Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-01-17

| WutTt we ildlC lllt ptSt Vi q ytsA J|D, &hSA
having sent for some beer from the nearest
public, became, as Edwards matlemat-
! ically observed, appropriately happy. The
| old gentleman, however, had not vented all
I his wrath, but kept on matchmaking the
4 snow and railway people at intervals.
After we had warmed ourselves, Stretcher
| proposed that we should have some son gs I;
but as no one volunteered, | suggested that
we would get on our way sooner if we all
went out and helped to clear away the
snow from the line. To this all agreed
| with the exception Of our amiablc friend,
| of cOursc)
We had worked away merrily for about
, an hour, and were congratulating ourselves
on being able to start again, when Jack
came running up with very pleasant ex-
preston of countenance, and as he tapped
me on the shoulder, remembered that he
had not been with us5for the last half hour.
"Fred," he said, 1--WE an ca" -
-~-" Keep it, then, replied, -"'' for it is so
rare aecurnnodity with you that | would
not deprive ou-of it for the world
"Don't chat, and I'll tell you all aEcut
it. | went up into the room at the station
Just. now, and found our friend, the old
boy, fast asleep in his chair, completely
collapsed under the soporific effects of the
fire and a glass of brandy and water |
Immediately ran into the village and
bought these" he said, showing me a hand
full of screws, a gimlet and a screw-driyer.
"What in the name Of everything ridic-
ulous do you l|ant these for?" | asked.
+ Don't yousees We shall be able to
start again directly, now that the line is
clear; we meanwhile run up stairs, and
screw the old gentleman firmly into the
fI,n+ rod
for his surIy behavior to us, and he will
then learn that old gentlemen should not
be ill-teInpercd at Christmas time
,~'e Capital! " said /, always ready to fall
in with q practical joke J. let US be Oft at
once" IS g
We certainly found the old gentleman in
as Morphean a torpor as we could wish.
His feet were propped up on a chair, whilst
his boots were drying, and he was breath
ling, with his mouth wide open, in rather
apopleptic manner.
"Shall put SNOWFALL into each OF his
boots?" asked. ,9rY Z 81 3rv
HNo! tint would be too much of good
thing; but Pll tell you what you shall do.
You're rather a 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" he whispered, as l
finished off with giving him a7moustache,
which turned up in a. 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, vv
Weswalked on tip-toe to the door The
hinges began sto ereak, and, cold assthe-
weather was, faint perspiration began to
develop itself on my forhead as | 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.
zvs Give me the screws, quick, said, sand
go to2the bottom of the stairs and prevent
any one from coming up"
! 4 bored hole after hole us nOiselessiy as
Ieould, and having made the door as fast
as eight good screws would make it, | ran
down, stairs and whispered" All right"
q" Is there gentleman up stairs, sir F"
said the station-master, walking towards
us. ."He asked me to wake him in time
for the train, and it is just ready to go"
sob. he won't like to be disturbed till
Jack. "By-the-by, l wished to talk to you
of7aplan by which / think your station
might be much improved" ~ ~ -i'
Now architecture happened to be one of
the Station masters hobbies, and they were
soon deep in discussion. beat a hasty re-
treat to the guard, and, producing SOW
ereign, said: Oh Oh 6IJU9l3 Y
"lf you get us off in five minutes from
now, waiting for no one, and ring your
bell at the very last minute, this is yours
"All right, sir! the luggage is all in and
most of the passengers; Take your seats;
Going 'ont" he shouted, whilst stood
with my watch in hand.
zone minute left |! Ring the bell noww
I said off they undo those screws in one
or eYen FIVE, minutes, I'll eat them"
Weijunlped into a carriage, the guard
gave the final whistle, and the train moved
slowly on. We anxiously watched the re-
suit of our plot, with our heads out of the
window. After waiting one or two min
utes we noticed figure gesticulating at
the station window. The train then passed
into deep cutting, and we lost sight of it.
L think have forgotten to say that l was
going to spend the Christmas with col
lege friend. He had gone down few days
before, and had promised to meet me at
c. station.
h&You may imagine that was not sorry to
find myself arrived there, nor yet to see
platform, no doubt thoroughly tired of
waiting for the train AS he drove me up,
he began talking of the different arrange
ments he had made for our mutual amuse-
ment. 'tTo-morrow," he said, 81 have set
aside for skating parto; l have had the
pond in the park swept, and have invited
les .jeunes dena05seAes within reach, and as
they have all accepted, it will give youla
very fair idea of our native beauty"
Now, of allthe jolly things in the world,
[ think skating party is the iolliost. Tom
says that Lam fond of showing my skating
OFT; but deny that this had anything to
do with it. -yIns the first place, the frosty.
weather {and the mulled claret) induce
high spirits, then there are the tumbles to
Elaugh at, and theladies' 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, having accomplished our toilettes,
Tom took me into the drawing room.
"The Gev'nor is not at home; but let
me Introduce you to my sister Minnie 49,
Miss Minnie rose, and held out her hand
| at once, but, for my. own part, | was too
dumfounded to utter a single word. l am
told that Tam far from eloquent when de-
scribing female beauty, SO | will not at
tempt it here; but must say that had
never, and have never since, seen such
pretty and merry face. When dinner was
announced, however, / had recovered my
equanimity sufficiently to offer her my arm,
and after a short time we got to know one
another thoroughly. Il
The dinner (perhaps it mag have been
the port wine) had opened my heart, and
when we removed, to Toms sanctum to