Year: 1879

people NnOln IL concerns are 80 Vluhai >
that more than once have taken up pen
to begin it and put down the pen again
beside the virgin page. II attempt q
mere narration of fact. without ADDING
color or emotion the interest of reader is
likely soon TO flag, and he may probably
resent finding in a publication where he
expects subjective fiction in narratives, a
simple and literal account of things. peo-
pie and events such as he is accustomed to
meet in the columns of a newspaper. As
! have determined to go on. hope | over
estimate the danger. And now for what
have to tell an ear.


live in the s. W. district of London,
and when take the train for town Lough-
borough Junction is the most convenient
station. One duh. heavy day in the Oc-
tober of last year | booked at Lough-
borough for Ludgate Hill, and took my
seat in a third-class carriage Of a South
western train. 1t was neither for econo-
INV nor for 1.-THE pride that apes humility"
that travelled third-class but my busi-
ness obliges me to spend most Of my time
alone, and when | have an opportunity OF
getting among people. it is good for my
business that should see and hear as much
Of my fellow creatures as possible. Hence





a third class carriage to the thinly-masked
solitude of higher class.


On this occasion the carriage in which I
found myself had only shoulder-high COM
partmcnt partitions, so that one could see
from end to end. There were in all seven
or eight persons present. and l was in the
.las, compartment but one, with my back
to the engine and i'm the right hand corner
as sat. C,l % a AAIy N-A 4l


For few minutes / engaged myself in
Observing the five or six people scattered
up and down the major portion in front of
me. Then looking over my shoulder
found that the compartment nearest to the
engine contained only woman with a
Young baby in her arms. Owing TO the
violence of the wrench had to give my
neck In order TO see her. my glance was
brief; but while it lasted caught sight of
IN expression such rs had never before
seen on human face, an expression which
so affected nv curiosity and wonder that
after allowing little time toeapse. and
Just as we reached Walworth road, shift
ed to the other end Of the seat. on which l
sat, and, carelessly throwing nay arm over
the shoulder-high partition, looked long at
the pair. In the sense that surprising
icNClaiiou MAY tascilttt any out, 0aS
fascinated.


There was no need to fear my long stare
might disturb the woman. knew by the
way the woman held the baby it was
asleep | could not see the face of the
child. The mother held it close to her
bosom and bent her own head low over it.
Although | could hear no word of hers,
even when the train stopped. her lips
moved slowly, paused awhile. and then
went over the very same phrases At
length | learned the unspoken words of
the passion-wearv dips, '7ofa ,4t


My darling. My baby son. Ny own.
My own tA


Mothers ordinary words. but to what
an unutterable accompaniment of pose
and look,


Without being deformed or heinous, she
was without the least exception the ugliest
woman ever saw. There WAS nothing
loathsome, repulsive or malignant in her
face, but it was completely ugly. The
skin was dark and coarse in texture. The
forehead WAS ragged at the temples the
hair at the right-hand side OF the parting
grew an inch lowerdown than at the other,
and the upper portion of the forehead pro-
iected at the line Of the hair. The nose
was thin at the point, upturned, splay
where it met the face. sharply sunken
where it joined the forehead at the bridge,
and small for other features The cheeks
were heavy and ,liyid. differing in color
from the rest of the face only by having a
few blotches. The mouth was large, with
prominent thick lips that never closed
neatly and that always remained heavily
apart and leaning outward when motion
less. The chin was long and feeble. /
did not see the eyes; they never for one
moment were removed from the sleeping
infant.


MY darling! My baby son! My own
Ny own! ..tK


Did ever any other heart yearn so over
whelmingly over any other being? Was
this new manner, higher, more intense
form of maternal love? And had all else
of that kind which | had seen been only
the prelude to this imperial theme of pas
sion?


Although the chin was weak, the express
sion OF the whole face indicated strength,
but strength irregular and of uncertain
action. The eyes might hold the key to
the whole face.


my darling. My baby son! My own.
My own!'


These words, beyond all doubt, were
the clue to her whole nature. That child.
beyond all doubt, was the acme of her
present life. She was as unconscious of
the presence of any strangers as though
she sat alone with her child under a palm
tree in the oasis of an ocean of sand.


''Ludgate Hill Ludgate Hill.'


The train stopped and | got up. She
too rose with a shudder


MY darling! My baby son, Ny own
My own.'.


left the carriage, and in doing so no.
ticed that She had some difficulty in open
ing the door. turned the handle for her
and assisted her to alight She looked
up;


Thank you sir


Deep-set blue-gray eyes with strange
red sparks of fire, like sparks of glowing
charcoal seen through damp glass.


Her left hand and arm swathed the baby
to her bosom. The hand Law visible and
bare; on the third finger was a wedding
ring @"


Who had wooed aud won this woman
whose sheeruncomeliness would be enough
TO shame all tender words, turn away all
tender Ulances9 And how wae IL ,Lot che