The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-07-31

ton of uncertainty as to just what it
would be best for you to do. We drum
mers sometimes find ourselves in very
peculiar situations, and you would be
surprised to know Of the many little
touches Of romance that come along to
relieve the humdrum Of travel.
Every drummer has. at some time
or other, beentH boy; and every boy
wtose childhood and youth and general
bringing up have fitted, him. to be a
nan-and particularly a drummer
must have had among his acquain-
tances, during that tender period, some
little girl for whom. he cared a little
more than for. any one else in the flock.
mat was my case, at any rate, and 1
am not the least bit ashamed to state
it. was born in a small country viii
lage, where everybody knows every
body else; where the children all go
to the same school and pass under the
same rod of discipline and punishment
and where, if they live long enough to
die there, everybody is buried in the
same churchyard with everybody else.
Thus far ! have escaped the final con-
dition indicated, but I have a sort of
an idea that I will at least lie down I'M
der the old trees to sleep and rest
when the proper time comes.
One morning late in August, 1871,
just as I had all my arrangements
completed for leaving New York on a
Western rip I received a letter bear
ing the postmark of my native village,
and with the superscription neatly
written, apparently, by female hand.
Opening the envelope, 1 was pleased
to find that the letter was from one
of my former little schoolgirl friends,
and, sngularly enough, that particular
one for whom I had had special
fondness in our school days. But our
ways had parted as we approached
maturity, and, although l had mar
ried, I had not married her. Mean
while, she had grown to womanhood.
and her life had already been burdened
by a great sorrow. Her name was
plain Mary Green. She simply wrote
that she wanted to visit a married sis
ter living in Chicago, and asked the
privilege of travelling under my pro-
lection the next time I made a trip to
that city Both my wife and myself
were familiar with the details Of the
poor girls sad history, and it was
that we could do. something to con-
tribute to her enjoyment. I therefore
promptly replied to her letter. saving
L was at that time preparing to make
this very journey, and would be happy
to have her as my travelling compan-
ion.
We soon started together without
any dsarrangement Of my plans. 1 like
now to remember her as she looked
then. She was a sweet-faced woman,
and, while she possessed much of the
glowing bloom and beauty of her
youth, an irdescribable shadow con-
stantly overspread7 her face. and.
strangely enough, rendered her all the
more fascinating as an object for the
eye to rest uponL It was early in Sep
TENDER. The weather was delightfully."-
seasonable. the temperature was I'M
usually comfortable, and, though the
midsummer harvest had been gath
cred, the face of the country was more
than ordinarily attractive
We spent two nights on the cars.
Just before shutdown of the second
evening, we entered a small wayside
town, where the train stopped only
long enough to put off and take on
passengers. A freight train was stand
ing on the track beside us. Mary
was half reclining in the seat opposite
to me, while 1 was sitting with my ell
bow on the sill Of the window, through
which I was thoughtfully looking A
caboose was attached to the rear end
of the freight train, and, when our
train stopped, [ found myself closely
face to face with a man sitting at it's
little window, partaking of his evening
meal.
There was something familiar in the
features and in the expression of the
mans face, and L noticed that he used
bis left hand exclusively in carrying
food to his mouth as we'll as in separat-
ing 1t on his plate, from which facts I
inferred that the right one was either
disa bed or absent My attention was
attracted to him at once: I fixed my
gaze intently upon him while a con-
fused feeling came over me as 1 tried
to recall where 1 had seen him before.
At moment when he was raising tin
I,f, L..
rested squarely upon the face of Mary.
whose gaze was; however, wandering
in another direction So startling was
the effect that his naturally rudy face
became perceptibly paled. Without
tasting the contents of the cup he In
stantly lowered it. Then shifting his
glance towards me,nhe stared penetrat-
ingly, almost sapagely at me for few
| seconds. Just thenrthe locomotive bell
began ringing, our train SLOWLY startad