Waterbury Democrat., 1902-03-25
THOUGHT HIM A FREEZER.
Bright Girls Mistake About ~ Travelling Companion Who Was
 Really Very Kind After All.


 The girl was in shades of brown. Her head covering was one of those lady, like hats which assume a perfect en- tirety, yet contain no element of the grotesque. 1t was brown, of course. Her gown was a serviceable brown cheviot, which shaded off into her bronze hair. From hat to shoes she was a well dressed girl, and, besides, she had wholesome look about her which was enticing. Every man in the car but one noted her healthy color and well-poised sienderness. The ex- ception was an Englishmanwh didn't look as if he knew what smile was.i He sat bolt upright in his seat and looked straight ahead in self-satisfed g1umness. He rolled his eyes toward the girl as she came opposite without turning his head. She had trayeled much, but she felt his Gisapproval. A wonder came into her head as to what it could be for, relates the New York News.
 The only vacant seat was the one across the aisle, half of which was oc- tupied by sensible-looking chap, with a good, square jaw and a pair of honest eyes. The girl felt uncomfort- able because of the Englishman's. glance as she sat down. She, too, stared straight ahead for half an hour or so. Then she looked around for some amusement. The man who sat in the other half of the seat saw her glance at the window.
 Would you like this end of the seat?" he said, and rose to his feet.
 The Englishman turned whitening slow fire glance upon her as she replied with alacrity:
 ''Thank you. It is dull.''
 The ice was broken. The young man gave her a magazine and asked her what she thought of Abbey's Holy Grail pictures. She was an enthusiast. He was interesting. They chatted like two children as the train sped onward into the dusk.
 At first she forgot all about the Eng hshman; then she caught cornerwise glance of him and decided his disap- proval was mountainous. A spirit of perverse mischief entered her soul. She confded to the man in the seat the fact that she was uncomfortable, and then fiirted audaciously for the benefit of her bugbear. Now and then she. looked at him only to feel that some how she was very extraordinary, very brazen girl. Down in her heart she knew it wasn't a bit the truth; she was just jolly United States girl, but the Englishman was simply freezing all her naturalness up.
 The other man in the mean time had made himself as agreeable as man could, magazines. papers, lunch, every thing which could help to tighten the tedium of the journey he had supplied.
 At last he reached his station. The girl had three hours more to travel.
 By George. I forgot to get any fruit" he said, as he buttoned up his flown. I hopeIyou'll arriveat your sta- tion safely and. find your friends wait ing.''
 He was gone. The girl felt lone some. One more glance she took at the Eng ishman. What she saw in the way of disapproval piled up, heaped up, sent a numbness over her soul. She drew. herself up very straight and assumed frigidity of manner which hid the dis comfort she was enduring internally.
 Suddenly she was startled by avoice, deep bass voice which wasn't un- pleasant but dreadfully stern. !.
 Madam it said. She turned her head little. 70 dear" she thought. He's going to preach. He must be some kind of a missionary. If he ssya anything rude I'm going to fight"
 Madam" repeated the voice.
 The girl turned toward him. He held a paper bag in his hand, and spoke seriously.
 Would you like an orange?"
 The only comfort the other chap had forgotten the Englishman had remem- 5ered. Her breath escaped in little surprised gasp as she mechanically ac- cepted the orange.
 Even a girl sometimes makes mis- take in man.