The enterprise-recorder. (Madison, Fla.) 1908-1933, 1908-10-01
IN AN OMNIBUS.
By Alice and Claude yAsken.

ancey NO, ! can't say l DeHeNc uluCu
in that sort of thing; you wouldn't eN'
pect II from a matter.of-fact old city
man like me, would you? I've had TO
look on the practical side of things
ever since was a boy.
All the same, | did have a rather
curious experience the other evening.
It was only a trhing affair, and !
dare say there is nothing in II, really
but I've tried to apply the ordinary
rules of experience to it-tried to
work 1t out by the rule of three, as 1t
were; but somehow there's always
hitch that | can't quite level up.
Here's the story for what It's
worth: had had a busy day at the
office, and was tired out when | TOOK
my usual bus home-Hammersmith,
you know; and | had walked as far
as Charing Cross by way Of exercise
and to clear my brain Of stufy hg
ures. 1t had just begun to drizzle,
and was lucky to get a place in the
'bus-just about the centre Of the left
side It was, up against the metal bar
that divides the long seat into halves
There was only just room Tor me-
for my two fellow passengers on the
right were bulky individuals, so ! was
wedged up pretty tight against the
bar. It's lucky that I'm not big
man myself, or I don't know what we
should have done. AS It was, in set
thing down, my arm came rather
sharply into contact with the shoulder
of a girl who was placed to my lett
Just the other side of the bar, you
understand. She gave a little cry and
started, just as If she had been
aroused from a nap, and didn't quite
know where she was.
OF course, apologized, and then
forgot all about the matter. | didn't
even look at the girl, didn't realize If
she were smart or shabby, fair or
dark. It's very rare for me to take
interest in folk | meet in omnibuses.
| tried to read an evening paper, but
the light was so bad ii couldn't be
done Long experience has taughrl
me the futility Of such an attempt, yet
I'm always doing tout Of sheer per.
versity, l suppose.
Well l had to shut up my paper
and amuse myself as best l could
with my own thoughts, It was then
that cast a casual glance at my
youthful neghbor, and-I can't tell
you why, for, as l have said, It is
quite at variance with my usual hab.
its-I began to speculate as to her |
position and occupation; a silly thing !
to do, for she was just like thousands !
Of others with no special points about |
her.
She was quite young-ninteen or |
twenty perhaps-nueither pretty nor |
ugly and of nondescript coloring. Her |
hair was fuffed out on either side of |
her ears, and she wore a round cap |
Of some cheap fur. 1t was quite un- |
pretentious, but somehow It suited |
her. Her features were rather thin, |
and she had no complexion to speak |
Of; one could easily guess that she
was out in all sorts Of weather, or
subjected to an unwholesome atmos.
phere of some kind Her under lip
Snapped a little-you know how cold
It was about a fortnight ago?-and
there was a little drop Of blood just
about the centre, where her teeth |
may have closed on the lip If she
had been out Of temper; or, of course.
II may merely have been the result
Of the weather. Anyway, that drop /
Of blood fascinated me, and think It
was because of IL that | took such
special notice of an everyday sort Of
girl. There were a couple of curious
black spots on her cheek and chin as
well. couldn't make out If they
were moles or If she had been spat.
tered by the mud Of the street. the
state Of her dress-a frayed SERGE
rather indicated the latter, poor child I
think her eyes were gray but she
kept them half closed, leaning back in
her seat, inclined a little to my side.
as II she were tired out and wanted
to sleep, She had nice long lashes, /
remember.
Oh, no; wasn't in the least bit
fascinated, or any rot OF that sort.
I'm not the kind OF man who Is al
ways on the lookout for chance &C.
qualutances-that' game is played
out as far as | am concerned But I
had to think Of something, and the
girl by my side was more interesting
than any Of the other stodgy folk who
had got into the 'bus-a job lot, If