The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-07-16
~ HE train had stopped at Kan
sas City for breakfast, and
nv hitherto uneventful and

nv hitherto uneventful and
tiresome journey was chcered
by the sight of a pretty face.
There had been many faces on the
way, and they had belonged to the fair
sex, but they were not fair. One had
belonged to a great grenadier of q
female. in sort of woman's business
suit, who had bullied her husband.
q puny,. would-that-I-were-dead little
man, all the way from st. Louis; and
another was a middle-aged spinster
whose features possessed an unusual
amount of acidity. They had been
more of damper than an inspiration
ON the Journey, and the sigh Of relief
that I heaved as they reached their
respective destinations was chorused
by my fellow-travelers.
Therefore it can be imagined what
feelings came over me, when returning
from my railroad station breakfast and
settling myself once more in my linen
lraped revolving chair. I saw come
aboard a slender figure in black cloth
and fur with great childlike blue eyes
and am abundance Of fluffy golden
: hair. Lam a susceptible man at a.:
times, but If there is one thing In tie
female line that makes my heart so
faster. 1t is the combination Of baby
blue eyes, fluffy hair and fur.
She came aboard just as / returned,
and about three minutes before the
train was to start. It may seem
strange that my susceptible heart set
ap such o. beating when the fact is
made known that my golden-haired
beauty was not alone. Her companion,
creature of the opposite sex, was not
q person whose looks I fancied. His
mustache was too blond and too
sweeping, his hat too glossy and his
scarfpin too dazzling. Altogether
there was look about him as of a
man whose worldly goods did not come
to him through weary toll and plod-
ding, but through more vagrant and
less, laborious methods.
I found myself devoutly hoping he
was not her husband, for the innocent
face and perfect apparel Of the little
blonde showed all refinement. She
was just the kind Of trusting, un-
suspecting little woman to be taken
in by deceiver and made to believe
that his money and jewels came from
legitimate sources.
He settled her comfortably In her
chair, which, as rare luck would have
it, was next to mine, and was about
t0 remove his lustrous hat and make
himself at home, when he started up
suddenly and asked: 'Did you get
your trunk checked?'
"Why, no." answered the pretty little
blonde, turning upon him a startled,
ehildlike face, Il didn't, Charlie"
what! And it is almost time to
start! Here, give me your ticket,
quick. and III see to it at oncer'
She began fumbling in the little
steel bag she wore Mt her side with
excited, trembling fingers. while
chafed at the delay. Presently she
found the ticket and handed it to him.
Don't be long. Charlier' she called
plaintitely, as he rushed of with the
ticket, ""for you know how dreadfully
timid ! am"'
Poor little thing! She touched my
heart with her little .chirping voice,
and I would willingly have taken
Charles place.
She leaned forward in her chair and
began peering out of the window. AS
the passengers returned one by one
from their morning repast, she turned
quickly, half rising each time, hoping
that each was "Charlie.''
But he did not come, and each Sec
ond, knew, seemed an hour Then @
dreadful thing happened. The con.
ductor shouted All aboard! and his
words were followed by the prelimi
nary jerking of the cars. Another sec
ond ard we were gliding over the rails
I glanced at the poor little blonde. a
te .1iied expression was on her lovely
face. then putting her head back upon
the chair, she pressed her handkerchief
to her eyes and began to cry.
Such pity rose up in my heart as
had never felt before in my life. This
poor child, SO pretty, so timid, alone
and helpless at the very outset Of hel
journey! 1t was really awful, and
was for Offering my services at once
But, no! that would never do. About
the best thing a man can do for 9
stranded young woman is to let hel
alone. She was probably upset enough
without having a strange man ad
dress her. So just sat and watched
her with my heart in my eyes.
Was it possible, began to ask my
self, that her companion had played
her false? Had he purposely delayed
the checking of her trunk, or had the
train really started without him? His
appearance was certainly against him
but. Of course as knew nothing what
ever OF their circumstances or relation
ship, it was hard for me to come t(
any conclusions. However, an
afraid l did not give Charlie" the
i."TGft Of the doubt.
"Thc poor little blonde held the hand
i.e:vilief to her eyes with shaking fin
Ga:S until the conductor came IL. His
cty Of ''TicAets!' caused her to take
il down. and she looked up at him
with the most wo2-begOne cOuntenance
/ have eyer DpIelI