Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-02-19

wnile IN the day coach The life she
had known had been the life of cities.
and in the cities she had learned how 1t
was with the submerged tenth. This
other life was the life of country peo-
ple---of people who had grown up on
the wide prairies; and 1t must be very
very different.
The other party to the bridal tour ex-
postulated.
why are you always going into the
mob. and fraternizing with common
place people?" he asked for he had
and was trying TO teach her what 1t
meant to be rich. and to live safe and
sheltered life
Because | have always been one Of
tho mob myself, she rejoined, with a
happy laugh; and so they went into the
day coach. and she threw her cloak
over the arm Of double seat and set
tied herself contentedly. while the OBJ
jector went on to tao smoking car.
The objector's name was Van Hover,
and in his less dign!ted moments he
called her Nell.
The train was speeding through
monotonous prairie country. which
irosts had scared to dull yellows and
browns The towns that IT passed lay
stretched out on those plains, with long
streets that struggled away over the
prairies, and dull stations, to which the
men of the town hurried when 1t was
time for the train TO come IN, that they
might stand on tiptoe and stretch their
pecks and peep In at the car windows.
Mrs. Nellie Van Hover looked at them
curiously. They were like their coun-
try she mused a dull and uninterest-
Ing people. There was is0notonous
sound In their voices, eveu-yes--as
John had said, they were commonplace
especially this woman who had just
come in, and had taken the seat oppo-
site the newspaper woman For mo-
ment the latter regretted that curiosity
had brought her to the day coach; and
She regretted still more that she had
taken double scat Double seats are
for intimate friends who can look into
one another's eyes. but there could be
nothing in common between herself
and this bopelessly uninterest'ng young
woman in the shabby black dress, with
the many-times washed blue ribbon at
the throat, and the cheap felt hat, out
OF shape, and adorned with one forlorD
and bedraggled plume. The woman of
the cities leaned back and closed her
eyes YEARLY. What kind Of life did
these country people lead. she wonder
ed. TO make them like that? Wha, a
dull, dull life It must be, to so smooth
them down and fade them out.
She opened hcr eyes. and saw that
as the train ran the young woman was
Al ,,,4a A.
ferent look II was not mohotopou5
look---lt was a pained, drawn, fright
ened look. Her eyes we're seeming 10
dwell on OBJECTS as though she knew
them, and were devouring them hun
grily, and yet with fear and avoidance.
once II was a field with yellowed corn
stalks standing here and there--noth-
Ing to be seen, one would think--yet
there she was, leaning out OF the win
dow, staring at every rain-washed fur
row, her lips apart Away back from
the track OF the railroad ives farm
house. embowered In trees. She watch
Ell n as long as II could be seen. with
wide, dry eyes. her lips apart. and
something beating in her throat that
gaze the watcher a sense OF pain.
Row how would a woman like this
tai II II some great tragedy were 10
come into her life? The newspaper
woman dwelt on the subject, IA curl
ousiy she could consistently with her
CONVICTION that the woman was hope
le8Sly commonplace.
"El-lis, Twenty minutes for dim
ner," shouted strenorian voice up
and down the car; but It was not this
-
woman. II was that the woman oppo-
site. shite-faced, had sprung forward
aad caught her arm.
oh" she said. gaspingIy. loan me
me your eleak--let me put !. on--just q