The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1862-02-12
From the Southern Monthly,
TWENTY MILES AN HOUR.
BY CHARLES HOWARD, OF NEW ORLEANS.

v
genial. whole souled, warm hearted Harry
Judson, as the baggage master on the New
Orleans, Opelousas and Great Western Rail
road. 1t was when the line of that road was
more Of wilderness than now, sparsely pop
ulated as that region Of swamp Louisiana yet
seems. Harry was man--a noble fellow,
who seemed to be sent into The world that
its beauties might be appreciated by az least
one Of its inhabitants. His heart was so full
OF sunshine that the darkest shadow falling
around il was soon dispelled. and his society
must have cured misanthrope Of the blues.
His eyes, Drumming with beneyolence and
sparkling with natural humor, gave electric
premonitIons OF the fashings Of iun aud mer-
riment that found more tangible ulterance
from his lips. II is thus that | remember
lin. and the many happy hours Of our social
and intellectual converse are as green spots
among the too-frequent sandy plains in my
memory. But there was a strong nndercur-
rent Of deeper feeling that showed IT'S strength
even upon the ripplrs of the surface, and ne
who supposed the light exterior Indicated a
want ol the sterner virtues OF the man beneath
1t, was greatly mistaken and little yersed
/ in reading human nature.
1 Harry was an independent. careless fel-
low, as free from the vassalage Of society's
lchains as any bird Of the air. With quick
perception aud intellectual taste, he might
| have been /" slave Of the lamp" but for his
vigorous physique, that rebelled against the
dreariness II the closet even as his spirit did
against thet of c0nyentlonalism. lie had es-
saved at one business aud coquetted with
4 Hz..E. L.. .I,i. he IN ad
at everything his ready hand was turned 70,
The acquired distaste for each, and when
opportunity accidentally threw him IN the
way Of this situation on the new railroad, he
accepted il in the spirit of adventure and
found pleasure IN lis novelty.
His swift coursing mind seemed 70 real
lie peculiar aud hitherto unknown exhila-
ration in the rapid m0tion Of the tram. and
lie leh sensh4on u pride and delight in this
mad speed through foress OF moss-hung pine
and over swamps and trembling prairIes.
that no other among his fellow employees
could sympathise with or appreciate. tie
had soon reduced his duties 10 such a system
and discharged them with such fidelity. as to
secure the confidence and esteem of his en-
pIoyers. while his punctnality and obllging
disposition made tor him a friend OF every
one living along the line Of road with whom
his business brought him IN contact. end who
were indebted 10 him for many little fayors.
, There is no denying thar Harry bad an eye
for beauty. lie would have been untrue TO
his own nature IL the smile Of pretty face
would not have sent throb OF pleasurable
emotion ia his breast. Bu, the higher strung
cords of his heart had never vet been touched
by that one destined hand, whose fingers a
lone were 10 awake such strains as should
startle him by their strength aud depth. H'
had sometimes wondered TO htm,elI whether
he had heart, nr il il ever was 70 meet -
ideal. Not finding il, he was content to en-.
! ioy The beauties Of nature. and as he sat be.
fore the wide door OF the baggage car he gaz
. ed upon rapidly shifting panorama, nesei
10 be tired Of. tina. was invisible to grCssel
/. eyes.
One day on the down trip. when the train
had Just regained lis regular speed aite
!. stopping AZ way station few miles back
Harry was standing at the door ol the bag
gage car with paper IN his hand that b,
= proposed occupying lew OF his leisure mo
Il ments with. when he perceived the tiutter .
o pink skirt among a clump OF trees jus
ahead, and his attention was aulckened
' The mex, instant he shot past the spot, an,
in another il was lost TO his sight. lis stoo'
in his position for a moment looking abstract
edy upon the trees as they fitted past, bu
the paper was not 10 his hand. What wa
! he thinking OF and what had be seen ~ tha
. brief psrtIclc oI time!
!, lie was trying 70 recall what he had seen
but his ideas were confused, aud u was n
. most in vain that he sought 70 analyze III
impression that had flashed upon his retini
y and disappeared in the same second. u
could secure but fragmentary recollectio
!. OF the scene. There was quantity Of brow
rnglets tha. shook spurtively around pref
" face there was one Of the neatest I
forms, in front Of which the newspaper ha
: fallen, and what was more than all. an
prominent above every other impression
there was distinct recollection of smil
ir Of pleasure and surprise, q modest glance
.. grateful recognition, that had sped, like .
u arrow from the bow right into his iunu.