The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-03-29
=, <,r.AUpINE srssoN.
tCopyrirht, 1911, by Associated
Literary Press.D

u Copyright, 1911, by Associated
Literary Press,)
There were men In his club and
about town who envied Mr.. David
x,nestcr Ter his serenity. They might
h1so have envied his good looks and
i HI wealth and his opportunities TOR
NArel. but they spoke only OF the
nerxnfry. He wasn't blase. He was
hamply serene--aiways the same
/! never PUT out--never losing his half
4 i6nalie. Once . pistol had been nred
NAose 70 his ear. but he did not jump.
There had been fires in his motel. but
4 ~ waited To arrange his necktie be-
fore descending the stairs through the
Smoke
Mr.. Chester himself knew that he
Nns serene He never entered q thea
IRE Without being prepared for the
cry Ss tire. and be never rode In n
2xxs that he wasn't prepared Ton a
xusszxsoza- He was serene when g cop
frgs& hsrsa sar q burglar, and he was
serNns wfsSa s. burglar flashed a light
smru his tsiansiax eyes at midnight
sxa warned him against any oratory.
He had xaGHtc& on thpsS things hap
E@nsxx ans prepared himself for
xAsE--
TAer@ was cns ta5ns. however. for
wkasA MI. Chester had rot prepared
sasrssas ana he lost his serenity
w%@n il came Il happened while he
xas taking most Ercsaac railroad
M7sA
L Es ssasAss lsx@a thirty miles from
ssaM~ essy. ard be was going down for
s3S~eTkss stay. He knew the depot
sssslzsss very wen collapse, and the
s'A&sacss ~ the train leaving the rails
ceszasa be figured as one in a hundred.
s,Ax sae end OF his little journey a car
rsAEA would be in waiting and he
x~Sid take the risk OF the driver be-
Enw drunk and the horses running
away
Therefore. it was with his wonted
serenity that Mr.. Chester took his
magazine he had bought. In dim
wAy he realized that a good-Iooking
ycung woman occupied the chair on
his right. bat he was not interested.
He had preserved his serenity VIXEN
other men rared. There was q man
with a red nose in the chair on his
Neft. but he was not disturbing ele-
Maent. He was In the shirt waist
4 business. and he was trying to design
something new.
Mr.. Chester had become fairly in.
terested In his reading when II DC.
CURED to him that the Young lad,
WAS rnduiy excited. She WAS open
Ing and shutting her purse--search.
ing her notwithstanding about or
1 the floor and talking to herself. Hac
Ahe lost her ticket? No. The con.
ductor had taken that up. One o.
her rings or a coin. perhaps? Nc
again She was looking out Of this
I window as IL anxious to recognize
the landscape.
Mr.. Chester's eyes left his book ant
rested on her. To his surprise. shs
seemed greatly agftated Her eyes
showed anxiety. II not fear. and hei
cheeks had lost their color. There
was no disturbance Of serenity, bu,
just mild surprise.
"0h. sir" exclaimed the girl, whose
age was not more than twenty. pleas,
--please---''
What. madam? VIVA, have vor
lost p
''why--why. / don't know who
am. Please tell met
Do you mean that you have sud
denly lost your memory"
Yes, yes. ] do, IL has gone from
me In the last five minutes, oh
what shall do
please control yourself, madam =
Eaid Mr.. Chester as his serenity go
u shock. III you keep quiet for i've
minutes all may be well. It's a cas-,
4 81 what they Cali aphssiH, and mem.
ory sometimes returns very quickly"
but can't you tell me who l am =
/ she appealed.
Not just this minute. Let's tr,
and reason 1t ont Have you no cards
In your purse ?"
sNo--none"
Il ghouid say YOU came to the cit,
20 shop"
II must have, az here are som,
knieSknacks / bought"
Dim You were all right when YOU tool
the train