River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-04-12
THE WESTERN EXPRESS.
Why It's Delay Caused a Happy
Marriage.

not one Of those gins who have had TO
fight the world until all gentle eSs
grace and unselfshness are ground out
of the l. No, can never give my con-
sent
The young man smiled slightly.
Mother" said he. THE diamond it.
self hardly possesses its true financial
value until the facets are ground with
much friction"
''Humphr' said Mrs. EsterhalI. NO
one is talking Of diamond
u may bring her Il see Y IN, mOther?"
Mrs Esterhall shook her head
Il have no desire to receive her," said
she. But. Guy, here are the tickets
for Henry Irving tonight. Carrie Chip
pendale has promised to accompany me
of course. you will be on hand at
half-past seven TO be our escort?"
IF you wish il. mother"
The old lady smiled to herself when
Guipn was gone
a little management" she thought,
"a little judi IS firmness, and Guy
will get over this bOyish fancy of his.
The idea of shop girl for my daugh-
ter-in-law- Mrs GuiOn Esterhall.
think the lad must have taken leave of
his senses"
And in her secret heart she rejOiced
with an exceeding great rejoicing when
Miss Chippendale arrived that evening.
In pale-blue moire gown. cut decol-
1ete, with glittering necklace around
her perfect white throat. and a bunch
of dollhouse roses in her corsrge.
IF we are 10 have private box, =
said Miss Chippendale. buttoning the
sc enteenth button of her glove. ''one
may as well go in full dress, don't you
know"
My dear. you are looking lovely. :"
said Mrs Esterhall, apprOvingly.
Miss Chippendale was sort of hui
man cameliia japonica-fair. graceful
and serene-with big. expressionless
blue eyes. cherry-red lips. fiax-gold
hair. drawn in fluffy crimps over her
forehead and an uuchanging society
smile perpetually lowering around her
lips She had been highly educated.
and she was destined by her parents to
make brilliant match. The Chippen-
dales belonged to the aristocracy-th
IS TO say. they had never done any
work and had always spent a great
deal Of money And Mrs Esterhall
had decided that Carrie Chippendale
was the very wife for her son.
II only she could convert GuiOn to
The same opinion.
GuiOn Esterhal was exceedingly
courteous 20 Miss Chippendale that
evening. but not a whit more SO than
he was To his own mother. The old
lady was somewhat disappointed.
"But never mind, she said to her
self. "One must have patience"
She went shopping the next day. to
match a shade of Berlin wool, 10 buy
some lace fiounces and to decide on new
pOrtieres for her drawing-room down
at Esterhall manor. At one or two
O'Clock she experienced. not hunger,
but lady-like sensation that tired
nature" needed some sort of sweet
restoration"
i will go into Maricotta's," she
thought.
Maricotta's was full. as it generally
was at that time of day; but presently
Ihe old lady succeeded in obtaining a seat
in a curtained angle. where the waiter
took her order for a chicken salad and
q cup OF tea Just then she heard a
clear. low voice on the other side of
the drapery. as a party settled them
selves To table Miss Chippendale's
soft. wei tones.
''Oh. YES, Irving was very fine, said
Carrie oysters. please bOx-stew
for one and fritters for two and three
cups of Vienna chocolate. nicely
frothed. waiter-but all the same.
nearly died Of sHHHL The old lady is
the most dreadful bore you ever knew
and Guy IS regular prig. Handsome
you know, and very talented, of course;
but one don't want To be on full-dress
parade as TO ones brains the whole
time. lie isn't half as nice as Freddie
Fortune only poor dear Fred hasn't a
cent 10 bless himself with. and apa
looks thundercIuuds at me whenever he
calls But once I'm married. it"
a chorus Of weIl-bred giggiing inter
Tupted Carries words. Mrs. Esterhall
rose hurriedly from her seat. grasped
her gloves and eyeglasses and made all
haste out - the restaurant. When the
waiter came with the chicken-salad
and the tea he found his customer
gone The unconscious Miss Chippen-
dale and her friends enjoyed their =;
emma chocolate aud oyster fritters very
much indeed
Mrs. EsterhaIl decided TO return to
the manor at once. Carrie Chippen-
dale's graceful treachery had affected
her more than she had deemed pussi-
ble; and, leaving hastily written note
to explain To Guion that she had Al
tered her plans. she took the late ex-
press. which reached Clevedon June
rion At nine. there connecting with a
branch train for Esterhall station. She
was travelling alone. a. her maid re-
manned Ia pack up the last things and
follow her the next day.
There had been heavy snowfall,
the night had settled down dark and
tempestuOus. and the train was run
ming behind time. At last it came to a
full stop. Mrs Esterhall started from
a doze and OUked anxiously around
her
Ten O'clock" some one said. con-
rClting a watch. why. conductor. we
are due at CievedOu at five minutes be
fore nine
Yes, / know. sir" spoke the official,
shut the road is all blocked. and the
western express is overdue at this point.
We're waiting here for the signal TO
move on
And what's II keep us from waiting
all night?" petulantly inquired the old
gentleman.
Nothing. sir-uuless the western
express is heard from"
Mrs Esterhall began to be little
frightened
Conductor" said she, Is there any
Hanger OF collision"
No, ma am-not as long as were on
this side Of the switch"
Isn't there dining car attached to
this ira NJ
NO. ma'am-this isn't the through
express but hope we shall not be de
tanned here much longer" the eoudue-
tor cheerfully added
Slowly the minutes dragged them
Selves by, gradually lengthening into
hours The passengers gathered in
knots and whispered. One or two Of
the more adventurous spirits got ont,
peered into the darkness. fecked ONLY
by the driven snow, and then got in
again, with the customary uncOmpli-
mentary comments Oh the railway
management Mrs Esterhall was ner-