Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-04

him on. Fairer, more distinctly than the
rest, it haunted him until Cantrell deter
termined to go east and look up the origi-
nal. AS soon as his business could be
arranged he started.
Travelling across the continent is Curl
Gus experience; the diversity of scenery;
stretches of fertile fields; the limitless
alkali mesas; *castellated walls rising fen
daily impress like giants dwellings;
water Drawing its way through deep cam
ons; the track of steel climbing the noun
tain to where cloud. sky and icy peak
hold perpetual carnival with snow-drops
as confetti.
The personages making up the train
equal the scenery in variety, like the
procession of life. it comprises all sorts
and conditions of men.
AS the engine puffed and snorted with
changing OF bell and the conductors cry.
"All aboard Cantrell felt his pulse
throbbing as it had when, as a boy, he
was returning home for the holidays
.Leisurely he strolled through the
smoker on to the usual passenger coaches
and entered the Pullman. There the
porter took charge of him and soon he
was comfortably ensconed in his sec
ton.
The berth across from his had already
been made up. so it was not until the next
day that he found his vis-a-vis was lady
with two little girls. Fat, chubby, healthy
looking specimens they were, and one, the
younger one, was decidedly pretty and in
clined to be friendly.
During tho day following an acauain-
lance sprang up. brought about by Can
trell's proffering her some sugared figs.
The childish prattie Of the little stran-
ger>was more amusing to him than his
magazines. They had been visiting their
papa at the Preside. and had had such
fun riding a burro and now they were
going home. Such in substance was the
information volunteered with child-like
confidence.
.And where Is your homer" the little
traveller asked.
Lexington. kentucky" was the answer
which positively startled the man. Lex
ington, Kentucky, his own destipation.
What a strange coincidence! Lexington,
kentucky; the Whit of pennyroya the
nodding hemp-felds, the sleek. fat, cat
tie, the grey stone walls enclosing fields
of the bluegrass: these memories made
him long for the turf again.
Naturally the next question was to In
quire, the little girls name.
':Johrgeeline," was the ready reply.
riveting the Westerner's attention not on
the child, but on the woman seated across
the way.
The older child was explaining some
thing about the name being made for her
grandmother who II she had been a boy,
was to have been called John G." bit
Cantrel did not need to listen, he had
heard enough. for he had heard it all be-
( fore.
Leaning his head against the plush sea t,
with his hat tilted to shade his eyes. he
gazedyat the woman opposite. Ul.noticed
the little Eifls stole back to their seats,
so occupied was he in studying the
mothers face.
True, the hair had changed from the
baby golden tc a chestnut-brown, the oval
face was plumper. the dimple deeper. the
figure fulIer-and yet there were traces OF
the old lines, of the face that had peeped
at him from the embers. There could De
70 mistake, his old love, the sweetheart
OF his youth whom he was going to seek,
sat within three feet OF him. The one ne
would hunt UP, had crossed his path
There was no need IN continuing the
Journey. Fate had reached out and stop
ped him at its beginning, saving him the
stedium OF travel in a rainbow Quest-mer-
& cilcssly or mercifully Cantrell could not
decide which.
When the first call to dinner broke his
rever1e, the man had recovered himself
His humor had come to his aid and MS
course was planned. ,,#
Madam. he said, leaning across the
aisle: ..willayou pity q stranger by din.
sirg with a west erner q Then he introduc-
ed himself as: sSS8s=
..Nr. Craig, Of California.
It was a long time since he had spoken
with lady, and the even tenor OF his
voice surprised him. 8 $50, {,
The invitation was accepted Cantrell
experienced an odd sensation that. TINS
was the woman he had hoped would sit
Ia wit n