The Irish standard., 1909-02-06
HIS SILENCE
Was Finally Broken, When He Ad.
ninistered Singing Rebuke.


with him breath of the outside frosty
air. Putting his va,ise on the rack
and hanging up his coat, he sat near
the window, and with his head resting
on his hand, looked gloomily out on
i the fast flying. snow-ccvered fields.
There was an expression of sorro W
full anxiety on his face which was
handsome to degree. He had dark,
wavy hair. and large, intelligent eyes,
shaded with long lashes. His feat
ures We're regular, the most pron1ine 1T
jaw. At casual glance one would
have taken him to be a young lawyer,
probably 35 years of age, or a. conf
dental adviser in Some large business
3 concern.
The click. click of the wheels over
the frosty rails was the only sound
heard in the coach for some minutes
There We're not many people in the
day coach, and the itinerary Of the
conductor or the brakeman was infre-
quent. Here and there could be heard
low-toned conversations. Many pas
sengers were quietly reading books o.
papers or doing.
In the next seat behind the silent
man were two young women. For
some time they held whispered con-
versation. and at last the man in
front Of them heard one of them say:
."Oh. what's the use of whispering.
don't care if he does hear me-"
The other giggled and after that
their conversation was audible.
II just love black. wavy hair. don't
you Nell?"
ooh, I think it's just too lovely for
anything" was the answer.
"And such nice. long mustache.
think 1t ever so much nicer for men to
wear mustaches than to shave their
faces clean, don't you?"
Eyes"
And then when fellow has mus
tache, YOU" and the sentence was
followed by period OF giggling from
the two speakers.
II guess he is pretty we'll off. See,
Nell, he has got real sealskin on the
collar of his overcoat," continued one.
Yes, and look at that gold ring
with diamond in it," said the other.
The man had carelessly thrown his
left hand along the top of the seat,
while he continued - look out of the
window at the f1eethg winter scene
With motion of disgust he withdrew
his hand.
More suppressed grg1ing followed
from this action. Various sother de-
vices We're pursued by the young
women. who seemed determined to at
tract the attention of the man in from.
o. them, and draw him into conversa-
ton; but to all the allu1ements he re-
manned impassive. The solemn look
remained upon his face, which seemed
In some way to be a rcproof to the two
giddy girls.
ooh! Pshaw! Why doesn't he turn
his seat over and talk to us? That's
the way they always do in novels"
Guess he has a girl at home some
where" venturcd the other.
II pity her then. if he is not more
talkative to her than he is nov,
eugh!"
Still the traveller in the next seat
look out Of the window. while the
marks of care seemed to deepen the
lines on his face. Once or twice lie
moved as if in undecision and the two
young women thought they We're
about to be successful ir their attempt
to attract attention and be ente--
tanned. But he evidently thought bet
ter of it and remained silent
4. Say Madge," said Nellie, "whe"e
is that box Of candies. Oh! just love
candies. If any one comes a -courting
me he'll just have 20 bring me cam
dies every night or I'll send him abou.
his business
More giggling followed. which was
succeeded by short silence as the
two occupied themselves with the con-
fections.
Before long other remarks were
made upon the personal appearance
Of the silent passenger. His teath.
mouth, eyes. We're freely discussed in
a loud tone, or at least in so loud a
tone that he had no difficulty in hear
Ing every syllable. He came to the
conclusion that the two young women
In the seat behind him We're not really
bad girls. but foolish and injudicious
and shallow pated 20 such a degree
that they required a sharp lesson to
make them see the folly and imperti-
nence of their conduct.
wonder whether he really has a