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Belle Alden’s Traveling-Bag,
A train bound for bt. Louis had iust left
the depot at Bellefontaine when a gentla-
man entered the smoking-car and laid his
hand upon the shoulder of his traveling
companion—a 0 tall handsome man of thir
ty, who sat musingly blowing rings of
pmoke into the air.
"Marcy," said the new come,, “ if you
want to see at once the sweetest and sad
dest sightyou ever beheld, go into the last
car but one on the train. There’s an
emigrant German woman, with four little
children, and during the afternoon the
youngest, a baby, has died. The mother
and the other children are inconsolable.”
“I can understand,” interrupted the
smoker, 11 the sadness of such a scene, but
where is the sweetness you spoke of?”
“ I'm coming to that. The whole party
have been taken in change by a young
lady. Such a beauty! She’s dried the
mother’s tears and wiped the children’s
noses. She’s a divinity! She only needs
a few feathers on her shoulder-blades to
make a full fledged angel other. If I was
not a married man, I’d never leave her
till I’d made Mrs. Angelica Townsend
out of her."
“ That's a speech that I shall faithfully
report to Mrs. Agues Townsend,” said the
gentlemen addressed as Marcy, rising, “I
shall go buck and feast my eyes on this
beautiful Sister of Charity; unci,” he added
taking his traveling-satchel and shawl
from the rack, “as we .stop' at the next
station, which is due ,in,ten|minutes, I
may as well take my traps through .with
me and join you on the platform.^
Thus saying Richard Marcy threwihis
shawl over his shoulder, anu sauntered
leisurely through the long train—rushing
blindly and calmly to his fate. For, as he
entered the last cur but one he became a
witness and an actor in a scene that influ
enced his whole future life.
The poor, grief-stricken German, of
whom his companion, Doctor Townsend,
had spoken, with the dead infant in her
arms, sat silently weeping over the little
dead face.
The three sturdy children, grouped in
childish sorrow about their little dead
brother, was indeed a touching spectacle.
But, standing beside them, was tne divin
ity of Doctor Townsend’s admiration, and
she who was most certainly to “ share the
ends " of the unhappy Richard.
She was a tall, slender girl of eighteen,
with magnificent eyes and hair. As he
entered the car, she was speaking, her
lovely face flushed, and the small, rosy
mouth, disclosing a beautiful set of teeth,
turned bowitchingiy toward the tall stran
ger at the door.
"Ladies and gentlemen,” spoke the
sweet voice, “ this poor woman, friendless,
speaking no English, with four little chil
dren, was expecting to find work in St.
Louis to support them. If everything
had gone well with her it would have
been hard for her; but with her dead
babv and her sorrowful heart she is cer
tainly a deserving object of charity: and
I propose that such as feel willing contri
bute their mite toward a little purse for
her immediate wants, and the burial of
her poor baby. And,” she added, with a
bewitching smile, “ if any gentleman will
lend me a liat I will go round and take up
a collection.”
In an instant the gallant Richard pulled
his traveling cap from his blonde curls
and'offerod it to the Angel of Mercy, who
accepted it with a smile, this time all his
own, and commenced gathering the readi
ly forthcoming dollars her generous grace
ful appeal brought from the purses of all
in the car. '
Richard watched the slender figure in
“Now, in all probability,” broke In the
doctor, “you’ll nevc-r'meet her in this vale
of tears. But you’ll know her in heaven,
if you’ll behave yourself well enough to
get there, by her wings; she’ll have the
biggest of any of them, seeing they’ve
commenced to sprout on earth.”
And thus rallying his thoroughly capti
vated friend, the two made their way to
the house of an acquaintance, with whom
they were to remain that night, and go
on the next day to their destination—St.
Louis.
After the arst salutation, our hero went
to his room to remove some of the evi
dence of his long ride from New York.
He had removed nis coat, vest, and collar;
he had splashed and soaped and washed,
till his damp curls hung close to his shape
ly head, when he made a startling ais-
covery
Flushed and breathless he burst into the
next room upon his friend
“Townsend,” cried he, “what upon
earth do you suppose? I’ve got the wrong
bag. I’ve changed baggage with the An
gel of Mercy. Look at that slipper. See
that thimble. Contemplate that glove.”.
"It’s evident you’ve got the lady’s
satchel. And what was there in yours ?”
“Don’t bring up that dreadful idea,”
said Dick. “Cigrffs and a hair-brush, a
pack of cards and a comb, pocket-flask
and a tooth-brush—everything disreputa
ble. If I am judged by that Dag, I’m a
lost man.”
“ And this I took for a clean shirt,” and
Dick held up a frilled and fluted sack, such
as do duty for more extensive night
dresses with ladies when traveling. “ I’d
like to see Angelica when she opens my
satchel.”
And Dick fell to musing with tec -lie- , r
per perched on two fingers, and the rrii'.cd i !
white sack spread out tenderly on his
knees.
and she would sit and contemplate the
picture her fancy wrought for her, little
dreaming the interest she was allowing
to grow in her bosom.for Jenny’s brother.
In the fall, Belle arid her father went to
New York, and the first day after her ar
rival found her sitting with her old friend
who, after the effusive greeting was past,
sat down to empty her soul. «
“I am so glad you are here this month,”
Jenny said, “ because I’m to be married in
October, and I have always been crazy to
A large Older
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have you for a bridesmaid, and Dick is to (jAfflre HICE BROS Eft CO.
be Harry’s best man.” Belle blushed vi/Iitv*- iVlvlii *'■*»"' ** W»
“ ButDick lias fallen hopelessly, madly
No 89 & 91 Camp Streets
New Orleans, June 2,1871.
in love.” Belle turned pale.
“ Yes, I was dreadfully provoked wheu
he passed through St. Louis and never
went near you. But he went wild over
some lady he met on that fatal trip. , ,
“He will talk to me by the hour of his HlMliCtlirill? GOii it iOUft
Angelica. Andwhenlhavespokenofyou Utiwwfwnuiuj vvi| ■*“1
he has been positively rude, and asked me
to have done bothering s liim about my
freckled school friends—you know your
picture shows freckles; but bless me, you
haven’t any now? And your picture
don’t look any more like you than it does
like me, not a bit.”
“But tell me,” said Belle, “is your
brother engaged to this lady ?’
“ Engaged! Why, dear heart, he don’t
He just found some of
/u
know her name.
, iund some of / / / / y
her old clothes somewhere. He’s got her afieezu, ezn<i Afityi
old slippers under a glass case; he’s got
her gloves, stuffed, under another; he’s got
her nightgown done up in lavender; he’s
got her gold thimble hung on his watch-
nhnin • T dn IipIIpva lie’s mi A hftir-
chain; and I do believe lie’s got a hair
brush and some hair-pins next to his
heart! Oh, its folly to interfere! He’s
beyond all hope I I did think the excite-
laaSok’SfV weacLigwcuidwean him from
He looked at my new
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gray gathering the money; and looking
at the plaid> cap in the white jewelled
fingers lie bethought him of his own dona
tion, and stepping to the seat the beauty
had just occupied he laid his satchel and
his snawl upon a family of its kind, be
longing to the angel in gray, and took
from his pocket a ten dollar bill, which lie
placed in the little hand that returned him
nis cap. Further damage the poor fellow
received, when a second smile and warmly-
worded thanks for his liberal contribution
were dealt him from the beautiful mouth.
Dick was in the midst of an elaborate
reply when the cars stopped. He linger
ed yet another moment, seized his satchel
and shawl with his eves still on the face
of his charmer, and then, even as the cars
were again in motion, he bethought him
self of The doctor, and hurriedly left the
car and joined his friend on the platform.
“ Well,” ejaculated that worthy, 1 be-
S an to believe you’d concluded to go and
urv the dead Daby and make the protect
ing* beauty Mrs. Angelica Marcy. Isn t
she a stunner?” „ , ^ . . ...
"Townsend,” returned his friend, don t
use slang in speaking of the noble crea
ture." He looked after the train disap
pearing in the distance. *• I wish to hea
ven,” he continued, “ I’d remained aboard.
How stupid I was to leave it. I might
have learned her name and residence.
And now—”
In the upper apartment of a handsome
mansion in St, Louis, on the evening of
tlio day our heroine first made the read
er’s acquaintance, beautiful Belle Alden,"
the petted and only daughter of thehouse,
sat contemplating the various articles
her confidential maid was disposing upon
the table—articles from no less a recepta
cle than Dick Marcy’s traveling-bag.
The cards and cigar case lay side by
side, and a highly scented party they
were.
“ What’s in the little silver flask. Rosa?”
said the fair mistress.
“ Brandy, m’am,” replied the maid.
“ He can’t be very dissipated to travel
with such a little bottle. That’s in case
of sickness, I suppose,” returned Belle.
“ It is my belief,” said Rosa, who was a
shrewd girl, “that the gentleman was a
mighty nice man, else you’d not so readily
excuse the cards and the bottle.”
1 ‘ For sliame, Rosa. All gentlemen play
euchre traveling, and even clergymen
take a little brandy in case of sickness,”
answered Belle. “And this man was a
gentleman, and a liberal one, too, for he
gave the poor emigrant woman ten dol
lars. What’s that, Rosa?”
For, at that moment, Rosa held between
her fingers a letter.
Whether it was wrong to read a stran
ger’s letter vexed Belle for a moment, as
her eyes glanced at the superscription and
hand-wri ting.
“ Why, of all things!” exclaimed the
delighted girl, seizing the letter. “ Why,
Rosa, this is Jenny Marcy’s writing and
addressed to Richard Marcy, her only dar
ling brother—who was in Europe wheu
we two graduated at Madame Ritter’s in
Brooklyn.” . , ,
Belle read rapidly till she had reached
the middle of the letter, when she burst
into a merry laugh.
“ Hear this, Rosa,” she said, and she
read from the letter.
“ Above all things, Dick, dear, don’t fail
while in St. Louis, to see my best friend
and schoolmate, Belle Alden. I know
vou will fall in love with her, for, besides
being the best girl in the world, she’s a
beautv and an heiress, and father’s choice
above all others, for his son’s wife. He
used to talk it over at home, and hope
Belle would not marry before you came
home from Europe. Sne is full as anxious
to know vou, and wears your hair and
mine in a locket father gave her last year.
Give her lots of love, and beg of her to
overlook your many imperfections for the
sake of her old schoolfellow, Jenny.”
“ Then this gentleman is of course, Miss
Jenny’s brother,” said Rosa, “ and what
will she say when she hears of your hav
ing met in'this romantic way?”
“ I don’t intend to tell her of it till I go
to New York this fall,” said Belle. “ Per
haps her brother will call.”
But in this supposition Belle was wrong.
The month passed, and she saw no more
of the golden-headed Richard.
And she carefully separated the yellow
Jock in the little keepsake from the dark
tress of Jenny’s and put it back into its
place alone, while another loeket held the
bitof Jenny’s. And somehow, Belle look
Original Plain Charter Oak,
FOB WOOD.
800 Climber 6.
60 “ 7.
NEW CHARTER OAK,
PLAIN, FOR WOOD.
things as calmly as an oyster, and only
said—it’s not kind of me to repeat it,
though,” broke off Jenny.
“ What was it he said?” inquired Belle,
laughing now heartily. “Don’t fear for
my feelings.”
/AWhy, he said, ‘I’ll stand up with
your friend Belle, and see you safely mar
ried ; and then I’m off to winter in Paris.
I’m done with love on my own account.’ *
It’s positively awful.”
And so Belle thought, as she looked at
her old slipper and glove lying beneath a
globe on either side the faithful Richard’s
mantle.
And,” said Belle, “ since he desires on
ly to meet me on the morning of the wed
ding, so it shall be. I will be introduced
only as we are leaving the house, and he
can do as he pleases about continuing the
acquaintance afterward.”
Belle was radiant with happiness when
she returned -to her father, and delighted XVLjaj mad flhjfl.VtSW OCLiG*
his fond heart by the change, for Belle JSMXeVlSWIl IV!
had been ve^j’quiet of late. fob copper reservoirs.
Jenny and Belle shopped and talked
and visited together for the next few IKO Xmnlicr ISO.
days, and when the eventful morning ar- AOW JSalmBer
rived, and amid a bevy of beautiful girls, : 200
3LOOO Sfnmber 66.
« 77.
« 88.
« 99.
600
200
40
lOO
30
70.
SO.
90.
WITH ENAMELED RESERVOIRS.
Belle shone like a queen, the bride was
eclipsed, and delightfully acknowledged
it.
“ O, Belle!” she said; “ I long to have
old stoical Dick see you—. Hark! there’s
his step eome into the next room now, Extension Charter Oa/c,
and be introduced. Don’t wait until the 9
carriages come—it’s an hour yet.”
And Belle, with a beating heart, swept
through the door and stood even as Dick
first saw her, only, in place of the gray
traveling-dress, a magnificent white satin
fell in rich folds about her, and upon her
lovely white throat lay the turquois locket.
that held Dick’s golden curl. Upon the
beautiful head, crowned by its chestnut
hair, a coronal of pearls added to the grace
and beauty of an image that, shrined in
Dick’s heart, was already an angel.
Belle did not look up, but she felt the
presence, as Richard Marcy came up and
was introduced to little Jenny’sold school- v/jv,-// /
mate. Then, as he held out his hand, she Jvfjit, tit&ufe vi&te.
raised her eyes, and laid her tiny palm in
his, she said:
50 Number 77.
30 “ 88.
“ 99.
12
yotitAj
RICE 'BROS. A CO.
FOR COAI. "non.
“ I think we had better rectify that mis- JL 3®
take about the traveHng-bags, Mr. Mar- Sail®
cy!”
“Good heavens, Jenny,” said Dick
Marcv, “Why didn’t you tell me that
your friend Belle was my Angel of Mercy?”
“ Because I didn’t know till last night,
and then Belle made me promise not to
tell. And besides yon didn’t want to meet
the freckled school-girl till it was posi
tively necessary,” returned Jenny mis
chievously.
It would be hard to say which of the
four that made Jenny’s bridal party was
the happiest that day.
Dick did not go to Paris that winter.
He found that St. Louis contained more
attractions than any foreign city.
But the next fall will see Dick and Belle
on their wedding tour, and he vows he will
have the two old romantic traveling-bags
brushed up for the occasion. Doctor
Townsend, who is to go along, says he
knew the minute he saw the girl she
WILL ALWAYS
Do Tour CooMi
ed verwerv often at the wee golden curl, knew the minute he saw the girl she
and she never did so but the rest of the wou done day he Angelica Marcy. as he
handsome head sprang up beside the lock; I felt it ln the air.
QUICK AND EASY,
CHEAP AND
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