The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-01-31
Prom London Society.
How 4 Lost my Whtskefs.


an old gentleman who sat, with his face
hidden by newspaper, opposite to me In
q railway carriage. 80,
All the seats in the carriage were filled.
and four others were on our way from
Cambridge to enjoy the Christmas vaca-
ton. Our spirits were high; for there Is q
delight in banishing for time all though,
of comic sections, Newton's "Prlncipia,
and the little-go, and entertaining, In ex-
change, visions of "hops," skating parties,
and all the orgies which every right minded
family hold at this season in honor OF King
Christmas.
But must introduce you to my chums,
for chums we were, although our tastes ala
not all lie in the same direction. Jack
Stirrup is Tor rather was at that periodJ
riding and hunting man, and was not IN
frequently to be seen in Newmarket
Stretcher, on the other hand, loved boat
ing, and preferred the sight of well-de-
veloped biccps to that of the best bred
hunter, and would often remark to JACK
"How on earth you can say that you would
rather see the Two Thousand than the
"Time-race in the 'Colquhoun Sculis,' l
cannot for the life of me make out" Ed
wards was a poor and reading man, but
whose wit and talents made him univer-
sal favorite whilst Davies was rich,
open-handed, good hearted fellow as ever
lived. For my own part, | do not think |
had any well-defined popularity, but did
a little of everything. | read little,
rowed little, hunted little, had far
income-in short, if had any character
istic at all, it was q love of laziness and
practical jokes.
We congratulated ourselves on getting
carriage to ourselves with the exception
of the old gentleman l have named), for
we intended TO keep out the cold, and be-
guile our journey with sundry pipes and
cigars. We had our cases out, and were
preparing to light up, as matter OF
course, when we were astonlshed by my
viS-a-viS dashing away the newspaper
which had hidden his face.
"Do object to smoking. Yes, sir, DO
object | object very strongly, sir and
beg that you will instantly replace your
cigars in your pockets. insist On having
no smoking in this carriage"'
We looked aghast at this sudden burst
of old gentlemanly wrath.
\ "Might | ask if you intend travelling
far on this line, sir?" inquired Edwards in
his comically polite tone.
"Wbat is that to you, sir? What busl-
ness is it of yours where l am going to"
al merely wished to suggest, in case OF
ysur travelling far, that pleasing, delight
full as it would be for us to enjoy your
agreeable society, yet, nevertheless, we
would try to bear the loss should you pre-
fer to change carriages at the next STA
ton"
"No doubt you would wish to get rid of
me; but no, sir! do not move my seat,
and the first one that smokes | report to
the guard"
ain that case l fear that we shall be
obliged, painful though it be, to tear our
selves away" said, as we drew up ut a
small station.
Fortunately we found the next compart-
ment empty, and rs we started again we
pulled out our cigar-caSeS, this time 10
light their contents.
1.-THE old boy has certainly got out of
bed the wrong side this morning." said L,
putting away.
"Or has made mistake in his betting
book" remarked my sporting friend.
"We'll give him benefit now, at any
rate: vote we take it in turns TO puff
s az NM ma GUvIru down little is about
to compose himself to sleep. I'll trouble
you for his night-cap; come and look at it,
Fred"
did so, ana reared on seeing red,
woven cap Of conical shape, which added
very considerably to the irascity of the
wcarcr's features.
With perseverance which deserved a
better cause, we each made tube of
paper, and putting the end through the
lamD-holc, took our turn at " smoking him
OUT; and l blush as | now think how
heartily we enjoyed the enraged state in
which he paced up and down the empty
carriage, like Gagged tiger.
The next time we stopped, however, the
guard put his head into our carriage win
dow, and said with wink:
Gentleman in next compartment com
plains Of your smoking, SIR"
"Smoking ~ we exclaimed, with mock
Indignation. ado we look as though
we'd been smoking? What nonsense"
and added in mysterious manner, " You
see there's one vacant seat; OF course
we're not going to tell tales of the man
who occupied that"
"All right" said the guard laughing,
81 wasn't born yesterday" And after
slight confidential transaction Of pecu-
mary nature, left US in peace.
The snow, which had been falling heavily
all day, now lay thick all around. Our
eyes ached again, as we looked out Of the
window (Which was itself all frosted over]
on to the dazzling snow which covered all
the landscape; and as we stamped our
feet on the floor of the carriage we began
heartily to wish ourselves at our journeys
end, and by the firesidc.
"Hallo what are we stopping for now !!
I wonder whether We are going to do an
upset, or anything exciting Of that kind"
said Davies, looking out Of the window.
81 don't see train anywhere that We can
have friendly collision WITH"
"Get out here, gentlemen" said the
guard, passing the window; /" the line is
showed up, and re shall have to wait till
it is clear"
The grumbling which this pleasant an
nouncement caused was immediately stop
ped by our hearing the voice OF our dis
agreeable companion in the next compart-
ment.
cline showed up, is itH" said that gen.
tleman, trying to appear calm in his fury,
"and we get out herc' Oh and do You
suppose am quietly going to submit to
this' The line ought to have been cleared
ready for us. shall bring an action
"But, sir, said, :" how on Garth could
they"
"Might request to know who spoke to
YOU, sir? consider yonr remark and
interference excessive impertinence."
This was a little bit too bad, and |
Turned to Jack and whispered that We