Year: 1875

A ROMANCE OF THE RAIL.


A Young Woman Whe Wanted a Seat for


Her Lover Changes Her Mind.


They came into the car at Wayside sta.


ton together She was in the lead, a position


she is not likely to surrender as long as they


travel together A tall brunette, with sharp


face, piercing black eyes, hair black as q


ravens wing, long aquiline nose, with q


mole on the side of it, a mouth the cut OF


which betokened determination and force.


She had passed the shady side of the teens,


and had climbed to the apex Of quarter OF


century. He was guileless youth, over


whose tow-colored head some eighteen sum-
mers had passed, an innocent hobbledehoy,
just released from his mothers apron strings.
On him she cast loving glances and his face,
suffused in bushes, was turned with timid,
appealing look to her.


The car was crowded, and eligible seats
not easily obtalnable. About the middle OF
the car sedate traveller occupied q seat to
himself. Thither the irrepressible lady press
ed her way The sedate traveller rose, and,
with much courtesy, invited her to take a seat
next to the window, and when she was seated
he calmly ensconsed himself upon the vacant
half of the chair. BY this time the young
man whom she was escorting had come up.
He placed his hand on the back Of the seat,
| looked appealingly on the face of his protec-
tress, and tlmidly around the car. He was
evidently embarrassed and did not know
what to do with himself. The sharp-nosed
! brunette eyed the sedate traveller by her side
with sharpness that almost amounted to
malignity.


But the traveller seemed all unconscious Of
the scrutiny to which he was subjected, and
| looked away over the fields through an oppO-
site window.


The brunette could no longer endure to see
her callow beau standing forlorn, and thus
addressed the sedate traveller, whose eyes
were wandering far away, and whosethoughts
| were with the dear ones at home:
81 say, stranger


"Well, say on, responded the scdae trav-
eler.


Il say, look here, stranger
"Well, what have you got to tell me:' said
the sedate man.


''Stranger, want you to know that this
young gentleman standing up there is my
felar'


'Oh! I'm glad to hear it. How long have
YOU had him? Take care Of him suppose?"


''Now, you just look here, stranger; this
young man is my fellar, and I'm bound to
see thot nobody shall impose on him. You
hear me? Now, if you had any manners
you'd just git right up and let him have seat
by me-


"Oh, am very happy in your society,"
You cannot imagine how much pleasure it
has given me to furnish you seat where
you can see through the window. Besides I
always took special delight in being near
charming ladies like YOURSELF replied the
sedate traveller.


''But, sir, he is my fellar, sir, my beau-do
you understand ?"


''Is that so? Who would have thought it ?
And does his mother place him under your
protection when he goes abroad?"


''Now, you look here, stranger, me and
that young man expects to be engaged, and
we've been keeping company together, and
you're real mean if you don't give him seat
by me. so that we can talk; that's what [
think"


The imperturbable traveller straightened up
and then leaned over in the direction Of the
sharp-faced brunette, smiled most benignly
and lovingly on her, and thus spoke:


''Charming lady, would be most happy |
to accommodate you, but you see am pill |
grim and stranger, wayworn and weary, |
and long way from home. Besides, my !
heart is just now beating tattoo of ecstatic
satisfaction because of your charming pres
epce. Being bachelor, and so near one so
lovely and engaging, how can forego the
pleasure now enjoy! have had dreams !
in my time-bright dreams-as have wan
dered through this great big world, Of some
time meeting one to whom | could reveal all
this sad heart of mine would fain no longer
conceal. You are the impersonation Of my
dreams, and now would you drive me from
your lovely side? Say, has no bird sang in
your heart? saw you come as a star rises
above the horizon, and the light of your eyes
has illuminated my soul. Say, beautiful stran-
yer, will you drive me hence:


The sedate traveller ceased to speak.


The fire had gone down in the brunettes
eyes, the severe expression had vanished
rom her face, her stern lips had relaxed
heir rigidity and parted just enough to re-
zeal the ivory structure within, and in tone
hat was soft and low she asked


Ibid YOU say you was a bachelor


sAye, beautiful stranger, that's my FORUM
tie station
Then the brunette turned her eyes softly
,pon her ''fellar," who stood twitching his
ingers and gazing around in an abashed:
imid sort of way, and thus she addressed
lim:
''Tom. guess you'd better get another
eat, while speak with this gentleman.
aN Lake Herald.


why They Are Not Married Yet.


[From the vicksburg Herald]
Tncle Dick. Vicksburg negro 80 years