The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-01-31

nad 0Ot Dccu Will Aio AoA s
"Fred - he said, "rve an idea"
"Keep it, them" replied, "for it is SO
rare a commodity with you that | would
not deprive you of it for the world"
"Don't chat, and I'll tell you all aoout
Il, / went up in the room at the station
lust now, and found our friend the Old boy
fast asleep in his chair, completely col
lansed under the sopotiic effects OF the
fire and a glass of brandy and water. l
Immediately ran into the village and
bought these" he said, showing me
handful of screws, q gimlet, and screw
aWhat in the name of everything ridicu-
Ions do yoA want these for 7" asked.
g Don't you seer we shall be able to
start directly, now that the line is clear
we mean while run up stairs and screw the
old gentleman firmly into the room-the
train goes on-we are reyenged Tor TINS
surly behavior to us, and he Will then learn
that old gentlemen should not be lll-tem-
pered at Christmas time.'"
/" CAPITAL ~ said, always ready to fall
in with practical joke; "let us be oil AZ
once" ;.
We certainly found the old gentleman in
as Morphean state as we could wish. lis
feet were propped up on chair, whilst his
boots were drying, and he was breathing
with his mouth wide open in rather apo
plectic manner. =.
"Shall put SNOWFALL into each of his
boots ?' | said.
"No. that would be too much of o good
thing, but I'll tell you what you shall do;
you're rather swell at drawing, aren't
you? I'll just burn the end of that beer
bottle cork, and you shall artistically adorn
his face"
"That is Splendid" ne whispered, as |
finished off with giving him moustache,
which turned up in a facerious manner:
{" Just move that looking and put 1t SO
that he may admire himself directly ne
wakes: and now let us be off,"
We walked on tiptoe to the door. The
hinges began to creak; and cold as the
day was, faint perspiration began to de-
veiop itself on my forehead, as | noticed
the old gentleman move in his CHAIR II
was, however, only to turn his head on 10
the other shoulder (; and We closed the door
in safety. ;,
"and go to the bottom OF the stairs and
prevent any one coming up"
bored hole after hole as noiseleSsly as
l could, and having made the door as fast
a. eight good screws could make it, / ran
down stairs and whispered: "All right"
"Is there gentleman up stairs, sir |"
said the station-master, walking towards
us. Gle asked me to wake him in time
for the train, and it is just ready to CO."
ooh he won't like to be disturbed till
the last moment, you may be sure," said
Jack. "By-the-by, | wished to talk to
you of plan by which think your sta
| ton might be much improved"
Now, architecture happened to be one
of the station. masters hobbies, and they
were soon in deep discussion. | beat
hasty retreat to the guard, and producing
sovereign, said:
"If YOU get US off in FIVE minutes from
now, waiting for no one, and ring your bell
at the very last moment, this is yours"
"All right, sir! the luggage is all in, and
most of the passengers. Take your seats.
Going on A" he shouted, whilst stood with
my watch in my hand.
Zone minute left Ring the bell now "
I said. .If they undo those screws in one,
or even five minutes, I'll eat them"
We jumped into carriage, the guard
gave the final whistle, and the train moves
slowly on. We anxiously watch the result
of our plot, with our heads out of the win
dow. After waiting one or two minutes,
! un neti-ad Gs~-.~ o~Dsiv"isti"S 90 th"
station window.
The train then passed into deep cut
ting, and we lost sight Of it.
think that have forgotten to say that
l was going to spend the Christmas with a
college friend. He had gone down a few
days before, and had promised to meet me
at c. station.
You may imagine that was not sorry
to find myself arrived there, nor yet 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 arrange
mcnts he had made for our mutual amuse
ment. Tomorrow" he said, five set
aside for the skating party | have
had the pond in the park swept, and invi-
ted all les jcuncS ds,noise!les within reach,
and as they have all accepted, it will give
you very fair idea of our "natiye
beauty"
Now, of all jolly things in the world, I
think skating party is the jolliest. Tom
saws that | am fond of showing my skating
off; but deny that this has anything to do
with it. In the first place, the frosty
weather land the mulled claret) induce
high spirits; then there are the tumbles to
laugh at, and the ladies' skates to strap on
(Which last, in my own mind, is not the
least pleasant part of the ENTERTAINMENT.
We had by this time reached the house,
and after having accomplished our toilets,
Tom took ne into the drawing room.
"The guv'nor isn't at home but let me
introduce you to my sister Minnie"
Miss Minnie rose and held out her hand
at once. For my own part, was too dunn
founded to utter single word. am told
that | am far from eloquent when describ-
ing female beauty, so | will not attempt it
here but I must say that | had never,
and have never since, seen such pretty
and merry face. When dinner was an
nounced, however, had recovered my
equanimity sufficiently to offer her my
arm, and after short time we got to know
one another thoroughly.
The dinner perhaps il may have been
The port wine) hadI opened my heart, and
when we removed to Toms sanctum, TO
smoke where, by the bye, Miss Minnie in
sisted on joining US, saying that she liked,
the smell of tobacco, and found it so dull
by herself") began to relate my adven-
lures with the old gentleman.
Peal after peal of laughter arose as |
proceeded with my narrative. ! warmed
with my subject, quite outdoing myself in
the description of the old gentleman's an
CRY face and his irate behavior.
"Here I" / said in triumph, sis my
trophy p and held out the nightcap.
Never shall forget that moment bro