Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-02-01

OIlSaI LII AA."\NOuC4A uOu'J
In America people need not restrict
their honeymooning to distance Of
20. 30. or 100 miles. Over there a
bridal. journey may mean 1000 or
5000 miles, and entail some days and
nights aboard a train. Gervis Tenn
pleton and his newly made wife were
quite content with the prospect of the
long journey as they sat in the palace
car, hand-in-hand, gazing out upon
the strange, unchanging landscape.
To the new wife, life was warm and
sweet; while for Gervis. who had
taken up his cross manfully before he
crossed Gladys vision, there was the
underlying sense of having given up
his all for others. which in itself Is 4
certain reward.
1T seems like years since we left old
Frisco, doesn't it. Gervis?' the bride
broke the silence to say blthely. Its
a bit queer. to leave the old life behind
like this" she went on, half dreamily.
Il never realized that l was married,
I think, until we stepped into this car
at Vancouver. And now here we are,
you and |, flying along through plains
and canons. through snow and ice, on
our way to old age together. If one
wers superstitious the lookout Is
| ominous."
GLADLY waved her white hand at the
landscape whirling past, rocks and
hillsides, gray rivers and shimmering,
still lakes, and in the distance the
great, frowning Rockies.
Look on this picture, not ON that"
Gervis with his hand gently turned
the small, round face, and Gladys
eyes fell on the cheerful, warm luz
uries of the car.
He was careful not to omit the low
er-like attentions bride would natur-
ally look for. and it was only those
who knew him better than GLADLY did.
who would miss the spontaneous ele-
ment that was absent.
Never mind the wintry outlook"
went on the young husband. Il don't
believe you've as much as glanced at
our fellow-travelers yet They seem
rather a decent lot"
DO they?" GLADLY turned her
brown head to give comprehensive
look round the palace car. They're
not bad" she added indifferently.
Then she broke off, and there was
dead silence.
The round, blue eyes Of the bride
had encountered another pair. black
and inscrutable, that we're fixed with
strange, tense gaze on her. Some
thing-she knew not what-instantly
arrested her attention. and faint
| shiver ran over her whole being.
The owner Of the magnetic eyes was
| man of persaps 40, perhaps older.
| His, crisply curling hair matched his
intensely black eyes. and the olive tint
Of his bare. shaver face went admir-
ably with the darkness Of eyes and
hair
That he was of studious DISPOSE
ton was vouched for by the stoop of
his narrow shoulders. He was care
fully, even punctiliously, dressed, and
as he leaned back in a large, red
| plush easy chair there was a certain
| distinction about his appearance.
! He seemed to know none CT his fell
low-traveers, and while they chatted
and laughed, he sat, with loosely
clasped fingers, silent and watchful.
The strange thing was that nobody
seemed to be aware of his presence in
the car. People talked across him,
colored walters passed and repassed
| him, but nobody disturbed the think
| ing man.
The train jolted on it's way to tho
great mountains. the Everlasting
hills" l: sped in and out of the snow
sheds, which mans ingenuity has con-
structed to protect the railway line
from snowslides, in which thousands
| Of tons OF snow. suddenly loosened,
| came down with irresistible force to
| devastate the low-lyng country.
H. startling whiteness of the out
side world was growing blurred. The
day was waning, the dusk gathering
! slowly, and few feathery flakes be-
gan to show up against the deepening
gray behind them.
I'VE are going to have tremendous
snowfall tonight, judging from the
smallness and dryness of the flakes"
observed Gervis presently; but he got
40 answer
The young man pulled out some
homo letters 10 read.
In few moments he was back
| again 10 the old home Loyal and true
as he was to the young wife at his
side, Gervis could not keep his men,
Try from straying to the fair. summer
y!ades of TEN pleGDene. through which
wandered youth: land maiden whose
uearts were united though their lips
failed to speak Of love.
For brief moment he wondered
how Leila had taken the rews Of his
marriage. which by this time must
have reached Temple-Dene. Now. with
his face turned to- begin an everyday,
| practical existence. bereft forever Of
the old love Gervis suddenly felt faint
qualms. Had he-had they-sought
to achieve more than human strength
| waa anah1e If?