The mountain Democrat., 1864-04-02

ana crept out. nut ~ an instant he
emerged from buffet, where believed
he had been imbibing some artificial stim-
u!ant, TSshc3 at ne, called to black beard,
who was inside, also believe engaged
with some stimulant, and they both rush
ed at me. In a second they had seized
me by each arm, and had forced me back
into the carriage, diSchargiug oaths and
profane language which shocked me-
Mysterious, unaccountable behavior =
What could they mean! No matter at
the next responsible station would lay
the whole case before the person in au.
thority. This should be brought to a
crisis.
About every five minutes either black
beard or red beard looked III from the
outside, in their progress along the foot
board, stared at me for some moments,
and disappeared. 1t was Outrageous
But no matter. Meanwhile I was still
dilapidatcd. ruined, diSheveled and drag.
Tgled. | knew my appearance to be ab-
jcct and repulSive; and yet WIS denied
an opportunity of getting into any smooth,
respectable shape. My little pocket glass
showed me an odious spectacle. AT last
here was the station. ! was to descend" :"
as they called it. 1t was MalincS, Bruges,
BruSses-no matter where it was. 1t
makes no difference in she interest of this
narrative. None in the least. All 1 have
to say is, that-O moment Of degradation
and humiliation !-as the convoy" (that
believe to be the correct phrase glided
in, distinctly saw the face of the idol
with female friend Of the idols, and a
male friend of the idols, standing there
on the platform, scanning the inter ior Of
the carriage with scrutinizing gaze.
With spasmodc motion, | buried my
face in handkerchief, to escape recogni-
ton. Perhaps was too late. Most like
ly was. On second thoughts was not
for | laughed grimly at the notion. The
squalor and neglect with which " rs as
it were begrimed, had no doubt done their
work Of disguise but too well. IIa! ha!
They were scrulinizing the interiors
eagerly. They were high up. They
would soon be low down. Stay. There
was one last chance. What if there were
some quiet nook, some off shoot to the
refreshmcnt.room,w where wretchcd hunt
cd, prosecuted passenger might enjoy say
ten minutes solitude, and might shave, or
scrape, with or without water.
They had turned and were coming
} down. In second | had bounded from
the carriage In the shock Irebounded
against Belgian officer in spectacles, who
J fell heavily. | learned afterwards that
his spectacles were broken on the asphalt
did not stay to pick him up was
considered brutal Englishman. No
matter. l still urged on my headlong
career. Here vas the relreShment- room
, filled with hungry crowds, and here tc
, the left was door. Quietly and without
noise opened il; there was passage
: and beyond the passage a door, | opened
the door, and discovered a pretty littl,
/ room-a bedroom. Possible the station
masters not impossible the station mas
ter's wife's drawing-room, for there were
lace and muslin on the glass, and there
was little girl of about five years old on
stool at the fire, reading picture book
!, A pretty picture Of innocence! Was ever
mortah man so Fortunate No one had
lollowed--I was unobserved-every thing
favored-there was a kettle singing OF
the hob. This last intcrposition seemed
almost miraculous. Hot water ready
1t was marvellous. Without a second.
delay took Oft my handk erchief, threw
back my color. barred my throat a nd got
out my sole surviving razor. In few
minutes it would be over. and then
The child began to cry-howl, perhaps,
would be the more correct term. had
noted a scared look on the child part
when first entered. No wonder-it was
pardonablc in the child. IappaIcd i! in
! to silence by seizing it by the arm. and
dealing it ferocious glance, and then be.
gan to whet my razor. Not a moment
was to be lost. ! got some hot water
from the kettle, barred my throat once
more, threw back my head, and The
child began to howl diStnay once more
1t was too annoying. Trying to assume
momcnt-I rushed at it, caught it by the
arm, and play(uIly made passes at it with
the razor At that moment the door was
flung open, and red beard, black beard,
and men in bloaseS, porters, women, and
passengers generally, all came rushing in.
In an instant black beard and red beard
had me each by an arm, and my sole re-
mainng razor was snaiched from me -
Worse than all, saw the idol, and the
two friends of the idol, pointing at me
with something like horror.
There is no necrf to dwell on that pain
full history. They-she--Saw me in my
squalid, olioss, repulsiye-
in the hands of the constituted authori-
ties. That wrttched rgd beard was my
bane. lie hated mcGecause had not
fed him abundantly. They tried to make
up some absurd story Of Inv attempting
my own life with razor in railway car
riage; of my being mad and dangerous,
and afterward trying to destroy young
child with the same deadly instrument
did not mind their chargcs-not in the
least. What did mind was the squalid
spectacle presented to the idol. " HON l
saw turn away from me with uncon cealed
disgust. No wonder Their interest and
testimony as to my saneness saved me
from any inconvenience-but the idol
came out of the ordeal changed She
never got over that vision she neverwas
the same to me afterwards. cannot
blame her.
SUBLIMITY on THE RAMPAGE" AS the
ostrich uses both legs and wings W h en- the
Arabian courser bounds in his rear-as
the winged lightnings leap from the hea-
vens when the thunderbots are loosed-
so does little niger run when big dog
is after him |"