The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-31
WAITED FOR AT THE DOWNLEY
STATION.

| cation, oNON pENs
WAITED FOR AT THE DOwNLEY
STATION.
! AS stood at my door, looking for a
passing cab, could not help wishing that
! had taken my wife's advice, and gone to
| Downley by an earlier train. The weather
had grown much worse instead Of better,
anil not ONLY did the wind blow as bolster
ously as il had done all day, but its gusts
now drove before them heavy rain, which
would have wetted one through in very
few minutes. AS rule, dlsengaged cabs
crawling slowly past my house were a
nuisance, and now L had waited luli
quarter of an hour without seeing one,
and { knew that the margin beyond the
number Of minutes absolutely necessary
/, for getting to the station was growing
dangerously narrow. There was a howl
there was dcluge / could never walk
to the station in this. All there was one:
In answer to the mans hail, dashed
through my little garden, and in few
seconds was inside four-wheeler.
"Great Southern, sir yes, sir" SAID
the man as he stood at the door, the ram
pouring from his oilskln in streams. " An
! uncommon nasty night, sir"
So it was, and SO should fancy the poor
fellow found it, for when he opened the
door for me to aight at the station a COM
plete ring Of water formed where he stood.
We were in pretty good time after all, and
II cot my ticket and was seated comforta-
bly in the carriage for some minutes before
the nj ,ment of starting. There were very
few passengers in any of the carriages, and
in the one by which travelled, and which
was marked for the Downlcy branch,
| there were but two or three, and l was the
only occupant Of my compartment. The
| last bell had rung, the whistle had sounded,
the prcmonitory scream from the engine
had been given, and then, of course, had
| followed the first tug, when lheard voice
shout
"This way, sir; this way"
4 guard tore along the platform, fol-
lowed by belated passenger; my door
was unlocked, the stranger jumped, pant
ing. in, the door was slammed to, shilling
changed hands rapidly, and we swept from
the station.
"By Jove," exclaimed the newcomer,
wiping his forehead as he spoke; "by
Jove, that was a close thing"
Every" assented, land the last
train, too"
"The last train, certainly" said my
companion. 81 believe there IS no way
whatever Of getting to Downley if you
miss this train"
"There is none," replied, which is
very announcement"
ooh, excessively SOL returned he'
Have you any objection Z"
OF course, as he said this, he exhibited
his cigar-case, and finding | had no obiec-
ton, he pressed q cigar upon me, which, |
NAV remark, was one OF the very best
ever smoked, and then without further
speech he reclined with his eyes closed as
though in deep thought.
He wasa tall, good-looking man, with fine
) beard and moustache, very black and full.
But could not help thinking that bis head
was little too much like head from a
!, rdresser's window: and his attire was q
trille too like picture from fashion book.
Somehow everything about him was too
new and glossy to please me entirely; and
his iewelrysyas also too prOfuse, but it could
not be denied that his cigar was capital
one.
sank into revcrie as deeH as his own
RI indeed, | rather suspect | had begun to
doze, when was reused by the stopping OF
the train. My companion reused himself
too. | was on the side nearer to the plat
form, and looked out.
GA rough night still, isn't ?" he said.
at is, indeed" replied. "Just put
your head out, and try how the wind Is
| blowing"
emo, thank you," he returned, with a
smile 81 will take your word for It,"
l laughed in reply, and was about to
close the window, when the guard looked
in. The official passed on, but returned
in a few seconds, and stared somewhat
curiopsly, 1 fancied, into the carriage
The scream and the tug came again, and
on we went.
"That fellow had good stare at you,'
said my companion.
"Well, fancied he looked chiefly at
you," I said "but the fact was, have nc
Idoubt he smelt somewhat powerful odor
of tobacco, and he wished US to see that
he did"
81 shouldn't WONDER" said the stranger
throwing himself back with the languid
air of one who takes no interest in con-
versation. EDO we stop again before we
arrive at the Downley branch I"
"No," l replied.
every good, them" he continued ;"le
us make ourselves comfortable"
And, by way Of doing this, he unlocked
black v&lise he had with him, and drew
out a couple Of bottles Of champagne,
which proved as good in quality as his
f cigars. He next produced contriyances fol
glasses, which shut up into q mere ring
, With these appliances we very merrily
, journeyed over the twelve miles which
remained of the main line, when "Down-
ley Junction" was now shouted; and as
soon as we came to stand our carriage
was detached from the train.
Gail tickets ready, if you please" said
the collector, appearing at the door. Al
we handed our pieces of pasteboard to the
, man, the same guard who had twice before
looked in, peered over his shoulder, to the
annoyance of my companion, who .mutter.
} ed something strongly condemnatory of his
impudence.
II In another moment the main line was
laundering over the viaduct, and dashing
with its roaring and its sparks, into the
utter darkness of the night, while our
) modest little engine came fussing out o.
some siding, and was hooked on to its
smaller charge.
"Now we're eff to Downley," exclaim-
} ed my new friend.
But he was wrong. A delay Of some
minutes yet took place, which really
seemed quite unnecessary; for there was
not soul on the platform-alopg which
! the pnSts Of rain and wind cwa,} Serca1v