On habits and manners

Many who sat alone in a seat turned their heads and looked out of the window, leaving their baggage to speak for them ; some declared that the seat was "engaged." Miss Charlotte looked pleasantly at the first woman and child who entered. The woman hesitated, but seeing Sarah's seat so near, sent her little boy to that and sat down very gladly. Several were left standing, but when the conductor came in he found seats for all, and Sarah was very thankful that she was not one of those whose baggage he unceremoniously removed to accommodate some of those they would have least welcomed. When the cars stopped for dinner, Miss Charlotte proved to have brought her lunch basket with her, and as Sarah also had some sandwiches and fruit in her satchel, she had another opportunity of watching her model. She was glad that she, too, had a nice clean napkin to spread on her lap, and though she had no pretty fruit knife like Miss Charlotte, she followed very closely her example of neatness, keeping her crumbs in her napkin, and folding her apple cores and peach stones in a paper, wondering indeed why she didn't throw them out of the window as some did, till she saw she was only waiting till the train had moved out of the station and away from the town, where they would be annoying to passers by. Seeing the little boy by her side look longingly, as children will, at her fruit, Sarah would have liked to offer him one, but fearing that his mother might not think it best for him, she held it up with an inquiring look, as she caught her eye. The mother smiled and nodded, and Sarah offered it to the little fellow. He looked towards his mother, who said, "You may take it, Tommie, and say thank you." Sarah was pleased to see that Miss Charlotte saw it too, and was delighted when she gave her a pleasant smile. After that the little fellow became quite sociable and she enjoyed his childish talk ; but nothing more of note happened till, when at the next station Miss Charlotte was getting off, as she passed Sarah's seat her veil was caught and drawn off, and she went on without perceiving it, till Sarah, hurrying after, handed it off of the platform, calling "Oh, Miss Charlotte, here is your veil you dropped." "Oh, thank you very much," said the young lady with surprise, "but my name is not Charlotte, did you think it was?" "Oh, no, ma'am — I — beg your pardon," said Sarah, her cheeks growing very hot. The pretty young lady looked puzzled, but laughed and said, "Well I thank you very much all the same," and there was no time for more, the train moved off, and Sarah took her seat again, and wondered all the way what "Miss Charlotte" would imagine about it, and what her name really was, and where she lived, and what she would think if she could know she had been a " model." But she never saw her again, and that is all the story. You might make up a great deal prettier ending if you were to try, no doubt, and imagine a great many more circumstances.