The Portland daily press., 1895-07-02
A FAIR SMOKER.

Ill afford to miss this special train, which
did not stcp till it reached Crewe.
rushsd along as fast as I could, carry
ing my travelling bag.
"What class?" shouted porter.
sFirst," I replied. struggling to open
the door of the nearest first class compart-
ment.
"That's engaged" said ths porter.
"Come along quick, sir. or the train will
start without you"
The carriage was Pullman and was
wholly reserved, and into. the first CON-
partment of the next carriage was hasti-
ly hustled as the train gradually acquired
motion.
The first thing noticed as I recovered
self possession was that the only other &C.
cupant Of the compartment was a lady,
young, good looking and stylishly attired.
The second, which may appear slightly in
congruous, was that smoking" WIS un-
mistakably inscribed on the windows.
The anomaly struck me Immediately,
and my mind, seeking a compromise, sug
gested that the lady might be foreigner
and had not toomprehended the significance
of the window legend.
Her style was not English. There was
an elegance and fitness TOM bined with SIM
plicity in her attire something so strictly
fer mine in her get up, which was for.
eign to an English woman's appearance.
So far had my reasoning gone when my
companion, who had been looking at me
with mingled expression of establishment
and pity, said,
you nearly missed the train"
There was a suspicion of foreign &C.
cent in her tones. but otherwise her Eng
lish was perfect.
"Yes,' I replied. "I was lucky fol
once. 1t was matter of Importance for
me to catch this train"
"Are you fatalist?" she asked.
'sAre we not all obliged to be so more
or less?' returned. 'Had the cab / came
in got in block, had even missed my
footing as ran along the platform, /
should have missed the train"
sit might have been better for you.
Who knows what incidents might not have
sprung for your good from either of these
accidents?" she returned, more as if mus
ing aloud than as if directly addressing me.
'tThe consequence would have been that
should have missed my train, and L will
chance missing the other improbable pos
sibilities of good. Who knows?'
She continued: "This train may meet
with an accident We may all be smashed
up. Your what you call luck may have
been your bad genius fighting against your
better genius, which was holding you
back"
I laughed loudly as she obstinately stuck
to her pessimism. She smiled as she lean
ed back in her corner and drew from hel
pocket an elegant little case, which she
opened, and which I saw contained ciga-
rettes
"This is a smoking compartment, is it
notY'' she queried as she struck match
and lit a cigarette she had selected from
one side of her case.
own was rather disturbed. Possessed
and perfectly at her ease as my companion
had been, there had been feminine charm
about her that did not seem to me suited
to woman who smokes. However, took
out my cigar case and was selecting one,
when she said:
"win you try one of these cigarettes9
Please do-one of these. They are slightly
stronger than the one I smoke, but they
are very good. +"
1 thought Of refusing, but her eyes had
a way of entreating stronger than her
words. took cigarette and sho smiled,
as if see were grasified.
Inuffed the first Whit.
esYas ), said nbut strong-verv
strong y
mot for a manp"
"For me, yes." answered
AsI remember now. it seemed to me
that the train aco,ired an unsteady MOVE.
ment noticed that INV Companion szyav-
ed b.ctward and forward and that 7 had
tn devote all NV enerstss to maintain q
sitting nosition 7 felt CONVINCED that il
was this swinging motion that made me
fesl giddt almost seasick. vet which nro.
,1nced a sort of indifference and listless-
nass which assumed a sensation far from
.iisapyaeahls gradually bringing on a rest.
less faeIing Of beine asleep as to yolition
and nower Of action. but dazily conscious
of what was nassine round me.
7 noticed INV oolnpanion rise. omen the
window and ant her head outside. and
was aware that at the same time. for some
reason or other she held at the TOP of the
g window a abawl which hung down her
hack co that ber head and the ton nart Of
her bodv were concealed from me- Nv i'm