The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-05-11

bly,, foeling indeed greatly indebted
10 him for sparing my life; t'but
there is no necessity for your ser
vices, as this gentleman will take care
OF me-" He replied to this by
rudely snatching at box and basket
which tho conductor--unsuspccting
mortal-held IN his hand. The
basket fell first to tho ground, scat
tering its contents far and near-fricd
ham, hard-boiled eggs, fried chicken
and buttered rolls-my model lunch,
which L had not tasted-all tumblcd
heltcr-skelter over the floor. The
career of the box was still more dis
astrous. 1t happened to be ono of
those exccrabie, old-fashioned band
boxes, so universally mathematical
by tho male sex. This unfort,,nate
specimen OF the race seemed to have
been the object Of some special male
d1ctlon. When it was knocked SO
uncercmoniously from the conduc
tors hand, the string which, held it,
and which had carefully tied with
my own hands, but never with m
idea of such violent treatment, gave
way, and off came the cover. The
box struck against scat in it's down.
ward progress, which completed the
business. Out came the heteroecnc-
ols contents-laces, frills, handkcr-
chlcfs, collars, cuffs, and lastly, my
sweet love of bonnet, which 1 had
only enjoyed the felicity of wearing
once, it being bran-ncw- finding
companlonship with the eggs, rolls
and fried chicken. Was ever such q
test to Il woman's temper? AS if the
man had not already injured me suf-
ficiently, by frightening nc to death,
without spelling my new bonnet!
Whatever display might have made
OF my tongue and my temper under
more favorable circumstances, in the
present instance, was too much i'm
pressed with the words and demcanor
of another of the party to be any
thing but neutral lookcr-on. No
sooner did the young man witness the
result of his rude conduct that he
went Oft into q furious passion. Such
profanity, such wicked blasphcmy.
had never heard issue from human
lips. He stormcd mt the conductor
III the most dcnunciatory language
consigned the worthy, innocent soul
to the lowest depths of Tartarus,
Though not i'll quite so polished a
phrasc,) ard was so loud and bolster
Gus III his srath, that the poor man
almost shoo' in his shoes. After de-
molishing the box, he stamped it us
HAT as s: pancake, until it bore not
tho mercst scmblance to its former
shape, and then turning, in pcrcmp-
tory tone, ordered me to "come on.
But endurance, / thought, s'had
ceased to be virtue" and, moreover,
the sight of my a'lorcd finory in such
imminent peril of utter annihilation
aroused all the physical and moral
courage dormant i'll my nature. For
those cuffs and collars, laccs and rile
bons-and for that bonnct (it was 4
bluo-velvct, adorned with black lace.
elegant flowers and white fcathcrs)-
for that enchanting bonnet, l would
ANY day
BEARD the lion in his den
The Douglas in his hall
| decidedly refused to leave the car.
until I had gathered up the remnants
of my millcncry. Seeing my deter
mination, the originator of all the
mischief did not oppose it. To my
establishment, he seemed to have for
gotten entirely the share he had in
the catastrophe, and with great gusto
assisted in gathering up the articles.
l contemplated him with bcwil,lcr-
mcnt, for l could not comprehend
such sudden changes of mood. He
otlerod me his hand to step from the
platform, and the conductor, who
stood near, in readiness to perform
the service, stepped back, sending
me q glance which seemed to imply !
he considered it best to tolerate the |
intrusion, remembering onr former
experience. AS he clutchcd my hand
tightly, l became so faint with
Thoughts Of the knife and the terrible
oath l almost lost my footing. In
fact, | would have fallen, had not the
lunatic grasped me with his other
hand
Tho conductor ushTcd me into
the agents Office, where roaring
fire was burning, and everything bore
an air of comfort, in striking contrast
to the rain and drcariness without.
| told the agent, tall, tinc-looking
man, the namc of the friend whom | |
expected to meet me- He knew the
family well, he said, "but there is
no carriage here to meet you In
fact, there is no vehicle of any sort
about the depot" He advised me to |