The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-10
Miss Lavinia's cheeks flushed il

buC LuOOullSnt'
"Well, Jane," said she hesitatingly,
''that's what l was allowing to do.
Cousin Hannah says that traveling's
no chore nowadays. Everything's
made SO easy. All you've got to do
is to buy your ticket, and get aboard
the car-you don't have to step out
side between here and Chicago"
"That may be, viny-that may all
bel But what are you going to do
after you get to Chicago-in all that
babel and bedlam9" demanded Mrs.
Merrick with picturesque allitera-
ton. "I've always heard tell twas
an awful wicked place"
81 make no doubt there's wicked
ness there, Jane. But folks aren't all
bad, and I've noticed that if you
believe in them as hard as you can,
the goods pretty sure to come up
permost. l don't think there's any
body that would do me harm, or
that wouldn't answer a civil question.
And there's reason why I'd rather
go by myself: if was to make blum
ders, l shouldn't be shaming my
company"
If it were true, according to Mrs.
Merrick's energetic phrase, that Miss
Lavinia was mo more'n blessed
baby" certainly the travelling public,
even in the crowding Columbian
season, seemed to form itself into
combination to take care of her. The
railway officials, from conductor to
fruit-vender, involuntarily softened
their tones for the gentle little lady
whose trusting eyes appealed to all
their latent chivalry. The porter
proudly confded to her that his hand
some daughter was to marry "the
princip'l of one of the cullud schools
in Saint LOUIS" and accepted her
modest "tip" with the avowed pur
pose of keeping it 'for a pocket
piece" Her section was rendez-
vous for the children, who learned
the biography of Tiglath- Pileser from
earliest kitten hood to the moment
when, with farewell pats and kisses,
his mistress had left him to Mrs.
Merrick's care.
A certain growing anxiety among
the passengers as they approached
their destination was set promptly at
rest by the announcement of the tall
Harvard student, that he "meant to
see her through" This he did, leav-
ing her with the bow and smile of
young courtier, at the door of the
quiet lodging which "cousin Han
nah" had thoughtfully designated,
within easy walking distance of the
Fifty ninth Street entrance.
And now began a wonderful fort
night for Miss Layinia. Innocent
and fearless as child, she wandered
unabashed through the mazes of the
White City or rested beneath the up
lifted arms of the Statue of the Re-
public, while on one side flowed past
the human stream, and on the other
launches fitted and gondolas swan.
From the steamer-deck in Transpor
tation Hall, she looked in fancy up
on Orient shores. Her little cup of
tea from the hand of the graceful
Ceylonese servitor was slipped in an
atmosphere fragrant with the odor of
sandal wood and Indian spicery. She
played at DO peep with the Javanese
baby, laughed indecorous sympathy
with the camel riders in Cairo Street;
listened spellbound to the music of
Old Vienna; lost and found herself
amid the mirrors of the Moorish
Palace, and smothered tremor or
two while revolving with the Ferris
Wheel. For her the electric foun-
tains showered their jewels, and the
great bubble of the Administration
dome flashed against the warm
darkness of the midsummer night.
All the world was kind. Nobody
answered her rudely, or jostled her
in the press. The young guard who
wheeled her about one sultry after
noon leaned over the back of her
chair to show her the photograph of
his mother. She recognized him two
or three evenings later, marching
with long procession of his "strik
ing" comrades, and singing,
who'll push those rolling chairs,
when we are far away?''
Only in the California building a
wistful, searching look would creep
into her brown eyes. Once as tall,
ruddy checked young fellow passed
her she started and, Understanding
her hand, as suddenly drew it back.
"Fool!" she said under her breath