Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-02-14
Gltuife Nlisfellauy.
From the London Society.l
HOW 1 LOST MY WHISPERS.

"Do you object to smoking, sir?"
This asked in my blandest manner of
an old gentleman who sat, with his face
hidden by newspaper, opposite to me in
railway carriage.
All the seats in the carriage were fill
ed; and four others were on our way
from Cambridge to enjoy the Christmas
vacation. Our spirits were high, for there
is delight in banishing for time all
thoughts of comic sections, Newton's
Principal" and the little-go, and enter
tanning, in exchange, visions of "hope,"
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 they were, although our tastes
did not all lie in the same direction
Jack Stirrup is Tor rather was at that Pc
riod) a-riding and hunting man, and was
not unfrequently to be seen in Newman
ket; Stretcher, on the other hand, loved
boating, and preferred the sight of well
developed biceps 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 thine race in the 'Colquhoun
Sculls, cannot for the life of me make
out" Edwards was poor and reading
man, but whose wit and talents rendered
him universal favorite; whilst Davies
was a rich, open-handed, good-hearted
fellow as ever lived. For my own part I
do not think had any well-defined pc
culiarity, but did a little of everything.
i read little, rowed a little, had fair in
come-in short, if I had any cbaracteris-
tic at all, it was love of laziness and
practical jokes.
We congratulated ourselves in getting
a carriage to ourselves with the excep-
tion of the old gentleman have named
for we intended to keep out the cold, and
beguile our journey with sundry pipes
and cigars. We had our cases out, and
were prepared to light up, as matter of
course, when we were astonished by my
Vis-a-Vis dashing away the newspaper
which had hidden his face.
'Do object to smoking? Yes, sir,
do object! I object very strongly, sir!
and beg that you will instantly replace
your cigars in yonr pockets. y insist on
We looked aghast at this sudden burst
of fold-gentlemanly wrath. -5sa ID
Might ask If you intend travelling
far on this line, sire" inquired Edwards,
in his comically-polite tone. f.is...
What Ia that to you, sir? What bu-
siness is it of yours where am going to?n
II merely wished to suggest, in case of
your travelling far, that, pleasing and de-
lightful as 1t would be for us to enjoy
your agreeable society, yet, nevertheless,
we would try to bear the loss, should you |
prefer to- change carriages at the next !
station"
mo doubt you would wish to get rid of
me, but no, sir! I do not move my seat, |
and the first one that smokes i report to |
the guard" J.
"In that case fear we shall be oblip-
ed, painful though ii be, to tear ourselves
away" said, as We drew up at small |
station. .','l--I7T
Fortunately we found the next COM
partment empty, and as we started again
we pulled out our cigar-cases, this time
10 light their contents.
"The old boy has certainly got out of
bed the wrong side this morning, )" saidI,
putting away. .g..,y.r .rD.,i
"Or has made mistake in his betting
book, remarked my sporting friend
'We'll give him a benefit now, at any
'ate; vote we take 1t In turns to smoke
through the lamp-hole. Let's look at
him; ha! cooled down little, is about
% compose himself to sleep. I'll trouble
,oq for his nightcap; come and look at
I, Fred" NJ
I did so, and roared on seeing red,
woven cap of conical shape, which added
to the irascity of the wear
RS features. G -is" f.'iUu|H'l t~.bI |,
With perseverance, which deserved
'etter cause, we each made tube of pa
'er, and putting the end through the
amp-hOle, took our turn at smoking
linn eut;n and / blush ~ ] now think