The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1864-05-03

once had an adventure--
Il paused at a groan which ] tried
TO smother IN my big plaid while the
two other pheasant tellows brisiled up
with a perfectly ghoubsh expectation.
/ once had little adventure IN a
railway carriage, which may strike
yoa gentlemen as ne least uncommon.
Il occurred ia ihe closing stage 81 a
pretty long journey ard sron a
branch line, on which, fortunately for
ne, tbere was little traffic. | mus,
premises however. that there were two
lines Of rail. lr changing carriages
was tired and STUPID, and got into the
first which offered itself, rather glad 70
find lhat il had 30 other occupant,
And as | calculated that there were
full two hours OF slow travelling before
me, | made myself as snug as cireum-
stances would permit, and the result
is simple / fen fast asleep. ! had
all'sorts Of fantastic dreams, OF course,
as one does have IN unusual positions ;
bat What walked me | did kuow ]
nor Why | felt constrained to start up
with a horrible misgiying at my heart
as opened my eyes. II was pitch
dark. Tie light ID the root had gone
out, or else Lad never existed. But
where were we, and why was It dark F?
Above all, why we're we not moving,
and why the darkness grew upon me
as something that could be felt Z There
is song about the beating Of ones
heart it was, indeed, the only sound
heard as ! made my way to the win
dow could see nothing but the lu-
minous rings which came rs / beat
my eyelids together, vainlv | could
only feel. tried my waistcoat pocket
for fusee box--tound il; there were
bu~ two matches, aud | struck one
desperately.
Oh, the glorious beauty ofthat light !
transient as il was; the utter misera-
bic dM kuess which followed, as il sput-
tered for a moment and then went out.
Ii had shown me nothing but a ghast-
ly heap in one corner, which ] started
from neryously, remembering the next
moment that it was my own coat and
wrap. / shouted, bat there was none
to answer, while the sound of my own
voice told me where ] WAS. ! knew
all about it by that time, though |
tried 10 fight off the conviction. /
had got into the last carriage in the
train, and had been left beIind--not
under the broad sky where the star
light might have helped me, but in a
tunrel and alone. That was the
crownng horror Why should this
large carriage have been the only one
left, as il must have been, for | had
shouted loud enough to rouse the sew
en- sleepers; and why was there no
one in it but myself? | knew the
tunnel and It's length but where
abouts in its hideous blackness was !?
Should ] get out? / tried the doors,
but they were locked. ! could per-
haps have scrambled through one of
The windows; but to what purpose,
and on which side /? Stretching out
my hand, | fried to feel for The wall
Of the tunnel, shuddering as / thought
il would meet me clammy and stoue-
cold, like the hand Of a corpse.
But | could not reach it. Was il;
the other side? | passed over to try.
Hush ! What was that? drew
lack my arm 'instinctlvely, and sunk
down a helpless mass on my scat
again. Do you know what It was
gentlemen, that heard then? 1t was
the snort Of a distant engine. Every
where before me | saw the glare Of
two ferocious eyes, like the eyes d a
wild beast in his den, and knew that
every snort was bringing the monster
steadily closer. Which line Of rails
was itupon F? Nearer still. Another
minute--less--and where should | be?
Mutilated fragments of a human body
once my own, whirling away in all
directions, rose up to answer that
question as it passed through my
mind. Nearer still. II takes but a
minute. say the wise and learned, to
bring before man his whole life I;
but at that strange moment, instinct
as il was with n horrible aud fascnat-
ed excitement, saw only the fero-
cious eyes, aud heard the voice Of my
young brother, dead long years ago,
calling upon me tocome and save him,
as he was wont TO 10 in his delirium.
Nearer still--and the earth quiv-
cred beneath me, and thunder filed
my ears. There was whiling rush,
a quick wind, and then the roar going
Off into the distance agail When I
could think Of myself ! found tlfat
was sitting doubled up, shrinking as &
man would from a threatened blow,
and my hands were elenched I'll ! felt
the smart Of the nails In my flesh.
The train bad chanced to be on the
other line Of rails. or---I had not been
sitting here now TO speak Of ii. An
engine was dispatched to bring up the
missing carriage. as soon as the fact
Of is having been leli behind vas
discovered. And 80 ended nay little
adyentare--in good time for lhis Is
your staten, | think, gentlemen"
And the nervous man and ll,e dys-
pepiic got out. Tbs hero 81 the lillh
adventure looked at me, ard eoaghed