The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-02-15

with perseverance which deserved
a better cause, we each made q paper
tube, and putting the end through the
lamp hole, took our turn at "smoking
him out;" and blush us / now think
how heartily we enjoyed the enraged
state in which he paced up and down
the empty carriage, like Gagged tiger.
The next time we stopped, however,
the guard put his head into our carriage
window, and said with wink:
"Gentl'm in next compartment COM
| plains of your smoking SIR"
Smokingw we exclaimed, with
mock indignation. "Do we look as
though we'd been smoking? What
nonsGnse?" and added in mysterious
manner, "You see there's one vacant
seat; of conrse we're not going to tell
tales of the man who occupied that"
Allrightw said the guard, laughing,
81 wasn't born yesterday" And after
q slightly confidential transaction of a
pecuniary nature, left us in peace.
The snow, which had been falling
heavily all day, now lay thick all
around. Our eyes ached again, as we
looked out of the window (Which was
itself all frosted over,) on to the daz-
zling snow which covered all the land
scape; and as we stamped our feet on
the floor Of the carriage, we began
heartily to wish ourselves at our jour
ney's end, and by the fireside.
"IIalloo! what are we stopping for
now? Iwonder whether we're going TO
do an upset, or anything exciting of
that kind, said Davies, looking out of
the window. 81 don't see train any
where that we can have q friendly col
lision with"
a. Get out here, gentlemen" said the
guard, passing the window; "the line
rs showed up, and we shall have 10 wait
till it is clear"
The grumbling which this pleasant
announcement caused was immediately
stopped by our hearing the voice Of our
disagrceablc companion in the next
compartment.
cline showed up, is it?" said that
gentleman, trying to appear calm in his
fury, and we get out here? All! and
do you suppose | am quietly going to
. submit to this? The line ought to have
been cleared ready for us. shall bring
an action"
"But sir, how on earth could they
-
"NIight I request to know who spoke
to you, sir? Iconsidcr your remark and
interference excessive impertincnce."
This was Il little too bad, and turned
to Jack and whispered that we would
devise some plan of giving our friend q
. lesson domonstrative of the evils at
tending bad temper at Christmas time.
We were fortunately sto Dped at dis
tance of only two hundred yards from
a station but very poor station it was
without any waiting-room or refresh
ment rooms.
The station-master, who was a pleas
ant sort Of fellow, said we should have
to wait but a couple of hours, and gave
lis Il room, where we made the best Of 1
bad job, and having sent for some bCoi
from the nearest public" became, ar
Edwards mathcmatically observed
approximately happy. The old gen
tloman, however, had not yet ventco
all his wrath, but kept on anathemGti
zing the snow and the railroad people
at intervals. After we had warmed
ourselves, Stretcher proposed that We
should have some songs; bat as no one
volunteered, / suggested that we SHOULD
Get on our way s)oner if we all wen'
out and helped TO clear away the snow
, from the line. To this all agreed lwitl
: the exception OF our amiable friend, Of
, courae.)
We had worked very mcrrily fol
about an hour and We're congratulatinl
ourselves on being able to start again
when Jack came running up again will
o very pleased expression of counte
nance, and as he tapped Inc on the shoui
, der, l remembered that he had not beel
with us for the last half hour.
Cred" he said, "I've an idea"
"Keep it them" replied, "for it i
so rare commodity with you, that
would not deprive you Of it for TIN
world"
Don't chafr and I'll tell you all abou
it. l went up into the room at the sta
ton lust now, and iouud our friend, tn
q old boy, fast asleep in his chair, com
/ pletoly collapsed under the sopariflic ei
, feels of the fire. and glass Of brand.
=. and water, l Immediately ran into tn
village and bought these, he said, show
t ing me 4 gimlet, and a screw-driver.
"What in the name of everything ri
/ dlculous do you want these lor""
= asked.
= "Don't YOU see? we shall be able {
start again directly, now that the line
O clear; we meanwhile run up stairs, an
r screw the old gentleman firmly into IN
u room-thc train goes en-we are rt
vcnged for his surly behavior TO Us, an
T. he will then learn that 'old gentleme
L should not be i'll tempered at Christina
S Iime.'"
"Capitalw l said, always ready to IA
If in with Il practical joke, "let us be of
d once"
We certainly found the old gentlema
in as Morphcan torpor as we couI
=, wish. His feet were propped up in
e chair, whilst his boots were drying, an
=, he was breathing with his mouth wit
a open, in rather an apoplectic manner,