Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-05-09
An Unobtrusive Protector
torigInal.l

tOriginal
Mrs SeguIne, young widow, would
II travel In sleeping car. She was
30 refined to think Of going to bed In
The same car with other persons, es-
pecially men. She had always been a
model Of purity. At sixteen on at
tempting to ride the pony Of young
friend and admirer she had fallen and
displayed considerable lingerie. Those
who saw her arise from the ground,
her cheeks flaming, her eyes glittering,
and stalk into the house have never for
gotten the sight
1t became necessary for Mrs. Segulne
to make a night journey on train.
She was not due to arrive till morning,
and, disdalning sleeper, took a chair
in the drawing room car There were
but few persons in the car, most Of the
passengers preferrlng berths. In the
chair next to Mrs. Seguine sat a young
man Of perhaps twenty, meek look
ing fellow, with tinid manner. OPP
posite sat q gentleman who was pass
ing the middle point In his threescore
and ten years-a well dressed looking
person, evidently Of the highest type
Of American gentleman. He occupied
himself reading a magazine Of the dry
as dust and good English kind and was
quite well bred enough not to look at
pretty Mrs. SeguIne when she was
stealing glances at him from under her
long lashes.
AS the hours waxed every one OF the
half dozen persons in the car either
slept or appeared to sleep except Mrs.
Seguine, who made frequent use Of her
and kept constantly wiping
the dust from her face with her cam
brio handkerchief and heaving signs OF
The porter came along, and
the lady asked him to turn the lights
little lower, since she never could sleep
except in a dark room, The porter
complied with her request, but as he
did not turn them lew enough the gen.
tleman opposite Mrs. Seguine, who had
heard her request, gave him q coin to
turn them lower. The widow witness
ed the transfer Of the coin and was
grateful This time the porter left very
little light in the car, and those who
had remained awake slumbered.
Suddenly all were aroused by q
shrek. The lamp nearest the widow
had been turned so low that 1t had
gone out. The shrek seemed to come
from her direction, and to her all eyes
were turned, though imperfectly pene-
trating the gloom. The widow arose
and, turning to the young man beside
her, said Indignantly:
"How dare your"
"W-h-a-tT
"What? You know very we'll! You
kissed mep'
"No, l didn't"
do you mean to question my word /
N addition to taking such liberty%
II certainly didn't kiss you. was
asleep"
Meanwhile the gentleman opposite
woke, looked about him In semicon-
,cious condition, arose and, seeing the
ady in trouble, stepped forward.
MAY / ask the cause Of your annoy
lnceY he said to the widow.
"This man has been brutal enough
o. Either her wrath or her modestY
her speaking the word.
"She says 1 kissed her." said the boy.
She is certainly mistaken"
ibid any one dare really profane
hose llpsT" asked the gentleman, a
old horror at such an act in his voice
Ind manner.
"Some one certainly did, and who
ould have done It except this man
vho was sitting beside meT
''True, he is In the position to be
rst suspected But just before being
Weakened / dreamed that man was
landing holding the car door open.
dmlttlng q cold draft, Of air. When
e shut 1t l distinctly heard him do so
S one half awake. May not some one
ave committed the outrage while pass
ng through the carr"
A passenger who was very sleepy
nd anxious to be permitted to re-
ume his slumbers declared that he
lso had heard the door shut, and the
widow gave a reluctant assent that
his might possibly be the explanation,
hough she did not apologize to the
Dung man for having accused him.
IN the invitation of the gentleman OPP
osite she took a vacant seat beside
i'm, he turned up the lamp, and she
nished the night under his protection
There was something so delicately
eferential In the gentlemans manner
nat the widow, herself the perfection
( unobtrusiveness, knew surely that
e was one to whom she might trust
erself In every particular. She per
litted him on arrival to call car
Iage, to hand her In and to give her
lumber to the cOachman.
The gentleman made a note Of the
ddress, found out all about the lady, (
ecured an introduction, and all with
0 unassuming a demeanor that she was
elighted with him. Thus sprang love.
Several years after the marriage the
,lfe's dream Of her husbands delicacy
,as shattered. He came home one
vening to find her in no affable mood. ]
MY dear" she said. emphasizing the
dear icily, John has told Mary, and
tary told me-"
"WhatY {
"That 1t was you who kissed me that
light we met on the train"
$50 did"
There was a long silence, during
'hlch the wife seemed to be revolving
in her mind. Finally she I
lid: I
''That poor young man; how unjust !
you treated, him."
"You mean how unjustly you treat
him. But never mind him. took I
Is address before leaving the car. He (
as only poor clerk. sent him 500
The kiss was cheap at I