The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-04-11
CHARLIE DID OWN UP.

- r--r rAAAtoN AZ HliolJA. IUIltle
we're running 10 and fro with lug
gage passengers were tumbling over
one another 10 their hurry. Among
tne lattef was q young man who wa.
walking Up and down bY the train in
an Undecided sort Of way To a
stranger he would appear 70 be look
inR Tor a friend IN the carriages In
reality he VAS weighing the attrac-
lions q two different compartments
against each other. The one was a
smoking carriage, the other was not
smoking he considered. was a good
ana pleasant thing, especially on a
long railway journey Aud then he
stopped % front Of the d0or aud
hcsltated with his hand upon the
handle And yet ia the next com
partment seated In the further cor
ner was dainty figure And the
seat nppos te was vacant lie could
gust see Il as he stood by the d JOr.
Charlie Blagden was young, as ! had
salq' just young enough to be on the
lookout for adventures
''Any more going ons" cried the
guard; and the bell rang.
The girl won. Charl threw away
his iRarette and stepped into the
carriage just as the whistle sounded
aud the train moved out Of the sta
tioh There was but one other pas
senger IN the same compartment be-
sides the dainty figure 10 the corner,
an elderly lady 81 the complexion
that comes not forth but by prayer
and fasting. She looked as though
she belonged to societies for Prevent
ing things. aud lived on tracts She
was lunching at the time on ''Sh0rt
Cuts to Hell The girl in the further
corner looked up for a moment az
Charlie entered and drew back her
feet slightly. Charlie accepted the
silent invitation and sat down 0ppo-
site toiher BY that time her eyes
had returned TO the novel she was
reading So Charlie unfolded his
newspaper and began skimming the
news, taking care, however TO hold
lt 50 that he could keep one eve on
his opposite neighbor Presently as
she turned a page OF her book, she
glanced across and caught Charles
eye. fko thought he detected a half
smile as her eyes dropped again. She
was certainly g0od-looKing, with
.dark-brown waving hair contrasting
with a " ite smooth forehead Her
mouth was straight and firm and in
her eyes, as indeed In her whole pose,
there was a look Of calm assurance,
Whlch probably made her look some
what older than she was. She looked
about flye-and-twenty.
Charlie was q critic OF wOman's
dress. And even II this girl had not
been pretty, 1t would have been
pleasure TO look at her dress For
she possessed the secret which Is SO
valuable aud so rarely known, Of
making her dress appear part Of her
eelf-as though, SO 70 speak, it had
grown cut OF her like her hair AL
together she VAS most satisfactory 10
look upon, aud Charlie did not re-
Qret his wasted cigarette But hav-
log looked upon her for while, he
was conscious OF a longing 70 talk
with her. For some time he cast
about for an excuse for addressing
her. feeling all the time that the el-
derly lady at the other end Of the
carriage was watching him, doubtless
with the view OF putting the Society
for the Prevention Of Young Men on
has track. Suddenly an eApedlent
flashed across his mind. IL was the
same which has flashed across the
minds of numberless young men ever
since railways were first Invented,
and was probably resorted to by our
amorous ancestors in the old coach
ing days. But TO Charles il appeared
4 perfectly original idea. lie watched
for her 70 turn the next page Of her
novel. feeling sure that she would
glance at him. She did He leaned
forward aud said politely, "Nould
You like the window UP"
The girl calmly turned down a page
cf her book, closed it aud laid il on
Che scat by her side Then she
sniled pleasantly at Charlie aud
said. nYou d0n't mean It"
Il beg your pardon, "said Charlie, a
little startled. 81 mean that II you
like the window"
mo. no" interrupted the girl;
s,rou don't mean to say would 1 like
the window up, because 10 is up al
ready: you mean would 4 like 70 talk
~ rou-well. would. "
The elderly lady in the corner VINO
saw very well what was going on,
eniaied audIbly Charl c was a little
astonished az finding The girl had
brushed aside c0nyentionalities so
easily: but her perfect self-possession
rescued the situation from all embar-
rassmcnt
nJt seems to me so absurd she
said leaning back and crossing her
hands in her lap, shat two human
beings should think Il necessary 10
travel hundred miles together
without speaking, lust because they
nave never met before. They ought
fo be tbankful-ifth they are two nice
human beings that they met at
last
a.. -..-.-.4~I hfurhrnu. re felt