
favorable circumstances As he reminded her 90
much Of Fred. That fan made 40 beats that
minute, while / wanted. right then and there.
to throw him out Of the window and attend TO
the widow myself
After much pleading with the conductor, in
which those bright eyes now pleading, did the
most work, he reluctantly promised to stop.
Now. you fellows know that between WASH
ington and Baltimore on the Pennsylvania line
there are three long tunnels before reaching
Union station, each Of which Is nearly one-half
v,,,1o so, "A
ton is between the first and second tunnels
Suddenly we stopped. 'Pennsyivania Avenue
from the porter started my widow and her e.
cort for the platform. She with very red
cheeks. and he with necktie awry told Of the
hasty farewell in the tunnel
He Was in Luck.
"On the return OF the gentleman, knowing
him by his get up to be q drummer, invited
him to seat beside me, for knew he wanted
some one to whom he could tell his tale OF love
victory.
Until we reached Union station Il was
continual Amt she a daisy?' Am in it?'
Well, l guess old man, / saw YOU. but
you're too slow she's going TO meet me in
Philadelphia tonight Luck Say, I'm rolling
in it Think of it, Q widowr Not twenty
yet
'Union-station--o in Baltimore
change cars-for-north- - west Bait.
more, from the porter ended my new ac-
quaintance's bursts Of ecstasy over my widow
"Leisurely taking my way up the stairway to
the sidewalk thought no more Of my widow
until a hand on my arm and-Is this your
man, from a policenan-and-'Yesi he's the
rascal that stole my watch and chain and INV
diamond pin, too from NV late acouaintau nee
on the train. informed me that was accused of
having in the tunnel relieved the captivating
drummer of the mentioned valuables Twas igno-
ninously hauled off to the central station and.
n tlQrouQh aAarch -