Litchfield enquirer., 1867-01-31

sort of fellow, said we should have to wal but couple of hours, and gave us room where we made the best of bad job, an having sent for some beer from tn nearest public" became, as Edwards math ematically observed, approximately happy The old gentleman, however, had not ye vented all his wrath, but. kept on anathe matizing the snow and the railway peopl at intervals. After we had warmed our selves, Stretcher proposed that we shoul' have some songs; but as no one volunteer way sooner if we all went out and helped to clear away the snow from the line. IL this all agreed with the exception of ou, amiable friend, of course)
 We had worked away merrily for abou an hour, and were con ngratulating ourselve. on being able to start again when Jacl came running up with very pleased ex. pression of countenance, and as he tapped me on the shoulder, I remembered tha. he had not been with us for the last hall hour.
 ''Fred, he said 'I've an idea"
 ''Keep it then" replied, flor it is so rare commodity with you, that ] would not deprive you of it for the world''
 Don't chaff and I'll tell you all about it. lwent up into the room at the station just now, and found our friend, the old boy, l fast asleep in his chair, completely collaps- ed under the soporifc effects of the fire 1 and glass of brandy and water, I inme- diately ran into the village and bought these" he said, showing me handful of screws, gimlet, and a screw driver
 "What in the name of everything ridicu- lous do you want these for?" asked. Don't you see? we shall be able to start again directly, now that the ins is clear; we meanwhile run up stairs, and screw the old gentleman firmly into the room-the tram goes on-we are reven gedfor his sur ly behavior to us, and he will then learn that old gentlemen should not be iu-tem- pered at Christmas time'" N
 "Capital!' said, always ready to fall in with practical joke; ''let us be off at once"
 We certainly found the old gentleman in as Morphean torpor as we could wish. his feet were propped up on chairswhilst his boots were drying, and he was bieath- ing with his mouth wide open, in nther apoplectic manner.
 ''Shal I put a snowball into each of lis boots?" I said.
 ''No! that would be too much of a gooA thing, but I'll tell you what you shall do: you're rather swell at drawing, aren't I'll just burn the end of that beer-bottle cork, and you shall artistically adorn his face"
 "That is splendid" he whispered, as ] finished off with giving him moustache, which turned up in facetious manner. ''Just move that looking glass, and put it so that he may admire himself directly he wakes; and now let us be off e We walked on tiptoe to the door. The hinges began to creak; and cold as the weather was, faint precipitation began to develop itself on my forhead, as I noticed the old gentleman move in his chair; it was however, only to turn his head on to the other shoulder, and we closed the door in safety. .-.ea5
 ''Give me the screws quick, said, "and go to the bottom of the stairs and prevent any one coming up"
 bored hole after hole as noiselessly as I could, and having made the door as fast as eight good screws would make it, I ran down stairs and whispered, "All right!'
 Is there a gentleman up stairs, sir?'' said the station-master, walking towards us. He 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 a plan by which I think your station might be much improved"
 Now architecture happened to be one of the station-master's hobbies, and they were soon deep in discussion. I beat a haSfv %o %bo r~,,o,l oo sovereign, said
 now, waiting for no one, and ring your bell at the very last minute, this is yours. J
 All right, sir! the luggage is all in. and most of the passengers. Fake your w seats ats Going on!' he shouted, whilst I stood with my watch in hand.
 'One minute left? Ring the bell now!' l said. eff 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 nov ed slowly y on. We anxiously watched the result of our plot, with our heads out ot the window. After waiting one or two minutes, we noticed figure gesticulating at the station window. The train then passed into deep cutting, and we lost sight of it. ...-.
 I think I have forgotten to say that I was going to spend the Christmas with a College friend. He had gone down few days before, and 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 ar- rangement he had made for our mutual amusement. Tomorrow" he said, s.I'ye set aside for skating party; have had the pond in the park swept, and invited all les jeunes damoiselles' within reach, and as they have all accepted, it will give you a very fair idea of our '' ''native'' beauty"
 Now, of all jolly things in the world. I think 8 skating party is the jolliest. Tom says that am fond of showing my skating off; but deny that this has any thing to do with it. In the first place, the frosty weather land the mulled claret) induce high spirits; then there are the etumbles to laueh at, and the ladies' skates to strap on (which last, in my own mind, is not the least pleas ant part of the entertainment.
 We had by this time reached the house. and after having accomplished our toilettes. Tom took me into the draWinS-roon