Mr. Livingstone colored crimson, and bade her go back, saying that if he paid the fare she needn’t feel troubled about the cost. Just as she was turning to leave, the loud ring and whistle, as the train neared a crossing, startled her, and in great alarm she asked if “somethin’ hadn’t bust!” John made no answer, but the gentleman near him very politely explained to her the cause of the disturbance, after which, she returned to her seat. When the conductor appeared, he fortunately came in at the door nearest John, who pointed out the two, for whom he had tickets, and then turned again to converse with the gentleman, who, though a stranger, was from Louisville, Kentucky, and whose acquaintance was easily made. The sight of the conductor awoke in Mrs. Nichols’s brain a new idea, and after peering out upon the platform, she went rushing up to her son, telling him that: “the trunks, box, feather bed, and all, were every one on ’em left!” “No, they are not,” said John; “I saw them aboard myself.” “Wall, then, they’re lost off, for as sure as you’re born, there ain’t one on ’em in here; and there’s as much as twenty weight of new feathers, besides all the crockery! Holler to ’em to stop quick!” The stranger, pitying Mr. Livingstone’s chagrin, kindly explained to her that there was a baggage car on purpose for trunks and the like, and that her feather bed was undoubtedly safe. This quieted her, and mentally styling him “a proper nice man,” she again returned to her seat. “A rare specimen of the raw Yankee,” said the stranger to John, never dreaming in what relation she stood to him. “Yes,” answered John, not thinking it at all necessary to make any further explanations. By this time Mrs. Nichols had attracted the attention of all the passengers, who watched her movements with great interest. Among these was a fine-looking youth, fifteen or sixteen years of age, who sat directly in front of ’Lena. He had a remarkably open, pleasing countenance, while there was that in his eyes which showed him to be a lover of fun. Thinking he had now found it in a rich form, he turned partly round, and would undoubtedly have quizzed Mrs. Nichols unmercifully, had not something in the appearance of ’Lena prevented him. This was also her first ride in the cars, but she possessed a tact of concealing the fact, and if she sometimes felt frightened, she looked in the faces of those around her, gathering from them that there was no danger. She knew that her grandmother was making herself ridiculous, and her eyes filled with tears as she whispered, “Do sit still, granny; everybody is looking at you.”