The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1854-04-28

Then, Sir, l must thank you for a., and
hope to be able to return the kindness
some other way" and the man re-joined his
wife,, ... v....,s .,.. .. ..
That's young Sutherland ho said. His
fathers regular screw. they say, but this
one has q good name, rs far as he can dc
anything. II the old gentleman had been
on tho coach that night instead Of the young
one. You might have been We, through City
times before he would have said word. fol
you, Edith" s-' .'.'
"What new friend have you picked ur
now, Arthur asked his sister, when the
short conference was ended, ga and what ID
that about the coach! I guess now why
you had TO borrow Of mo the day aflei
your journey, to make up your book, rs yor
said" i'.''. ..r -
Years passed away, and Arthur Suther
land, now a man, in his own right, was agair
. traveller from London 70 Birmingham. bu
on different mode Of conveyance. Il wa,
on q dark afternoon in winter that HI
entered second class carriage at Euston
square, and sat wrapping around him rail
way blanket, and exchanging his hat for Q
fur cap, which he took from his pocket, he
leaned back in comfortable corner, and,
half closing his eyes, awaited patiently the
signal for starting.
Arthur was in that kind Of dreamy MOOD
in which little note is taken Of surrounding
objects. He had that same day landed ir
England, after long and stormy voyage
and an absence from homo of two or three
years. Physically he was we'll inclined Il
sleep through the five hours Of monotonou'
dullness which were, for that time ut any
rate, to wind up his journeying experiences
but mentally he was never more wakeful. =
Il might be sufficient to account for this tha
images OF home rose up before him, one ut
ter another, Us he drew nearer to 1t, ant
mingled rather distractingly with the rem
iniscences Of travels in another hemisphere
and his calculations of profit and loss which
might accrue from it 4; for his had been {
commercial enterprise. But there were 9th
or thoughts and images which jostled all tn,
rest into corner, and then combined will
them to ianlalize his body with the vain hop,
of needed and refreshing oblivion in sleep
A partnership in his fathers business wa
an immediate prospect, u home Of his owl
and O wife. His wife, too, rs his would be
and so long had he waited, and SO hard hat
he striyen to overcome one obstacle ate
after another which had risen to postpon'
the union, if not absolutely to forbid it, bu
which had been overcome Mt last. No won
der that Arthur Sutherland was in o dream,
mood, yet sleepless. ,. ......
So dreamy was he, indeed, that he hat
scarcely noticed before the train started, tw,
other travellers, who were sharing with hin
the compartment he had entered and wheI
he did perceive that he was not alone, ih'
dim ligh, from The oil lamp in the carriage
roof told him little more Than that the per
son opposite 10 him was a man OF respecia
BILE exterior and middle age, and that by hi
side was stout something in bear-skiI
coat, with breath not free from a strong sus
pcion OF ardent spirits, which made clos'
contact anything but. pleasant, and, more
over, with voice rough, grating and loud
Our friend had travelled loo far and long I,
be very fastidious; but, nevertheless, com
ing TO a speedy conclusion that il would b.
more agreeable 10 himself to indulge in hi
own particular reveries than 10 hold com
munion with his fellow travellers, he SCI,
tied himself more firmly in his corner, ant
started off his imagination afresb into The
cloud land Of The happy future.
Miles and miles The train sped along lft
iron road, and many stations were passed
Meanwhile The dreamy traveller became
gradually aware that a conversation, appar
emily Of some interest 10 his companions
was passing between them, and as his ear.
were not altogether closed against earthly
sounds, he caught up insensibly some scrap.
of intelligence relating 10 events which
though commonplace enough, at that par
,icular time, had 10 him tone Of novelty
He heard, for instance, Of princely fortune.
which had been run up in an inconceivably
short space Of time in the railway share mar
ket; OF the excitement which had attend
ed the blowing up Of the big bubble; o.
The tricks and schemes Of knowing ones, IN
buying in and selling out, in starting illuso
ry schemes and making profitable merchan
disc of human folly; Of the bursting Of The
bubble at last, and the ruin of hundreds
who, in making haste 10 be rich, had los
the substance for The shadow, and pierced
themselves through with many sorrows ,ant
Of the distrust which recent disclosures had
spread through every commercial circle.
al don't like i'll never did like this
sort OF wholesale gambling" said tho gen
,leman on the opposite corner, "and they
are scarcely 10 be pi,icd who have, go'
their fingers we'll bitten by putting them
into the trap. Their families, TO be sure,
will have 10 sufTer-thai's the worst OF it,
"Ah, well, Mr.. Smith," re,ored the man
with the loud voice and bear-shin coat, who
sal by Arihur's side, 4" cant say but wha.
there has been a,good deal o. knavery ai The
bottom Of tall but IL people will be cheat
ed, le: 'em, ! say. But | shouldn't have
though, Of hearing you run down railroads
however,
"I don't run down railroads." said The
gentleman, in quiet tone, " aud can on.
" say am thankful have had so much Ia
do with their practical working, rs you
know, rs 10 leave me neither time nor In.
olinatiou to play at pitch and toss upon
them.n
81 say" said the wearer ofihe bear-skin
coat, in a confidential tone, nudging Az.
thurs side, 10 attract attention, when the
train was stopping nj station at which
their fellow traveller had for minute or
two alighied, Il say, do you know that
gentW
[" No, sir" replied Arthur.
"AhW resumed bear-skin. drawing q
long breath, " a lucky fellow, that. Why,
YOU must have heard OF Smi,h-Alexander
Smiih-ihe grea, railway man I"
I" No, I haven't said Arthur, 81 have
been abroad good while, and have not
been day in England" ,..
q Tha, accounts for Il. You will hear
abou, him, then. Well, that's he. Ten or
a dozen years ago he was nolhing but
birmingham mechanic, but by some lucky