Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-10-13

black column of smoke came down
like the guide of those fleeing from
Pharaoh and clung around her in an
adoring farewell. which was detrimen-
tai to her tinery if fiattering to her SEN
sibility.
Then the iron beast was upon them
few passengers alighted. Some ex-
press packages were handed off These
the agent mechanically received Then
DerOnda'S foot was on the first step
OF the Pullman. The engineer was
looking back to see that the agents
pretty daughter got on safely before
he pulled the throttle. The brakeman
stood irrcsolutc. The conductor loiter-
cd along. dcfcrring the signal to start,
because the departure of Deronda for
the east was public property all along
the line. and the men who had known
her since she wore short dresses and
waved them welcome when their
train went by were interested in this
young bird flight of hers from the
Ovcrtiowing family nest
A tentative whistle quivered on the
air.
"Goodhy. Dcronda! Have a good
time" Dcronda's father gave her a
hard squeeze of the hand. There was
the peck Of a kiss between these two
who loved each other so dearly
And the train was speeding east
ward
All. that was marvellous world
into which Dpronda went. world
where one wore dainty clothes from
dawn until dawn, a world where the
chief function Of the women was to
charm, that Of the men to serve with
most exquisite courtesy. And the need
of admiration she received when her
western dresses had been discarded
for beautiful gowns was new to her.
Very sweet it was too. To be sure,
she had known what it was to have
young men b@Sicgp her for dances and
bang upon her cords. But in one case
those who HAD given her tribute were
clumsy and rough handed country
boys. The men to whom her later
environment introduced her possessed
that indeiinablc air of breeding, of cul-
ture, of distinction which can be nei-
ther bought nor acquired. And she
found the melody of trained voices at
the opera swcctcr than the triple note
of the meadow lark. the scent of hot
house roses more delicious than the
perfume If wild clover.
And so, too, she discovered entrance
mcnt in the homage of Eldred Wier
Not that in his case there was the pos
sibility of comparison. She had never
been touched by the attentions of her
former acquaintances. There had not
been one who attracted her. When
she came east, she was quite heart
whole and fancy free. But missiles,
the gcntlest OF missiles. we'll directed,
did their dea lily and delicious work.
Perhaps tncSe would not have been
so promptly effective, even if hurled
by Dan Cupid's unerring hand. had
Deronda realized that she was the
bright particular star of the season.
Had any one told her that her piquant
golden brown beauty, her unconscious
air of aloofness, her rcroSe bcgotten
of prairie life and placid daily duty,
had won for her higher need of ap-
probation than was usually accorded
a newcomer in an exclusive coterie she
would have opened her serene gray
eyes wide in smiling incredulity. All
the girls had admirers. Almost all the
girls had lovers. But not one of them
had such lover as Eldred Wier.
One month passed. two, three. And
always there were the same tributes,
always there was the same direct and
personal Difference. Thcaters, dinners,
dances, flowers, bOnbOns. gloves, after
noon visits. rides and drives. Always
the same low. intimate tones, the al
luremcnt of impaSsoned eyes. Then,
suddenly it seemed. it was time to go
home. Time to 20 back to the dull,
little town, to the rooms over the
depot, to the horde of clamOrous chill.
dren.
Eldred Wicr was the last to leave
the Pullman. His worshiping eyes de-
vourcd the beauty of the shy, ex-
pectant face. His hand held hers in
close and tender clasp. He bent his