The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-12-12
From London Society
THE MAIL.GUARD'S STORY.

L..
Reader, have you ever been obliged to
walt at small country railway station
tor an early train? Ii you have not, you
have not experienced the ne pl1s ultra of
human misery But when, as was my
case last year, you have left a Jolly party,
driven five miles to catch the mail at ,
a. M, and found, on your arrival at the
station, not that the train had gone, for
that would be a relief, but that you had
mistaken the time, and had got three
quarters of an hour to wait, your lot Is
not an enviable one. So [ thought as |
stamped up and down the i'll lit plat
form, and gazed into the darkness be
yond, which was only broken by the dim
and misty light of the distance signal.
some hundred yards down the line The
occasional barking of IA house-dog alone
broke the stiffness, except when now and
then the autumn breeze played in wailing
tones on the Geographic wires over my
head. As paced up aud down to warm
my feet, felt regularly savage" that
the wel!-meant solicitations Of the con-
pany assembled at the Beeches had in
dIeed me to forego that last waltz with
Minnie Cameron, and hurry to the sta
ton.
at the house of relative, and what with
shooting, fishing, and Unjust | confess it'll
occasionally flirting with the blue eyed
Minnie, the days had passed rapidly; and
when recalled to London by my father 5
business like letter, which limited at some
- lmpendIng calamity connected with our
frm, | could hardly believe that my stay
had SO nearly expired. There was 10
help for it, and go | must. My relatives
appeared as sorry as [ was when | an
nounced my intended departure. and
fancy [ could discern traces of tears in
MInnie's sunny eyes as | babe her fare
well in the hall that evening. bearing with
me shining tress of her flaxen hair and
hasty kiss, as s0uCeatrs of my visit Oh,
Minnie, Minnie! what would that excel
lent man, the incumbent, think, could he
have seen the shining token OF what [
fancied was your affection for me, lying on
my table prior to its being committed to
the flames, with bundle of old letters.
when last month heard that you were
engaged
Under such circumstances as [ have
described, the reader will easily imagine
i was not In a particularly cheerful frame
OF mind on the night, or rather morning,
IN question. | sauntered into the dreary
waltlng-room, and, lighting a cigar, seat
ed myself in front of the expiring fire,
which [ was even denied the amusement
of stirring, the authorities having carried
away the fire-irons. Placing my feet on
the fender, lay back in my chair. and,
as most men would have done, | began
to ruminate upon the events of the last
fortnight, and-Minnie! After time
reused myself, attempted the reperusal
OF my fathers letter and them Tell
fast asleep. How long [ slept | cannot
say, probably about five minutes, but it
seemed an age, when [ was aroused by
the creakmg of the breaks of q train.
started up and rushed blindly to the
door, fancying that the mail had come
up, when came in violent contact with
the guard, who was entering at the same
moment as | was making hurried exit.
Beg your pardon, said the polite
official; wahts the matter?''
My train Is going, [ think" said L
Let ME see.
Its only adown goods and cattle, sir, .
replied my companion, which shunt>
here. The up mail ain t due for nearly
twenty minutes yet
''Confound it " | muttered. "why did
It wa Ike me them and returned to the
fireplace
Gold night, sir, :" remarked the guard
as he came toward me.
Yes, said |, ''and wretched fire,
too.
Il think we can mend that, at any
rate, he replied. and, leaving the room,
he returned In a few moments, accom-
panied by an Individual whom | rightly
conJectured to be the stoker of the goods
train, carrying d large shovel full of live
Goals, which, placed upon the cinders,
soon improved Our fire, aud gave quite a
cheerful aspect to the dingy apartment
Thank ye. Jim said the guard as
the stoker departed. Now, sir, that $
an improvement, amt it?' he added
cheeriully.
ut is, indeed I replied, 'sand I au
much obliged 60 you for procuring the
GOALS >
Don't name it. sir. was the reply.
"Oae must do something when one has
to wait
How long do you remain here, then?'
I asked
It'll $40, sir. take up the uiail,
was the reply
ooh, indeed said l.
Eyes, sir. I'm on this job all thi,
month. And as the guard spoke, he
draw pipe from his pocket, and having
tilleI and lit 1T, he began to smoke III 81
lence.
Have you been long on this line p
asked, after pause.
We'll, sir, about three years, aud OF
the mail duty, on and of, about one l n
: reg lar man of letters" he added, with
grin.
laughed, and he continued
was nearly choked with capital
letter when was baby. I had letters
on my collar when was in the police. |
was made guard all along of a bit of a
letter. And now am guard, / looks
after the letters. Having made these
remarks in jocular tone, my companiou
gave me kno wing nod. and puffed away
At his pipe with greater vigor than be
fore. | was much amused at his reioin
der, and asked him what he meant b,
having been made guard -'all along o
. bit of a letter.
u wasn't always guard. SIR. he re
piled, Il was once in the police, and i
was through being detective as cot t.
be employed on this line. -
Il suppose you didn't like the police
then?" said L