Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1867-01-30

head as l noticed the old gentleman
move in the chair; it was, however.
only to turn his head on to the other
4 shoulder, and we Closed the door in
/ safety
Give me the screws. quick, saia,
and go to the bottom Of the stairs ana
prevent any one from coming up.n
| bored hole after hole as noiselesslv
as | could, and having made the door
as fast as eight screws could make it,
| ran down stairs and whispered !" All
right !"
:. Is there a gentleman UP stairs.
sir p said the station master. walking
/ towards US. :. He asked me TO wake
him in time for the train, aid it is
ready to 60"
Oh he won't like to be disturbed
! till the last moment, you NAV bc sure. -
said Jack. d" By the by, / wished tc
talk to you Of a plan by which YOU
station might be much improved
Now architecture happened to be
one of the station masters hobbies. and
they were soon in deep discussion. 1
beat hasty retreat to the guard, and,
! producing a sovereign, said:
4" If YOU get off in FIVE minutes from
! now, waiting for no one, and ring Your
bell at the very last minute, this IS
yours"
All right, sir the luggage Is all
IN and most Of the passengers. Take
your seats. Going or !" he shouted.
whilst I stood with my watch in hand.
lone minute lefs : Riae tho bell.
now :" I said. Ii l,.-, t.uao those
screw in oaa 5r even five minutes,
HI co. 5' IA.
We jumped into the carriage. the
guard gave the final whistle, and the
train moved SLOWLY on. We anxiouslv
watched the result of our plot, with
our heads out Of the window After
waiting one or two minutes we noticed
a figure gesticulating at the station
window. The train then passed into
a deep cutting, and we lost sight Of it,
think | have forgotten to say that
/ was going to spend the Christmas
with a college friend. He had gone
down few days before, and had prom
ised to meet ne at C station.
1ou may imagine that l was not
sorry to find myself there, nor vet to
see my friend, Tom, stamping his feet
on the platform, no doubt thoroughly
tired of waiting for the train. As he
drove me up, he began talking Of the
different arrangements he had made
for our mutual amusement -" To
morrow" he said, q" have set apart
for skating party; I have had the
pond IN the park swept, and have IN
vited le jeancs demoiseties within reach.
and as they have all accepted it viii
give You a very fair idea of our ma
tive beauty"
Now, of all the jolliest things in the
world, / think skating party is the
joIlicst. Tom SAYS that am fond of
showing my skating off bat | deny
that this had anything to do with it.
In the first place, the frosty weather
(and the mulled clarct) induce high
spirits, and then there are the tumJlcs
TO laugh at, and the ladies' skates to
stra on, (Which last, in my mind, IS
not the least pleasant part Of the en-
tcrtainment.)
We had by this time reached the
house, and, having accomplished our
toilettes, Tom took me into the draw
ing room.
The Gov'nor is not at home, but
let me introduce you to my sister
Minnie"
Miss Minnie rose, and held out her
hon T.,
| was too dumb-foundcd to utter
single word. | am told that I IN far
from eloquent when describing female
beauty, 50 l VIII not attempt it here
but | must say that had never. and
/ have never since, seen such pretty
and merry face. " hen dinner was
announced, however. / recovered
equanamity sufficiently to offer her
my arm. and after a short time We
got to know each other thoroughly.
The dinner (perhaps II may have
been the port wiue) opened nv heart.
and when we removed TO Toms sane
tum to smoke (where, by the by, Miss
Minnie insisted on Joining us. she
liked tobacco smoke, and found it dull
by herself) l began to relate my ad-
venture with the old gentleman
Peal after peal Of laughter arose as
l proceeded with my narrative I
warmed with my subject, quite outdo-
ing myselfin the descrition Of the old
gentIeman's angry face and irate be
havior.
Here" I said in triumph. "is my
trophy - and l held cut the night
cap.
Never shall I forget that moment
brother and sister stared at it for
one second, and then Tom, looking
vacantly at me, Immediately went off
into an hvsterical fit OF laughter
His face began to look quite black.
and the tears relied down his checks
Ny face presented anything nat
laughing appearance, for | was struck
with amazement at this behavior At
last with what little breath he had
left. he managed 70 get out the words
Its-the Gov nor 's-night cap !
AS he said this. he pointed to
small label inside the cap, which had
not noticed before. and there, sure
enough, were the words
T. GRUxBLEFoFD, Esq,
GFumblethorp Hall.