The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-08-09
THE BEGINNING OF
A LONG JOURNEY,
BY GEORGE HERBERT BONN.
Copyright. 1903. hy American Press Asso-

A few years ago was obliged to
connect between two railroads by stage
coach. had been doing some hard
travelling was tired out, and my nerves
were generally unstrung. The only
other passengers IN the coach were an
old gentleman and young lady whom
I presumed TO be his daughter. They
occupied the back seat and the front.
There was no middle sent. Indeed, the
coach was a small. shabby affair, a
ghost Of the solid. imposing vehicle IN
which our ancestors used to ride. Both
windows were up, and. thinking to inn
prove the air. which seemed 10 me to
be very stuffy. let down the one next
70 which / was sitting. The young
lady sat directly opposite me and
when l lowered the window cast an
apprehensive glance at her father an.
other at me- then coolly put the win
dow back In its place.
Had she been a man there would
have been an explosion then and there.
As It was. set my lips together,
breathed hard and raciSed my brain for
/ a gentlemanIy means OF crushing her.
At last. inding what ! considered
honeyed thunderbolt, l launched it.
Madam" began icily, had you
beg your pardon, sir, but am not
madam"
This took away something of the
steel cold sharpness Of what had 10
say, for couldn't begin with Miss
st would sound ridiculous.
Il assure you," began again. "that
whether You are miss or madam
makes no difference whatsoever in this
instance. was about TO say
1T makes some difference to me
whether or no I am addressed prop
erly"
waited a few moments.
had you" / began a third time,
'.'said to me. May / ask you to allow
the window to remain closed, my
father being delicate and ] fearing
draft for himg / would certainly
Had you said, DO you object to my
lowering the Window / would have |
had an opportunity to tell you wheth-
er / wished It open or closed. You
took it upon yourself to lower it. and
/ therefore took it upon myself to
close II"
Technically you are right really
wrong. With a stufry atmosphere like
this it is to be presumed that you
would prefer at least one open win
dow. Common politeness compelled
me to lower 1t"
"And common protection Of my
right to be consulted in the matter
compelled me to raise IT."
I knew IN my heart that was
wrong, but when the nerves are the
handspring Of ones acts one gets deep
er into the miro.
Il have supposed" / replied after
some silence. that woman's
strength is IN her weakness. Granting
your right to be consulted con-
code you this right as one Of the soft
er sex'-I put an unnecessary infection
on the word "softer'-'.as to granting
mis- right, say, would it not have
been more effective with a gentleman
to have
with a gentleman, yes.D
sYou must excuse me-" reterted /
hotiy, from further discussion with
one who forgets'
At this point something occurred to
stop my speech-something that filed
me with astonishment. The old gen
tleman, who had been paying no at
tension to our fitting, took an grange
out Of bis pocket, tore off large
piece OF the rind and threw It out Of
the closed window II went right
through the glass without sound or
resistance. put my hand where
had supposed the pane to be, and there
was 80 pane there
The young lady burst into merry
laugh.
Ordinarily should have laughed
too. But IN addition to a headache
and strained nerves had placed my
self ia false position and about moth
ing.
1Did you know there was no glass
there? :" asked IN the same cold tone
as before
"From the first"
"Then your fear Of a draft upon your
father
eThis gentleman Is not my father
nor is he with me- don't think he
has understood what we have been
talking about. I heard him speaking
German with the driver You acted
without consulting him or me. SO
concluded to-"
Teach me poIiteness"
by way Of reply she took up a
lunch box and. opening IT. handed me
chicken sandwich. / took it and sew
eraI more, following them up with
other eatables. Then | took out my
flask and washed the whole down with
b stiff horn. | was about TO take out
my cigar case when stopped sud
lienly.
DO You object 70 smoker asked
politely
smile.
Nor that COMPOUNDED old fellow be-
side you"
II can't tell, not speaking his Ian
guage. But since be is a German
presume he doesn't Besides, there is
plenty Of fresh air coming In through
the closed window"
whether it was the lunch or the mel
low corn juice or a PAIR Of dimples