The mountain Democrat., 1865-11-18
face.
Not stop Z said L

But at that moment some one Close BY
affirmed that the train was returning to
take up few and sure enough it came
backwards into the station sbme minutes
afterwards, with the passengers glaring
out Of the carriage windows at us like red
hot wild beasts.
The halloaing and shouting that ensned
Was fearful, THSH Of electiOneering, tits
nothing to an excursion train You only
wanted the candidate to fling dead rabbits
and garbage at, and you wouId have be.
lieved yourself back, at the time of the
Reform Bill, when Uncle Truebue's win.
dows were broken, and poor Aunt Plum.
per miscarried with twins.
4 will never 60 by this horrid train l
cried, 0s Slowman, oil excitement, was
tugging like madman at the handle Of a
third class door. You may kill me on
the spot if you like. Mr.. SIowman, but
nothing on earth shall induce me to go by
it-there 7
/ turned upon my heel and shut my
eyes, and pushed straight before me till
found myself again in the waiting room,
where, through the window, could see
SlOwman running from carriage to car.
riage, as though the last day were come,
and this was the only train to heaven
How could he so demean himselfl Oh, !
blushed for him.
Thoug b for the matter Of that, the peo-
pie we're all the same, just as if they had
whiting tied to their tails, | couldn't keep
from talking TO myself, as stood there to
see them; and fairly stamped when
caught sight of our Keziah, as wild as
any, hurrying off with that young Bul,
lock, with the fellows arm around her
waist.
The girl is mad, thought, for / was
beyond speech. Presently the door was
dashed open, and in bounced young Bull
lock, out of breath.
Make haste, ma'am, make haste! We
have kept a capital corner for you. though
it is only in cattle truck they have put
on behind
Away, serpent cried; and sinking
upon chair, my feelings overcame me,
and ! dissolved into tears.
A piercing steam whistle, whose excru-
ciating shrillness turned my skin into
gooseAesh, reused me from my misery.
With my fingers in my ears, I rushed to
the door just in time to see Slowman drag
ged from an open carriage window which
he had attempted to enter while the train
was moving from the platform, when the
portcrs had secured him by the heels, and
pulled him ignOminiously forth like 4
thief.
laughed scornfully, for was half glaG
to behold him punished for his desertior
and neglect OF the wife Of his bosom.
If ever there was finger Of Provi
dence,' said, as he came up to where
stood, looking sheepish enough as yot
may suppose--'f ever there Was a finge
of Providence, Slowman, that was one.'
am good-tempered enough If every
thing goes smooth; nobody can deny tba
--or if they do, | will 30 further anc
show them that folks are never so put out
as when they are contradicted fiat. No
lamb but would feel mortified at being left
behind by an excursion train; no lamb but
would be in tantrums about it. 1t is as
much as to say you are not good enough
for our company.
Now have my own opinion on that
matter, and will never sit under any body's
footstool, that | am determined. Conse-
quently ] do not mind admitting, that for
the next two hours, Slowman led pretty
life Of it with me. and have no doubt he
was quite sincere in wishing himself at
-home.And NE, at tJericho, though,be need
not have put himself 10 the trouble of re-
peating that bad wish so frequently as he
did.
If it had not been that Keziah was ac-
tualy gone on with that young Bullock,
who, said |, if he does not take care
may fnd himself figuring at the Exeter
assize court some fine day for abduction
or arson, or something worse If it had
not been for that, and that they kept on
dcceiving us with the promise of another
special train coming every instant,
should have turned round and walked
myself back every step Of the way to
Slowmansleigh, and have entered an &C.
ton against the railway company the very
next day for breach OF promise, and |
would have had the Lord Chancellor to
lay the damages.
| may he deceived, for | am not the
Pope Of Rome, but l believe it was half
past ten or a quarter to eleyen-I won't
be particular to a minute-I only know
the telegraph wires were buzzing so. that
| expected every moment they would 60
off like gun-when we saw the up sig
nal turn slowly round. by which we knew
our train was coming in at last.
People had begun to look blank and
limp with waiting, but now they hustled
about as lively as crickets, and swarmed
like ants in and out of the offices.
1t is a matter of history how Jessie, the
Flower of Dumblane, sang 'Campbeil's
are coming, at the relief of Lucknow; but
never knew what it was to enter into her
feelings, poor thing, till heard the whis-
tie Of the engine and saw that train come
sailing alongside the platform.
Luckily, Slowman and found beau
tiful carriage with lamp burning ON the
top to prevent taking liberties in the tun-
ucISS hlIu u nOOi lOOtIuS up ~ OhO All
kIes, and cloth Innings that would have
been comfortable had it been winter, in.
stead Of broiling sun, and the perspira-
ton running in peas down ones face. 1t
smelt rather musty, too, that's fact, and
| was scandalized to see the moths walk.
ing in and out of holes Just as they do o
Sundays in the faded green baize OF squire
Jilly's pew in church, directly as the or.
gans begin.
A polite gentleman with large whiskers
and gold chain, worth mint of money,
sat opposite to me, and a more genteel
Romeo and Juliet looking fellow l never
saw.
The curl of his moustachios spoke vol
umes of military romance. 1t seemed to
me he must have been bred up in the
Castle of Otranto, and that he held the
Horse Guards IN his pocket