The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-07-20
MORNING, JULY 90 1867. 9

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+ way sooner if we all went out and helped to
tslear away the snow from the line: TO this ali
agreed, Cwith the exception of our amiable
friend, of course.) ~
j, We had had worked away merrily for about an
hour, and were congratulating ourselves on
being able to start again, when Jack came
running up with a very pleasant expression of
Sountienance, t "a and as he tapped me on the
shoulder, I remembered that he had not been
with US for the Inst half hour .''
j; z Fred, J" lie said, GIVE an idea" 80
"Keep it, then" I replied; for it is SO rare
q commodity with you that would not de-
priye you of it for the world"
'"Don't chafc, and I'll tell you all about it.
went up into the room ut the station just now,
and found our friend, the old boy, fast asleep
IN his chair, completely collapsed under the So
poriic effects of the fire and a glass of brandy
and water l Immediately ran into the village
and bought these he said, showing me q hand
full of screws, gimlct and a scrcw-drivcr.
"What in the name Of everything ridiculous
do you want these fer ?" asked.
9 "Don't you sec we shall bc able to start
again directly, now that the line is clear; we
will, meanwhile, run up stairs and screw the
old gentleman firmly into the room-thc train
goes on-wc are rcvengcd for his surly behav-
dor to us, and he will then learn that 'old' gen
tlemcn should not be ill-tcmpercd at Christmas
time"
"Capital!" !" said, always ready to fall in
with practical joke; ''lct us be off at once"
We certainly found the old gcctleman in as
Morphean torpor as VIC could wish. His feet
were proppcd upon chair whilst his boots
were drying, and he was breathing with his
mouth wide open, in a rather apoplectic man
ncr.
"Shall put u SNOWFALL into each Of his
boots 2" said
"No! that would be too much Of good
thing, but III tell you what you shall do;
You're arc rather swell at drawing, aren't
you? III just burn the cnti Ut that beer bot
tie cork, and you shall artisticallylador his
face.
nat SEspIcnaIu;- nc- whispered, nsrr -nus
ishcd off with giving him moustache, which
turned up in iacetious manner. "Just movo
that looking glass, and put it so TINT he may
admire himself directly he wakes; and now
let us be off"
We walked on tiptoc to the door. The
hinges began to crcak; and cold as the wealth
or was, faint pcrspiration began to develop
itself on my forehead, as noticed the old gen
tlcman move in his chair; it was, however,
only to turn his head on to the other shoulder,
and VIC closed the door in safety.
Give Inc the screws quick" said, ''and go
to the bottom of the stairs and prevent any
one coming up"
bored hole after hole as noisclessly rs I
could, and having made the door as fast as
eight screws would make it, ran down stairs
and whispered '.Ali right"
els there gentleman up stairs sir Z" said
the station master walking towards u.s. "Hc
asked me to wake him up in time for the train,
and it is just ready to go"
'Oh, 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 station might be much
| improved"
Now architecture happened to be one Of the
station masters hobbies, and they were soon
deep in 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 minute, that is yours"
"!All right sir!' The luggage is all in and
most of the passengers. Take your seats.
Going on he shouted, whilst stood with my
watch in hand.
/ 'Onc minute left Ring the bell now," I
said
eff they undo these screws. in one or even
five minutes, I'll cat them"
We jumped into carriage, tho guard gave
the final whistle, and the train moved slowly
on. We anxiously watched the result Of our
plot, with our heads out of the window Af-
ter waiting one or two minutes, We noticed a
figure gesticulating at the station window
The train thon passed into deep cutting, and
VIC lost sight of it.
! CHAPTER III.
1