The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-02
[pUBLIsHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
MISS WINCHELSEA'S HEART
BY H. @. WELLS.
Author Time-Machne' the
he Invs Man, 81 -
Copyrighted. 1898. by H. c. wens)

MISS WlncnelSea was gong to Rome. The
matter had filled her mind for a month or
more, and had overlooked so abundantly
into her conversation that quite a number
of people who were not going to Rome.
and who were not likely to go to Rome,
had made 1t personal grievance against
her.
Some, indeed. had attempted quite un-
availingly to convince her that Rome was
rot nearly such a desirable place as it was
reported to be- and others had gone so far
as tc suggest behind her back that she was
dreadfully stuck up about that Rome
Of hers" And little Lily Hardhurst had
told her friend. Mr.. Binns, that so far as
she concerned Miss Winchelsea might
go to her old Rome and stop there; she
Miss Lily HardhursD wouldn't grieve.'
And the way in which Miss Winchelsea put
herself upon terms of personal tenderness
with Horace. and Benvenuto Celini and
Raphael, and Shelley. and Keats-if she had
been Shelley's widow she could not have
protested a keener interest in his grave
was matter of universal establishment.
Her dress was a triumph of tactful dis
erection. sensible but not toe "touristy''-
Miss Winchelsea had a great dread of being
'touristy'-and her Baedekker was carried
In cover Of gray to hide it's glazing red
She made a prim and pleasant little figure
on the Charing Cross platform, in spite Of
her swelling pride. when at last the great
day dawned and she could start for Rome
The day was bright. the channel passage
would be pleasant. and all the omeas prom
ised we'll There was the gayest sense of
adventure in this unprecedented departure
She was going with two friends who had
been fellow-students with her at the Train
ing College, nice honest girls BOTH though
not so good at history and literature as
Miss Winchelsea. They both looked up to
her immensely, though physically they had
to look down, and she anticipated some
pleasant times to be spent in stirring them
up" to her own pitch of aesthetic and his
torical enthusiasm. They had secured seats
already and welcomed her effusively at the
carriage door. In the instant criticism of
the encounter she noted that Fanny had
slightly ''touristy" leather strap, and that
Helen had succumbed to a serge Jacket
with side pockets into which her hands
were thrust. But they were much too hap
by with themselves and the expedition for
their friend to attempt any hint at the mo-
ment about these things
AS soon as the first ecstasies were over
Fanny's enthusiasm was little noisy and
crude, and consisted mainly in emphatic
repeutions of Just fancy! we're going to
Rome my dear. Romer'-they gave their
attention to their fellow-traveers. Helen
was anxious to secure compartment to
themselves and in order to discourage in
truders got out and planted herself firmly
on the step. Miss Winchelsea peeped out
over her shoulder and made sly little re-
marks upon the accommodating people on
the platform. at which Fanny laughed glee-
fully.
They were travelling with one Mr. Thomas
Hunns parties-fourteen days in Rome for
fourteen pounds. They did not belong to the
personally conducted party of course-Miss
Winchelsea had seen to that-but they trav-
eled with it because of the convenience of
that arrangement. The people were the
oldest mixture, and wonderfully amusing
There was a vociferous' redfaced polyglot
personal. conductor in a. pepper and salt
suit. very long in the arms and legs and
very active. He shouted proclamations
When he wanted to speak to people he
stretched out an arm and held them until
his purpose was accomplished. One hand
was full of papers, tickets counterfoils Of
tourists
The people of the personally-conducted
party were, it seemed, of two sorts; people
the conductor wanted and could not find
and people he did not want and who fol-
lowed him in steadily growing tail up and
down the platform. These people seemed
indeed to think that their one chance of
reaching Rome lay in keeping close to him.
Three little old ladies were particularly en-
ergetic in his pursuit, and at last maddened
him to the pitch of clapping them into
carriage and daring them to emerge again.
TFnt. Z
of their heads protruded from the window
wailing inquiries about "a little wicker
work box" whenever he drew near. There
was a very stout man with very stout
wife in shiny black there was little old
man. like an aged ostler.
What can such people want in Rome?,
asked Miss Winchelsea. What can it mean
TO them?"
There was very tail curate in a very
small straw hat and a very short curate
encountered by a long camera stand. The
contrast amused Fanny very much. Once
they heard someone calling for "Snooks."
- alwys thought that name was invented
by novelists, said Miss Winchelsea.
Fancy! Shocks! 1 wonder which is Mr..
Snooks."
Finally they picked out a very stout and
resolute little man i'll a large check suit.
If he isn't Shocks. he ought to be-" said
Miss Winchelsea.
Presently the conductor discovered
Helen's attempt at a corner in carriages.
Room for five" he bawled with parallel
translation on his fingers. A party of four
toSether-mother father and two daughters
Numbered in. all greatly excited
It's all right, ma; you let me-" said one
OF the daughters. hitting her mothers bon
net with handbag she struggled to put in
the rack Miss Winchelsea detested people
who banged about and called their mother
ina"
A young man travelling alone followed.
lie was not at all ''touristy'' in his costume.
Miss Winchelsea observed: his Gladstone
bag was of good pleasant leather. with Ia
bells reminiscent of Luxembourg and Ostend.
and his boots, though brown, were not vul-
gar He carried an overcoat on his arm.
Before these people had properly settled in
their places came an inspection of tickets
and a slammins of doors. and behold, they
were gliding out of Charing Cross station
on their way TO Rome
Fancy cried Fanny I'VE are going TO
Rome, my dear! Rome. / don't seem to
believe it, even now"
Miss Winchelsea suppressed Fanny's emo