The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-08-20
pivERTIHG EXPERIENCE OF
CALIFORNIA OMAN WHO
RODE FROM BOSTON TO
SALEM WITH NyiDoNyER
WHO WAS DEEPLY
INTERESTED
IN HER.

g had been shopping in Boston
/ writes.a woman correspondent OF thu
: .Argonaut, and late in the afternoon
/ boarded the train for salem. and hat
established myself comfortably Will
: my parcels beside me. when nice
{ looking, well-dressed man of middle
Il age stopped in the aisle. and asked
. ipol!tely II I was reserving the vacan,
4 scat for any one. gathered up my
. bundles and made room for the gen
1tlenan. who seated himself, and then
i proceeded TO scan me so closely that
II thought he. had mistaken me for an
! acquaintance. Presently. he spoke:
Nice soft rain we are having"
Now, when ] left San Francisco q
4 cautious friend, who either distrust-
1 cd me or feared that trains were
crowded with villains lying in wait
] for unprotected females, had said:
Above all things, never talk to
strange men on the train adding,
with deep meaning. sou never
know" So / merely inclined my head
| in answer to his remark, endeayorng,
however; to balance distant polite
ness with the civility due fellow
traveller. Presently he tried again.
Looking at the ticket which held
in my hand for the conductor, who
was coming down the aisle, my seat
mate said:
81 see you're going to Salem
Yes
Live there?"
q w. +, 4 4-= y ~ Z
Summer resident?''
No
Visiting there, p
Yes
Visiting relatives? %
No
Visiting friends?''
.Yes''
A slight pause, then ashamed OF
what seemed like unnecessary curt
ness, added II am visiting John
Beverly. of Mount Vernon
street.
Apparently relieved, he responded,
briskly: "oh,. yes! Oh. yes:
know who he Is Then quickly. as if
to- seize my relenting mood: Live in
this part of the country ~.
mo -
"Not from New York2''
8 mo,
Come from some distance?','
Yes. He waited expectantly, SO
added:
81 came from San Francisco, Call
He whirled around in his seat to
face me and, gazing with lively inter
est, exclaimed: 81 want to know!"
He unused moment, then began
again: LEFT your family there2'
III nodded. Thereupon he settled
himself comfortably. and proceeded
% give me a condensed account of
ny own State. which he had obtain
"a from statistics sent by brother
Who had migrated there some years
,efore. Apparently refreshed by this i
aonologue, he prepared to resume 4
lis catechism. He leaned his elbow /
n the back of the seat, gazed at me S
effectively for a few moments, b
aw by the interrogatiye expression
# his eyes that more questions We're /
but was quite unprepared t
or the direction in which his inter +,
st next manifested ITSELF AT last
le spoke: 81 should say that you /
re about 81 or 81. Iy
For moment l did not know what {
0 say. Then overcome by the humor c
t the situation. laughed aloud as q
answered, "I'lI never tell
why not %" he exclaimed, indig-
antly. You're only one human be-
1g and I'm another; why not?' e
hen in moment, "31 or 3d. he re-
Gated, looking me over as if sizing =
p my points.
you should not Judge me by my !
ppearance today" I said, by this \
me quite in the humor to talk TO Il
ais strange man on the train" whom
{ found exceedingly amusing. !.
ave my raincoat on, besodes you :. -
annot tell woman's age through = :,
ers veii.'
s"Oh, yes, can" he responded, cl
uickly. 81 am good judge OF, a per- 81
on's age How old should you say
am? Now don't be afraid. Say