The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-03
ON THE TRAIN.


train was going to start, l heard discus
sion going on outside.
mo, no, | engaged private compart-
ment, aud L must have it," said silyery
feminine voice.
there is not one on the train" replied the
guard.
But | wrote and ordered itv'
'Y our letter was not received"
Put on another carriage then"
THAT is impossible; we are just going
to start-be quick. There are two seats
here"
''In there 2"
Eyes. madam"
a small, dark head appeared for an in
slant in the doorway of the compartment .
and was suddenly withdrawn. Then a
startled voice exclaimed:
There are two gentlemen in there"
Very we'll, madam; cam OF give you a
whole carriage to yourself"
Then | shall not 60 at all!'
AS you please. The train is just going"
"Wait, wait, am obliged to go now. AS
there is absolutely no other place. but
can | have private compartment when
get to the next station p
"CertaiDly, madame"
you will telegraph for it?"
"Yes, madsmeP
You promise p
Eyes"
The door opened again. and the same head
appeared, surrounded by sort of halo Of
parcels, wraps. etc {; a lady stepped into the
compartment, whistle blew, and we were
off. The other gentleman politely rose and
took the place next to me, so as TO leave the
whole side opposite US Tor the newcomer.
She did not vOuchsafe glance to either
nf N fRr oh hra hlo=0 ogsA
flushed with indignation, and she was no
sooner seated than she began TO arrange
her satchels and parcels with all the haste
usually displayed by people having a long
journey before them. She had a satchel.
another satchel. and still another, and a
bundle of railway rugs.
l watched her proceedings out OF the cor
ner Of my eye, and a single glance at her
face told me that she was young and ex-
tremelv pretty. The discovery pleased me
not little; ii is much more agreeable 10
travel sitting opposite pretty woman than
an ugly Onel
IT. was very cold. and the fair traveller
wrapped a rug around her and gazed out
obStuately at TIE wintry landscape; the
other passenger took some official looking
documents out of his portfolio and examined
them. while | pretended 20 be absorbed in
my newspapers.
AT II 80 o'clock we reached Laroche, and
as soon AS the train stopped the gentleman
gathered up his papers, rose, bowed aud
left US. The lady went TO the door and
asked the station-master in an anxious
tone: "Have You been telegraphed from
Paris for private COMPARTMENTS"
Yes, madame, and | have already sent
the order on
On! What do you mean9 1 want it
now"
Impossible madame We have no car
riages here, but you can get one at Lyons.
What time VIII that be ?'
Five forty fve."
1.-The whole dayl l cannot stay in this
carriage until then-1 cannot, and l will
not"
"Be careful, madame, the train is start
ing!'
And the train started She went back to
her seat indignant and without looking at
ne. began reading nv paper again, but
could not fix my thoughts upon the news.
| read the same line over twenty times
without knowing what it contained-I have
no doubt that held the paper upside do wn
most of ths time. My fellOw-traveler was
distracdngly pretty, and l lOnged to enter
into conversation with her. but | did not
know how TO manage the matter. She was a
lady, ! kew. and | raeked my brain for
some appropriate and original remark with
which 10 break the ice. 1t was all in vain.
Nothing occurred to me except the weather,
AID that | sc0rned.
1 was still wondering. when the train
came to a sudden halt. and a guard called
out:
"Tonnerre! Twenty five minutes for
lunch"
My vIs-a-vis rose. put off her rugs, laid
them on the seat and got off the train. 1t
was noon and she was probably furnished.
She went to the buffet at the left side of the
station. and | followed her.
/ had leisure TO admire her graceful figure.
which was clad in a long cloak trimmed
with otter; | observed also that she wore a
gray felt hat on her very black hair and that
she lad very small feet.
rushed into the restaurant with the re- S t
OF the passengers. disheveled, dusty,
excited thr0ng. aud began eating whatever
was put before me. My fellow-traveler was
seated ut q separate table, drinking bouil-
ion. As soon as | had fin shed | strolled
about and smoked cigarette. The allotted
twenty-five minutes were slipping by, and
the passengers began to return to the train.
] went to my place, and found that the lady
had not yet come back, ana on looking out
OF the window | saw her standing at
booksellers stall. Her back Was toward
me, but | recognized the otter cloak, the
gray felt hat and the graceful figure.
ALI the other passengers were in their
seats; the time was up, the guards shut the
doors noisily. yet she did not move. She
would be left behind! Madame, madamer'
cried but the distance was too great, she
could not hear me- There was hardly a
minute left.
What was / to do? Suddenly bright
idea came to me. | could not bear to think
of her beng left without her wraps il the
bitter cold poor little woman! She should
at least have her belongings with her.
seized her three satehels and her rugs in my
arms and threw them out of the window,
calling TO a guard VINO stood near:
"Give these to that lady-over there"
h. l-uh hap N N md fnr cd ha
train began to move. and at the same in
slant there entered at the opposite side of
the train, breathless and hurried, my fell
luw-trave'er!
Horrorl | had made a mistake. The
lady at the bookstall was not the owner of
the luggage. Yet, her figure, her cloak. her
hat were the samoan absurd reSem blance.
What was to be done nown A pretty mess
i had made Of it! While | stood speechless,
she reached her seat and Immediately ex-
claimed:
where are my satchels? Some one has
taken all my thingsJ
Then for the first time she looked at me,
and with what an expression of doubt and
seorn! | shall never forget it.
pardon me" | stammered, your prop
erty has not been stolon. 1t has been left
at Tonnerre."
''Why, what for?" she gasped, and then.
as best could, explained. She gave me
cannot describe ii.
II am profoundly grieved," l added. "but
truly my intention was good. | did not
want you To catch cold. Besides, your
things are safe, and shall teegraph-you
will! telegrapb-we will telegraph-from the
next station. give you my word you shall
have your things, if | have TO so back and
fetch them myself"
Enough, sir" she answered. coldly. Il
know what to do" and she sat down and
looked out of the window. But alas, the
poor little thing had now no warm rugs,
aud before very long she began to shiver.
In vain she buttOned her cloak and turned
up the collar. Her little teeth fairly chat
terrell
Madame" / cried. 81 beg of you, on my
knees, to take my rug. You will catch cold,
1t will be nv fault. and l shall never for
give myself"
IL DO not wish to speak to you, sir" she
said. codiy.