Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-04-28

comfortable home. and having thus
burnt my ships behind me, founu my
self confronted with the prospect OF
Journey into strange land Of
promise, with no compass to direct my
future steps save the few printed char
acters on the bit of paper slipped under
the palm of my glove for ready refer
ence; with no guide-book to inform
me OF what nature and habits were the
people with whom purpcsed dwelling;
with no surety of attaining the goal for
which L was striving except moral
certainty bred within my own breast,
| at whose authenticity was aware all
save myself would soft and sheer.
My efforts In my mothers behalf &C
cupied the greater part of the next day,
and / found that the first train 70
Eldon that should be free to take was
one that left New York &C AS Ia the
afternoon. 1t may show my faith In
what my family were wont to call my
superstiuons to say that, so sure was
L that L should not require one, 1 did
not even concern myself to look up 4
return train.
But, as was being whirled through
a barren and desolate landscape in the
chill dreariness of February twilight,
my inner ally, that unrecognisable Cen
courager of hesitancy," somewhat de-
serted me, and left me n prey to a sud-
den dependency, and to miserable
doubts and reflections Is to whether
had indeed done altogether wisely TO
permit myself to be so uncompromis-
ingly directed by mere impulse. For a
brief while abandoned myself to act
ual self-torture, inflicting upon my
Qua'sing heart all manner Of wretched
forebodings and baleful predictions,
and approaching myself bitterly for the
precipitancy of my conduct. Then,
recognizing the danger of losing hope
and courage when self-control and as
surance were my chief stock-in-trade,
1 drew forth the tiny advertisement
and fortified my sinking soul with it's
persual. Truly there was some witch
cry about the crumpled thing, for no
sooner had my eyes fallen upon 1t than
the subtle essence of hope and cheer
again crept through my veins, bring
ing renewed holiness and conviction
to my spirit.
was still under the sway of this
brighter mood when there came q per-
ceptible slackening in the speed Of the
( train, the bridesmaids voice rang out
. in accents which only an expectant
ear could have discovered to conceal
the announcement of "Eldon, Eldonr'
and almost before 1 was conscious of
movement 1 found myself standing on
the station platform, companioned by
but one other passenger, q tall man
wrapped in a heavy ulster which gave
burly outline to his figure, watching
with longing eyes the swift retreat OF
what 1 felt to be my last friend, the
onward-speeding train, that seemed
abandoning me in noisy detection to n
lonely and unknown fate.
think 1 might have been standing
there now, wrapped In TIE homesick
misery that seemed to envelop me, had
1t not been for the consideration of my
| fellow-passenger. Later I learnt why
he had been induced to cast aside con-
ventional restraint and address me. 1t
! was because l appeared to stand so
alone and unprotected In that dismal
wintry dusk, he said; a man with any
spark of chivalry in him would have
riIked long odds in the way of resent
ment or his conduct rather than miss an
opportunity of being of service to a