The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1905-10-13

mother answered, brayely, but a
very pleased look lighted up the
worn old face as she gazed proud
" and fondly after her youngest
and best beloved child.
How bright and beautiful the
world looked 10 him that day
even the small world be knew, the
little country village, the sur
rounding woods, M he stood upon
the platform waiting for the train,
4. strange inscrutable glamour
seemed 10 be over everything, and
rs his eyes, bright with anticIpa'
ton and excitement, rorcd over
the familiar scenes, he had a
vague. iudchnablc consciousness
of impressing them upon his mem
Org ~ if be- was leaving them for
il long time, though he knew h."
Was 10 be away from them only
a very few days.
Would ii all be just the same
when he came back from the new,
strange scenes of the city? Som"
how, il seemed to him that il would
not: some mysterious, inc0mprc
hcnsihle change seemed lowering
about il all. Would he be just the
same? Vaguely h" felt that h"
would not; that he could not pos
sibly pass through 50 much and re
turn just the same as he went
away.
And when AT last he was seated
in the cars, actually and really OH
his way TO the city, such a feeling
Of eXhiIaration possessed him that
he was almost like one intoxicat
ed. He seemed to be whirliug
through a g]lorifed land where
every sight that met his eyes sent
strange. indescribahIe thrills of
ecstasy to his heart, And how full
of vital interest to those eager,
starved young eyes was every
thing and everyone about him in
the wonderful, On.rushing train.
He wondered how many of the
people in it were going to the city;
and if they had ever been there be
fore, and if they were going there
just for pleasure like himself,
And when the conductor leaned
Overland stuck The littlepastebOard
slip in his hatband, he felt as i'm,
portant and experienced as those
opulent-loOking men across the
aisle with the big grips piled
around them, and heavy gold
watch chains, and fine oyercoats
thrown across the backs of their
seats. He wondered If he could
ever travel enough to make him
feel rs bored and Indifferent as
they looked. Decidedly, he
thought not.
1t was night when the city was
reached, and though his heart
throbbed wildly and his excite
ment was at fever heat, he man.
aged, amid the confusing din and
hustle, to retain enough self.pos.
session to follow his brothers. in.
structions in regard to reaching
bis dcstination-one of the small
hotels.
But, although it was night, the
myriad lights that everywhere
dazzled his fascinated eyes We're
all sufficient to give him n fore.
taste of the wonders to come, and
when the cab turned into one of
the broad, noisy, brightly lighted
avenues, he leaned forward
eagerly, bcwildered, enraptured.
An automobile sped by-an auto.
mobile. Oh. if il was only day
he did so long to see an automo.
bile, but no doubt there were sew
eral in the city, and tomorrow he
would see one. The electric cars
passing and repassing with such
marvellous rapidity, it looked like
magic, and tomorrow he would
have his first ride in them. And
those crowds of people, where
could they all be going at night?
oh, to the theayter, probably, and.
oh, he would see a theayter maybe
tomorrow night. Yes, he thought
he would go tomorrow night. He
just couldn't wait any longer, he
had always so longed to see a the.
ayter-yes, omorrow!!
When he had secured his room
in the hotel, he fingered around
awhile, looking about him, and
watching the people with such un.