Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-07-14
An Adventure in Railwa A1sarriage.
After I had taken my seat one morn

After | had taken my seat one morn
ing, at Paddington, in an empty car
riage, I was joined, just as the train
was moving off, by a strange looking
young man, with remarkably flowing
hair. He was Of course a little hur-
ried, but he seemed besides to be so
disturbed and wild, that I was quite
alarmed for fear ofhis not being right
in his mind, nor did his subsequent con
duct at al re-assure me. Our train
was an express, and he enquired eager
ly at once which was the first stati on
we were advertised to stop. Iconsult-
ed my Bradshaw, and furnished him
with the desired information. 1t was
Reading. The young man looked at
his watch.
"Madam," said he, II have but half
an hour between me and it may be ru-
in. Excuse therefore, my adruptness.
Iou have, I perceive, q pair of scissors
in your work basket Oblige me if you
please, by cutting off my hair"
"Sir,' [ said, ''it it impossible"
''Madam,'' he urged, and look Of
severe determination crossed his feat
ures, Il am desperate man; beware
how you refuse what | ask. Cut my
hair off--short, close to the roots-im-
mediately; and here is a newspaper to
hold the ambrosial curls."
] thought he was mad, of course, and
believing it would be dangerous to
thwart him, I cut off all his hair to the
last lock.
"Now, Madam" said he, unlocking
a small portmanteau, Eyou will further
oblige me by looking out Of the window,
as | am about changing my clothes."
OF course I looked ont Of the win
dow for very considerable time, when
he observed:
"Madam, | need no longer put you
to any Inconvenience"
| did not recognize the young man
in the least. Instead of his former gay
costume, he was attired in black, and
wore q grey wig and silver spectacles;
he looked like respectable divine Of
the church Of England, about 81 years
OF age; to complete that character, he
held a volume Of sermons in his hand,
which, they appeared SO to absorb him,
might have been his own.
Il do not wish to threaten you, young
lady" he resumed, "and I think, be-
sides, ] can trust your kind face. Will
you promise not to reveal this meta
morphosis until your journeys ond?"
II WILL" said I, ''most certainlyn
At Reading the guard and a person
in plain clothes looked into our car
riage.
you have the ticket, my love?" said
the young man blandIy, and looking at
me as though he were my father.
"Never mind, sir, we don't want
them," said the official as he withdrew
his companion.
Il shall now leave you, madam" OBJ
served my fellow traveller, as soon as
the coast was clear. "By your kind
and courageous conduct you have say
ed my life and perhaps your own" In
another minute he was gone and the
train was in motion. Not till the next
morning did I learn from the Times
newspaper that the gentleman on whom
[ had acted as hair-cutter had commit
ted forgery to an immense amount in
London few hours before [ met him,
and had been tracked into an express
train at Paddington. But that--al
though the telegraph had been put in
motion and desc ribed him accurately
at Reading, when the train was
searched, he was nowhere to be found.
-H0usch0Id W0rds.