The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-06-02
Aftes
Many Years.

=
@ HE WAS a spare little old lady
with the sweet air OF hofnely
~ life clingins to her. Small bun
dies lay PILED in the seat by her side,
fii the rack overhead. and scattered
among the larger ones at her feet. One
pair Of arms would never be able to
hold them together when the time came
to leave the train.
Perhaps 1t was with the chivalrous
thought OF helping her that a benevo-
lent.looking old gentleman, evidently on
his way through the car. seated himself
instead near her, and, having deposited
mis- Russia leather bag in the rack,
stopped the conductor and asked him
where the "elderly lady over there" got
~.
@"At L." the conductor answered,
naming large town an hours ride
ahead. "Nice old body. but fidgity.
Never Travelled much, I guess. and
must be moving now, by the number Of
her traps"
The conductor moved on, and the old
gentleman continued his scrutiny Of his
fellow.passenger. Presently he saw
her tugging at the window, In the vain
effort to raise it.
ALLOW me-" he said courteously.
She looked up with the pleased CRATE
fulness of q child. "You see," she said
naively. II never had windows that fas-
tened that way, and I couldn't man.
age IT,"
"Do you live far from here?"
why middling," she said. naming a
small town in Iowa, 1T seems q great
AAs r HSnr hAa Y1SNNr Nrt n
q traveller, particularly since Ezra (my
.husband) died"
"Perhaps you are on your way now to
live with one Of your children" the old
gentleman continued with kindly in
terest.
A sudden sadness, reminding her lis
tener Of the shadows he used to think
the clouds were chasing in his boy
hood, swept over the placid upturned
face.
mo, am going to enter the Old
Ladies' Home at L."
''And you dread tt?" There was deep
sympathy in his voice.
"oh, chose to 20, but" there was
hesitation in the sweet voice. Then, as
II suddenly conscious that her new
friend was standing, she said timidly:
"If you would like to hear about it
will make room for you in my seat
"You see," she said apologetically, as
the old gentleman helped to clear away
the bundles, there was SO many little
things that i couldn't bear to leave
after my trunk was filled, and. anyway.
II there had been room. some OF them
were too delicate to be packed"
As she spoke she picked up one Of the
packages her companion had just placed
on the floor. This, for instance, is one
of my choicest treasures. You might
think odd, too, for it is a little heather
god. but DEAR dear friend sent it to
me forty years ago from India before /
ever came to this country"
would you mind unwrapping it; I
would like to see it,
"And what became Of the friend?" the
old gentleman asked, as the little brown
god was being divested of its many
wrappings.
He married an army officers widow
shortly afterward. and then 1 came to
America. and l never heard from him
again."
Was it age that made the old lady's
voice so tremulous?
who told you he was married?" The
old gentleman's voice had a belligerent
note in 1t.
"A friend of Ezra's wrote of the en-
gagement."
Meanwhile, the old gentleman had
taken the idol and seemed to be exam-
lining it most minutely. did it ever
occur to you that your friend sent this
idol as a messenger to you? l have |
known such things to have secret cav
tiles"
~-"I never thought of that" The tone
was eager. "But no; Harry was always |
making curios, and, besides"-the voice |
sank into one Of personal musing-"he |
must even then have been engaged"
But did no greeting or message ac-
company the gift?"
The wrappings had been torn off |
when received it, but Ezra said there
was no word"
"Welt, let us try little experiment"
The old gentleman appeared as excited
as a boy with new toy. Here press
your finger hard just under his chin"
The old lady obeyed, and gave a lit
tie scream OF surprise as with little
clicking sound the head fell forward.
revealing a cavity in the neck of the
little brown god. But the old gentle-
man did not seem surprised. He only
said:
:, 1T is the nod of Jove. Now see if
he does not carry message in his
brain.''
The old lady drew out a paper yell
low with age. Tremblingly she adjust
ed her spectacles, and what she read
made her face as that of the dead. She
turned piteously toward her compan-
ion. "Oh. l never knew, but l loved
him." Then the crimson of youth
welled up that she should reveal her
heart thus to a stranger. "But you!
How did you know?' she faltered.
The old gentleman was looking at her
hxedly, curious look of rejuvenated
youth overspreading his features.
Harry"
"Susie!"
Cab, sir? This way sir!"
An old gentleman and lady with
their arms full of bundles We're emerg-
ing from the Union depot at Chicago,
They entered a cab.
'prive to the Cathedral" was the or
der.
When they re-entered the cab, even
the cabby could not fail to notice the
excess Of tenderness with which the old
lady was helped to her seat.
'"Must be celebratin' deir golden
weddin'," he said as he pocketed his
generous fee after depositing them at
tho Auditorium.
Hut little later, the old gentleman