Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-31
A RIDE WITH A MADMAN.

A RIDE WITH A MADMAN
A RAILWAY INCIDENT.
In the month of August, 1S-, it was
incumbent upon me to take Journey to
town at some distance from nv own
residence. Time being no object with
me, and the country through which my
route lay very beautiful, j resolved to
take it in what was to me the most enjoy
able way; but after dilisent inquiry for
anything in the shape of s. stage, found
that the mail-coach hal ceased running
the week before; so that ."tl.e rail" was
my only chance Of getting 10 the place of
my destination. Whereupon | made a
virtue of submitting, though
with the worst grace in the world; for
my habitual dislike to this mode of tray
cling was increased by one of those un-
accountable fits of reluctance to taking a
journey, which sometimes seizes one, and
which is usually set down to the score of
nervousness. So l tried to explain mine:
which, as the time drew near, rose to a
complete dread of it, to my no small an
noyance, for | had contempt for omens
and presentiments and zea'ously, but
vainly, tried to pooh! pooh! myself
out oft.
The morning broke, dull, wet, oppres-
slve, with apparently half score of
thunder-storms in reserve for my especial
use; and at six clock jumped up from
an uneasy dream, in which | was strug-
Cling with some nondescript wild beast,
to find | had only half an hour left to
make my toilet and get to the station
Ofcourse, everything went wrong; strings
slipped into hnvts-buttOns new. Never
was there such confusion I could not be
quick, was in such hurry. Hastily
swallowing cup of tea, (part of which,
to crown my mishaps, went the wrong
way,) ran to the station. | reached it !;
found the time had been altered got my
ticket and sprang into carriage, which
tempted me as containing only one occu-
pant y and the huge mass slowly took it's
noisy way from under, acres surely, of
glazed roof, and speedily left it behind.
The rain ceased as wegot into the open
country; fine breeze sprang up, which
blew away my fidgets, and l began inter-
nally to laugh at myself for having been
such fool-not forgetting to congratulate
my better self on its having triumphed
over the nervous fears that had beset me.
1t really became almost pleasant. 1t was
a mail train, so that | was secure from
the plague of frequent stoppages, and
their consequent fresh starts. There was
all exhilerating atmosphere-the dark
clouds that had spoken of thunder when
[ rose,k now betraying no such obstreper-
Gus intentions, but quietly taking them
selves off as fast as they could. The
weight on my spirits was removed-yss
/ began to be susceptible of a modified
sort of enjoyment; and in the gaiety of
my heart, told my fellow-traveller that
it was fine day-a remark to which he
youchsafed me no answer, save such
might be called the turning on me pair
of eyes that looked vastly like live Goals.
They almost made me start; but | con-
sidered it was no business of mine. The
gentlenan's eyes were his own, and
doubted not that mine, owing to short,
sleepless night, were as much too dull as
his were too bright; so I whisked my
pocket-handkerchief across them, by way
of polishing them little, took out a
newspaper, sank into cosy corner, and
prepared to read, or sleep, as the case
may be- In the very drowsiest part of
long speech, was just going off into the
most luxurious slumber imagina bic, when
Twas reused by the restlessness of my
companion, who, as walked up thorough
ly, seemed laboring under some strong
and inexplicable excitement. He looked
agitated, changed his seat frequently,
moved his limbs impatiently, borrowed
my paper, and in trice returned it with
some unintelligible observation; then
peered anxiously out of the window,
through which.he thrust himself so far as
to induce me to volunteer caution,
which he received pleasantly, stared at
the wheels, as though he were calculating
their revolutions, and then resumed his
seat.
His perturbation was manifest. | could
not imagine what possessed the man but
at length, noticing the agitated manner
with which he often glanced through the
window, as though to see whether we
were followed, | determined that he must
be some gentlemanly rogue, to whom
speedy flight was indispensable, and that
his anxiety and excessive disturbance
arose from fear of pursuit-a fear that to
me seemed one of those vain ones peculiar
tits perhaps proper to remark that in England,
where the occurrence here described took place, the
railway carriages very differently constructed
from our own. They closely resemble a coach, and
are intended TO accommodate but six passengers
each.