Year: 1873

rlhC- w OhhO.


There was absolutely not an interest
ing person in the car | don't even ex-
cept myself, as persons given to sweep
ing assertions usually do; for, although
L might know what intellectual and
moral qualities of mine ought to excite
interest in my fellow-t travellers, the little
broad mirror at the end of the car told
me they did not publish themselves in
my face. On the contrary, 1t showed me
pair of tired gray eyes-gleaming, not
sparkling, eyes-with a red spot below
each, which at that distance reminded
me painfully of war-paint, crushed
hat, dusty face, and ill-arranged hair,
each and all loudly proclaiming the fact
that | had passed the night in sleep
ing car.


/ was the only person in the car for
tunate enough to have whole seat to
myself, and it was only by dint of much
spreading ont of shawls, and useless
book or two that | had been enabled to
keep it. But now | had been looking
about in search of an interesting person
who might share it with me, for | was
dreadfully tired of keeping quiet-of not
talking. During the last fifteen hours
| had not uttered word, except to ask
the conductor few questions, which |
knew how to answer as well as he did,
though, perhaps, not as briefly. The
only recreation or diversion that / had
had in all that time was III burying and
eating crystalized popcorn, shaking my
head decisively at the train-boy when he
laid package of prize-candy down be-
side me, and in watching little girl cry
30 a1n tl., ,,,l,
follow the even distribution of peach
fuzz over the neck and cheeks.


My solitude would soon end, / felt
sure for if but one passenger came on
at the next station | would have to resign
half of my seat to him or her. At the
last station timid-looking man had been
turned into our car by the brakesman,
who said, "All full in there, referring
TO the car just in front of us. He had
looked at my half empty seat, and met
with no encouragement in the limp, I'M
comprehending look returned him, and
passed on. At the other end of the car
he had succeeded-by the help of brisk
shake and shove administered by the
conductor in awakening and bringing to
terms of decency man who was pretend
ing 20 sleep all over his seat. OF course
/ watched with interest the subduing of
the faithless wretch, and had felt half
ashamed of myself ever since, and re-
solved that at the next station no mUtter
who appeared, l would promptly and
Hospitality gather up my belongings and
offer that person place.


When we reached the station, we stop
ped but moment, not long enough, /
thought, TO allow any one coming on,
and us | leaned back in my place with
the easy consciousness of having intend
ed to DO Il civil thing the door opened,
and gentleman came in.


Ny courage fed at sight of him. How
could | ever offer Gn disinterested way)
that man seat beside me? The con-
ductor would think more meanly Of me
than he probably did when ] tacitly re-
fused the timid mans appeal, and the
simid man himself would feel an addi
tional slight heaped upon him if | offer
ed this embodiment of manly strength
and beauty the place | had refused him.


While my mind was still in state of
indecisiOn, he answered the question
by stopping unhesitatingly beside me,
and saving he supposed, as all the other
seats were occupied, he would have to
ask for one with me. Thus relieved
from humiliating myself, | graciously
swept my wraps and books into my lap
and made room for him. But he took
them from me and slowed them away III
the rack above my head-all but book
which he kept to look over, and which
easilyopeneda conversation, thatwhile we
were together never ceased. We crossed
the wide ocean common OF everyday
literature. returned talked about the
dust. heat, the condition of the road
even about ourselves. do not remem-
ber what he could have learned of me,
but found out that he was business
man Il knew that before he told me, by
his practical, systematic way OF dealing
with every topic he took up, had trav-
eled everywhere, and has seen the world
in wide-awake fashion. He lived IN
Albany. and was on his way home. He
was not married, and he and his mother
kept the house together.


/ could not, if l were to try, describe
him personally. for he was one OF those
rare persons who carry with them an IN
describable charm, grace OF their own,
which itself cannot be conveyed IN words
and without which description is moth
ING.


n After he came, the remaining two
hours of my journey flew faster than we
did, and / felt that / must be dreaming
when / looked out and saw that We were