The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-12-20
wOOED AND WON ON THE RAIL.
A Devoted suitor who Was not to he Rat
tied by Mere Ioldup.

into the unoccupied seat by the sid,
of the young woman, but / saw yot
getting on this train and came along
am going twenty-five or thirty miles
anyhow, and further still If necessary
1 want to have a talk with you"
MIR. Higgintop-"
II know what you are about to say
I am taking a liberty not warranted
'py our short acquaintance, and all thal
sort of thing. But l am not. / hav,
been In this car nearly quarter OF
an hour, Miss Jarvis, waiting for
good excuse to come and take this seat
and when / saw that loose jointed ole
Algerine with the blue black whisker,
and the molasses-colored suit of clothe,
that got on at the last station making
Tor this seat, felt 1t to be a duty te
forestall him. VIII you oblige me by
taking look at those whiskers, Miss
Jarvis?"
see them, Mr.. Hlggintop."
Weil. that's why l popped dowr
here so suddenly. / am not vain, Miss
Jarvis. but I took 1t for granted"
Yes, you seem to have taken 1t for
granted" she interjected.
That between young man of al
least average respectabillty in appear
ance and a seedy old hunks with dyed
whiskers no young woman of taste
could hesitate a moment. Hence"
Upon my word, sir"
Hence l am here. OF two evils,
Miss Jarvis. always choose the better
looking. When I want any figs, young
man. I'll let you know. You will con-
fer favor by strollng along down the
aisle. l was going to say, Miss Jarvis, 1
that there's nothing accidental about
III. -.
of deliberate design. l am sitting by
your side entirely on purpose. At ex-
actly 10 o'clock last night l made up
my mind l wouldn't hang on by my
eyelds any longer. l decided I would
seize the first opportunity"
The train had been going at the rate
of forty miles an hour. The sudden ap-
plcation OF the air brakes brought II
quickly to a stop. There was a con-
fused sound of voices. Rifle shots were
heard. Mr.. Higglntop listened a mo-
ment, and resumed:
Il decided to seize the first oppor-
tunity to tell YOU"
For heavens sake. what"
''To tell you that /"
mo- no! ] mean what is that noise
about? Something dreadful is happen
tng! / am sure 1t isl"
There's some disturbance at the for
ward end of the train, l presume.
Viola Jarvis"
"Oh, Mr.. Higgintop, at such a time
as this how can you--"
"a man as far gone as I am doesn't
stop to reason about things. l have
only known you about six weeks, but
1 think have wanted you all my"
Crack! Snap Boom!
Tho widest cta rafonn1
Passengers were crouching down be-
tween the seats. Faces were pale with
terror. And the fusillade continued,
varied now and then by a loud explo-
sion. A bullet occasionally came
through a window and buried itself in
the woodwork of the car.
"Oh, Mr.. Higgintop-" -
"My name Is Wesley" 4ir'1
''Are we in any danger?"
Danger? 1 feel as If my whole fu-
ture were at stake! This is the most
momentous crisis of my life! My dar-
ling girl"
"Oh, Mr.. Higgintop-"
"Wesley. My name is Wesley" 81.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Boom!
"How can you think of anything"
'T can't, dear! 1 can't think of any
thing except that the sweetest love-
hest girl on edrtn-
Crack! Crash! Boom!
'Is holding my hand in clasp so
eager, So"
She dropped it instantly.
IL didn't know it," she faltered.
He merely gathered her trembling
little hands in his own and held them
fast.
"Youhave only known me six weeks
ne resumed. "but-"
BOOM!
-If it had been six years"
'Please. Mr.. Hig-" 49,
"Wesley." - 80
"Well, Wesley"
''You darling!"
Crack! Crash! Crash!
"Oh, what will become Of US"
'Viola, dear, it only rests with you
to say. l don't believe in long engage
ments. Four weeks from this day
take your hands away from mine ana
I'll kiss you before all these people, you
wilful girl! There! now you are act
ing sensibly-hello, conductor, whats
the natter"
''Train robbers" replied the uniform
ed guardian of the train, who had JUST
entered the car. They've looted the
express car and got away with $4,000.
gangs gone. Those last shots you
heard were to keep everybody scared
till the thieves had got clear. You can
all get up from under the seats now
1 guess none of you are going to be
fatally killed"
"And now, darling" resumed Mr..
Wesley Higgintop, II have only to say
that"
But he spoke In tone too low to De
heard except by the ears for which II
was intended.
When the train moved OFF again.
however, after a further delay or M
teen or twenty minutes, he still held
those little hands In his.-Chicago Daliy
Tribune
l..
Nosegays of the Past
Most things move in cycles and con-
temporaneously with the reappearanee
of our grandmothers' sleeves and petit