Eastern times., 1856-03-06

-'N~- -
o'clock. That's out of the question. ButI'll
tell you what | can do > winking with a
knowing expression.
What can you do, Lu ~ And Screwler's
face frightened
can be in confounded hurry--always
behind my time, you know. And you can
Whatl'
Be always behind your time, also. Do
you take =
Oh certainly
The worthless then winked at each other,
and separated
On the next day Lu had load-iuIl nine
inside, and one outside Two or three of his
passengers had travelled that road frequently,
and fully calculated on filling their hungry
stomachs al Parker's. Butno. AT two o clock
they were wheeled off, under the comfortable
assurance that the dining house was ten miles
ahead. Ofcourse they grumbled, as all stage
passengers must, having little else 10 do. AT
last, after joltng along for an hour and halt
longer. until they become as keen as wolves,
the stage drove up to Screwler's tavern. Ev-
erythng around looked uninvting but hun
ger makes any place tolerab.e that gives any
assurance of food.
After waiting for full quarter of an hour,
during which there were constant enquiries for
dinner, the bell rung, and away went the ten
hungry men, on the run, prepared to demosh
everything before them. 1t was alarming, the
way bread, and vegetables disappeared, as if
by magic. But this work had only been in
operation for a few minutes when the drivers
horn rang suddenly in the door of the dining
room, causing every man instinctvely to drop
knife and fork, spring from the table and rush
out past the driver, as if he expected the
coach, with all lis precious baggage, 10 roll
away before he could possibly get inside of it.
As the last one tumbled in, grumbling as hard
as he conld, Jehu shut the coach door with a
hurried hand, sprung upon the box and cracked
his whip, and dashed off at the top of his
horses speed. In antici patton of this, Screw
Ter had'taken the wise precaution of requiring
the dinner fare to be paid at the bar before the
bell was rung.
How the disappointed and still hungry pas
sengers grumbled and growled at the driver
for the next hour or so, need not be told. Je-
hu bore it patiently, and laughed all the while
in his sleeve.
On the next day the same game was played
and with like success, the new batch of pas
sengers being as little on their guard as the
old. Thus matters went on for month or
two, much TO the delight of Screwler, who
could now make something by the new ar
rangement.
1t happened. about this time, that as the
ker's, the old dining house, a stout, hearty
looking man, comfortably dressed, presented
himself a; the coach door, and took vacant
place on the middle seat. There were three
ladies on the back seat, three men On the front
seat, and now that ar additional passenger had
been taken in, three on the middle seat, max
ing foil stage load. The new passenger
was quite chatty and sociable, and well ac-
quainted with men and things, and full of an
ecdote. He proved quite an agreeable COM
panion. But even his versatility and good ma
ture failed to interest his fellow sufferers long
Hunger was too keen.
At last, Screwler's ffih-rate house was
o.,J a,,I ,lal.,
dinner was announced. The gentlemen with
ladies had barely found time To help them, and
then get cleverly agoing themselves 10 the
blessed tune of knife and fork, when
drivers horn at the door Of The dining room,
followed by his loud
Coach right off, gentlemen Take your
seats, quick =
Up sprang the passengers, and scrambled
off, some swearing, and some too much under
the fear Of being left behind, 10 think of any
thing else but getting inside of the stage.
But there was one among them who was so
much engaged that he did not seem TO hear or
see anything of all this, until another blast
rung into the door, and Boniface touched him
on the shoulder, with
The stage is going, sir
But I've not half finished my dinner yet,
replied the passenger, who proved to be the
one taken in at Parker's, looking up in sur
prise, and sputtering forth portions of food
from his well-flled mouth as he spoke.
I'm sorry for that, sir, returned Screwler,
blandly. But | can't help it. The driver
will be off in a moment He is behind time
now, and must be in by certain hour, or he
will be discharged
sToo-too-ioo-o-o-o- !" screamed the
horn, louder than usual, followed by
All aboard = from the driver, who instant.
ly disappeared.
He's getting on his box now, sir, and will
start in moment urged the landlord.
'And I've paid for my dinner Too bad
too bad Well, hand me back my money
never pay for what l do not receive
Il can't do that, sir. Sorry for you.-
But the fault is not mine. My dinner has beer
all prepared, and you're welcome to eat it..
As matters were thus pressing, the passen.