Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-07-27
BATH, THURSDAY MORNING, JULY q, 1854

father Is regular screw, they say but this
one has got good name, as far as he can do
anything. II the old gentleman had been on
the coach that night instead of the young one,
you might have been wet through fifty times
before he would have said word for you,
Edith
What new friend have you picked up now,
Arthur 9 asked his sister when the short con-
ference was ended 'and what is that about
the coach! guess now why you had to bor-
row of me the day after your journey, TO make
up your book, as you said!'
Well, never mind now, Jessy I'll tell
you all about it another day. said Arthur
Years passed away, and Arthur Suther-
land, now man in his own right, was again
traveller from London to Birmingham, but
by different mode of conveyance. 1t was on
dark afternoon in winter that he entered
second class carriage at Euston square, and,
wrapping around him railway blanket, and
exchanging his hat for fur cap which he
took from his pocket, he leaned back in COM
Portable corner, and half closing his eyes,
waited patiently the signal for starting.
Arthur was in that kind of dreamy mood in
which little note is taken of surrounding OBJ
jects. He had that same day landed in Eng
land, after long voyage, and an absence from
home of two or three years. Physically, he
was well inclined to sleep through the five
hours of mOnotonous dullness which were, for
that time at any rate, 10 wind up his journey
ing experiences but mentally, he was never
more wakeful 1t might be sufficient to ac-
count for this that images Of home rose up be-
fore him, one after another, as he drew near
it, and mingled rather distractingly with the
"reminiscences Of his travels in another hemi-
sphere, and his calculations of profit and loss
which might accrue from it for his had been
commercial enterprise. But there were
other thoughts and images, which josted all
the rest into corner, and then combined with
them to tantalize his body with the vain hope
Of needed refreshing oblivion in sleep A
partnership in his fathers business was in i'm
mediate prospect, and home of his own, and
wife. Such wife, too, as his should be
and so long as he had wanted and so hard
as nc had striven to overcome one obstacle
after another which had arisen to postpone
the union, if not absolutely to forbid it, but
which had been overcome at last No won
der that Arthur Sutherland was in dreamy
mood, yet sleePless.
So dreamy indeed was he, that he had
scarcely noticed, before the train started, two
other travellers, who were sharing with the
compartment he had entered; and when he
perceived that he was not alone, the dim light
from the old lamp in the carriage roof told
him little more than that the person opposite
to him was man of respectable exterior and
middle age, and that by his side was stout
something in bearskin coat, with breath not
free from strong suspicion of ardent spirits,
which made close contact anything but pleas
ant, and moreover with voice rough, grating
and loud. Our friend had travelled too far
and too long to be very fastidous; but never
ertheless, coming to speedy conclusion that
it would be more agreeable to himself to in
dulge in his own particular reveres than to
hold communication with his fellow-traveIIers,
he settled himself more firmly in his corner,
and started off his imagination afresh into the
cloudland of the happy future.
Miles and miles the train sped along the
iron road, and many stations were passed.
Meanwhile the dreamy traveller became grad
ually aware that conversation, apparently of
some interest to his companions, was passing
between them and, as his ears were not al
together closed against earthly sounds, he
caught up insensibly some scraps of intelli-
gence relating to events which, though com
mOn-place enough at that particular time, had
to him tone of novelty. He heard, for in
stance, of princely fortunes that had been run
up in an inconceivably short space. of time in
the railway share market; of the mad excite
ment which had attended the blowing up of
the big bubble of the tricks and schemes of
knowing ones in buying in and selling out, in
starting illusory schemes and making profta-
bic merchandise Of human folly; of the burst
ing OF the bubble at last, and the ruin of hun
dreds, who, in making haste to be rich, had
left the substance for the shadow, and pierced
themselves through with many sorrows; ; and
of the distrust which recent disclosures had
spread through every commercial circle.
Il don't like it never did like this sort
Of wholesale gambling, said the gentleman in
the opposite corner 'and they are sacredly to
be pitied who have got their fingers well bit
ten by putting them into the trap. Their
families, to be sure, will have to suffer-that's
the worst of it,
All, well, Mr.. Smith, retorted the man
with the loud voice and bear-skin coat, who
sat by Arthur's side, Il can't say but there
has been good deal Of knavery at the bottom
of it all but if people will be cheated, let
'em, | say. But shouldn't have thought Of
hearing you run down railroads, however,
sI don't run down railroads. said the gen.
tleman, in quiet tone 'and 1 can only say
that l am thankful have so much to do with
their practical working, as you know, as to
leave.me neither time nor inclination to play
at pitch and toss upon them
] say said the wearer of the bear-skin
e l. A -