Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-03-05

seeP' ~ uouoie you IOf nis DlRutcop
come and look at him, Fredr
did so, and roared at seeing red, wo-
yea CAP, of comical shape, which added con-
siderably to the wraihful expression Of the
vearer's features.
With perseverance which deserved bet
Ter cause, we each made tube Of paper, and
putting u end through the lamp hole, took
our turn at !" smoking him out !" aud blush
IS now think how heartily we enjoyed the
enrsged state ia which be paced up and
down the empty carriage, like Gagged IL
ger.
The next time we stopped, however, the
guard put his head into our carriage window,
and said, with wink
"Gentfm in next compartment complains
Of your smoking, SIR"
"Smoking |" we exclaimed, with mock in
digpation, DO We look rs though We ! been
smoking? What ronsense r. and added in
q mysterious manner, " You see there's one
vacant seat Of course we re not going TO tell
tales of the man who occupies that"
"All right!' said the guard, laughing,
wasn't born yesterday" And after a
slightly confidential transaction of pecuni-
sry 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 win dow
(which was itself all frosted over on to the
dazzling snow which covered all the land
scape and as we stamped orr feet on the
floor of the carriage, we began heartily to
wish ourselves at our journeys end. and BY
the 6reside.
"Halol what are We stopping for nov
| wonder whether we're going to DO an upset,
or anything exciting of that kind p said Da.
Wis, looking out Of the window. ~ don't
see a train anywhere that we can have
friendly collision with"
"Get out here, gentlemen" !" said the guard,
passing the window =" the line is showed up,
and we shall have to wait till it is clear
The grumbI.ng which this pleasant an
nouncement caused Was Immediately Stop
ped BY hearing the voice OF our disagreeable
companion in the next compartment. "Line
showed up, is it?" said the gentleman, try
ing to appear calm in his fury "and we get
out here p Oh! and do you suppose am
quietly going TO submit to this )? The line
| ought TO have been cleared ready for US. I
shall bring an action"
"Bas, sir" l said, how on earth could
they--
might ! request to know who spoke to
vou, siry consider your remark and in
| reference excessive impertinence."
This was little too bad, and turned to
Jack and whispered that We would devise
some plan of giving our friend lesson dem
onstrative of the evils attending bad temper
1t Christmas time.
Wewere fortunately stopped at distance
of only two hundred yards from . station !;
but very poor station it was, without any
wat,ng>room and refreshment rooms.
| The statiOn-master, who was q pleasant
sort OF fellow, said we sh uld have to wait
but couple Of hours. and gave US a room,
where we made the best Of bad Job, and
having sent for some beer from the nearest
"public," became, as Edwards maihematic
ally observed, appropriately happy. The old
gentleman, however, had not vented all his
wrath, but kept on matchmaking the snow
and railway people at intervals. After we
had warmed ourselves, Stretcher proposed
that we should have some songs; but as no
one volunteered, suggested that We would
get on our way sooner If We all went out and
helped to clear away the snow from the line
To this all agreed with the exception of our
amiable friend, Of course.)
w @seo Wosoc0 oWoy uCttAy tOE oOOut ou
hour, and were congratulating ourselves on
beng able to start again, when Jack came
running up with q very pleasant expression
Of counsenAnce, and as be tapped me on the
shoulder, / remembered that be had not been
with us for the last half hour.
"Fred," said he, !" I've an idea.'
Keep it, then, replied, for it is 90 rare
. commodity with you that would not de.
- = e. II
Don't chat, and I'll tell you al about it.
went up into the room at the station just
nov, and found cur friend, the old boy, fast
asleep in his chair, completely collapsed un>
der the soporific effects Of the FIRE and glass
Of brandy and water. Immediately ran in
to the village and bought these" be said,
showing me handful of screws, . gimlet
and screw>driyef.
.Whai in the name of everything ridicu.
ulous do you want these for :" asked.
Don't you see 4? We shall be able 70
start again directly, now that the line is
clear, We meanwhile run mp stairs, and
screw the old gentleman firmly into the room
the train goes on-we are revenged for his
surly behavior to US, and be will then learn
that old gentlemen should not be ill.tem-
pered at G christmas time"
"Capitall' said l, always ready to fall in
with practical joke let US be of at once"
We certainly found tie old gentleman in
as Morphoan torpor as we could wish.
His feet were propped up on chair, whilst
bis boots were drying, and he was breathing,
with his mouth wide open, in . rather apo
pleptic manner.
Shall put SNOWFALL i.to each of bis
boots ~ asked.
"No that would be too much of . good
thing but Ill tell you what You shall do.
You're rather a swell at drawing, aren't yon?
I'll JUS, burn the end of that beer bottle cork,
and you shall artistically adora his face
" That is splendid" he whispered, IS I'm.
ished of with giving him amoustache, which
turned up in tacetious manner. Just move
that looking.glass, and put it SO that be may
admire himself directly lie wakes; and now
let MS be off"
We walked on tip-toe to the door. The
hinges began to creak, and, cold as the
weather was, faint prespiration began to
develop itself on my forehead rs l noticed
the old gentleman move in his chair it vas,
however, only to turn his head on to the 9th.
er shoulder, aud We closed the door in safe.
y.
Give me the screws, quick, said, "and
60 to the bottom Of the stairs and prevent
any one from coming up
bored hole after hole as noiselessly as
could, and having made the door as fast As
eight good screws would make il, ran down
stairs and whisp. red All right"
s'Is there . gentleman up stairs, sir 7"
said the station master, walking towards US.
He asked me to wake him in time for the
train, and it is just ready to CO.
"Oh! be wont like to be disturbed till the
last roment, you may be sure" said Jack.
"By ihe.by, wished to talk to you Of plan
BY which think your station might be much
improved"
Now ar hitectrre happenened to be one
Of the station masters hobbies, and they were
soon deep in discussion. beat hasty re-
treat to the guard, and, producing q sover.
eign. said:
1.If you get US OF in 6ve minutes from
now. waiting for no one, and ring your bell
At the very last minute. this is yours"