Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-11-24

Tvs ouis Lucy ldNC SuSh "SS'
appetites, that each one eats up his full half
dollars WORTH
That's bad, replied Lewis, who began
10 think of his ftp a head. whats to be
done?'
Cant you get in soonerT
mo. My route IS only 25 miles, and L
don't get my passengers until near wo
o'clock, that's out of the question. But III
tell you what I can do winking with a
knowing expression.
what can you do, Luz And Screwlers
face frightened.
Il can be in a COMPOUNDED hurry-al-
ways behind my time, you know. And you
can
sWhat?'
BE always behind your time also. Do
you take 2
'Oh certainly
The worthless then winked at each other,
and separated.
On the next day, Lu had a full load-nine
inside and one outside. Two or three of
his passengers had travelled that road fire.
quently, and fully calculated on filling their
hungry stomachs at Parker's. But no. At
two o'clock they were wheeled of under
the comfortable assurance that the dining
house was ten miles ahead. Of course they
grumbled, as all stage passengers must, hav-
ing little else to do. At last, after jolting
along for an hour and a half longer, until
they had become as keen as wolves, the
stage drove up to Screwler's tavern. Every
thing around, looked uninviting; but hun
ger makes any place tolerable that gives an
assurance of food.
After waiting for full a quarter of an hour
during which there were constant enquiries
for dinner, the bell rung, and away went the
ten hungry men, prepared to demolish every
thing before them. 1t was alarming, the
way bread, and meat, and vegetables disap-
peared as if by magic. But this work had
only been in operation a few minutes when
the drivers horn rang suddenly in the door
of the dining room, causing instinctly to
drop knife and fork, spring from the table
and rush out pas, the driver, as if he expec-
ted the coach, with all his precious baggage,
to roll away before he could possibly get in
side of il. As the last one tumbled in,
grumblIng hard as he could, Jehu shut the
coach door with IA hurried hand, sprung up
on the box, and cracking his whip, dashed
of at the height of his horses speed. In
anticipation of this, Screwler had taken the
wise precau,ion Of requiring the dinner
fare to be paid at the bar before The bell was
rung.
How the disappointed and still hungry
passengers grumbled and growled at the dri-
yer for the next hour or so, need not be told.
Jehu bore it patiently, and laughed all the
while in his sleeve.
On the next day the same game was play
ed, and with like success the new batch Of
passengers being as little on their guard as
the old. Thus matters went on for "A month
or two,m much to the delight of Screwler, who
could now make something by the new ar
rangement.
1t happened about this time, that as the
grumbling passengers were about leaving
Parkcrs. the old dining house, "A stout, hear
ty-looking man, comfortably well dressed,
presented himself at the coach door and took
a vacant place on the middle seat. There
we're three ladies on the back scat, three
men on the front seat, and now that an ad-
ditional passenger had been taken in, three
on the middle, making a full stage load.-
The new passenger was quite chatty and So
ciable, and well acquainted with men and
things, and full of anecdoie. He proved
quite an agreeable companion. But even
his versatility and good nature failed to in
,erest his fellow sufferers long. Hunger was
too keen.
At last Screwler's fifth rate house was
gained, and after ii IA long and tantalizing de-
lay, dinner was announced. The gentle
men with ladies had barely found time to
help them, and then got c~leverly a going to
the blessed tune of knife and fork, when
'Too-too-too -too-o-o-o-o-on! rang
} from the drivers horn at the door of the din.
ing room, followed by his loud
coach right of, gentlemen! Take you
seats quick"
, Up sprang the passengers and scrambled
! of, some swearing and some too much unde
, fear of being left behind, to think of any
! thing else but getting inside of the stage.
d But there was one among them, who wa.
: so much engaged that he did not seem II
hear or see any thing of all this, until an
u other blast rung into the door, and Bo
9 niface touched him on the shoulder
> with
'The stage is going SIR
But I've not half finished my dinner yer
9 returned the passenger, who proved to be on
II taken in at Parker's looking up in surprise
and sputting forth portions of food from h
we'll filled mouth as he spoke.
IS Pm sorry for that SIR returned Screwle
II blandly, but | can't help it, the driver wi
be off in a moment. He is behind his tim
~ now. and mus, be in by a certain hour, {
II he will be discharged
'TOo-too-too-O-o-O-o-o!' Screame
the horn louder than usual, followed by
y AN aboard y from the driver, who di
~ appeared.
: Hes getting on his box now, sir, al
:, will start in a moment urged the Liant
10 lord.
~ And I've paid for my dinnerl Tt
"a bad too bad! Well, hand me back n
u money; for | never pay for what | do n
VI r~eceive.'
Il can't do that, sir. Sorry for you.-
S. But the fault is not nine. My dinner h
to been all prepared, and you are welcome
s. eat it,
OK As matters were thus pressing, the passe