The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-09-25
M isfellantnus.
ESCAPE FROM JUSTICE.

ESUAPE fhUM JUSIlUE,
IT was bitter night in JANUARY
night when homeless wanderers on the
moors might have sunk down frozo to
the earth, and the very marrow seemed
to cOngea in ones bones.
"There is one advantage in steam,'
growled fat old gentleman in the cor
ner seat "wind and weather don't af-
feet it. No flesh and blood horse could
stand Il night like this, but the iron
horse keeps straight ahead, whether the
thermometer IL II, zero or at boiling
water heat"
Just then the conductor entered.
Tickets, gentlemen, if you please"
"lt's dreadful night, conductor"
said, feeling with stitrened fingers for
my ticket, In the breast pocket Of my
coat"
"Dreadful, sirH' feclingly responded
the conductor. "Why, the breakemen
can't live outside, and so look the 9th.
er way when they creep in,poor fellows,
to get breath Of warm air at the stove.
We haven't had such ~ hight since n
year ago come the second OF February,
when Tom Blakesiee, the baggage mas
, ter, rrozc both his feet, and Il woman
who wa coming from Chicago got Of
at Blinn's Four Corners with her baoy
In her arms a corp1r -
/ ~ roZ4n to death -
"Aye, frozen to death; aIdshe ncvel
Thought, poor thing, but that it wa,
asleep. My baby's cold says she, 'hu'
we'll soon warm it when We get homie
I 1t was just such II night as this"
And the conductor opened the door
and plunged across the coupling into th'
next car, crying out
"IIardwick !"
1t was quite considerable city with
q handsome iron depot, fiaring ga
lamps, and the usual crowd around thu
platform, with hands in pockets, ant
cigar ends flaming through the night.
Our car was nearly the last of the Ions
train, and hut single person entered
it--a slender young girl, wrapped in
gray blanket shawl, and wearing nea
little travelling hat of gray straw ,trimm
ed with stone-colored velvet flowers
She seemed to hesitate, like one used t.
travelling, and finally sat down nea
the door.
"Pardon me, young LADY," said
"but you had better come nearer tn
stove"
She started, hesitated II II mute, an
then obeyed.
"Does this train to to Bayswater +:
she asked, in voice so deliciously sol
and sweet that it seemed to thri
through me,
"Yes; can be- of any service
you?"
"Oh, no-at least not until we reac
Bayswater. would like carriap
then.
ave shall not bethere yet these thr'
hours"
"Do we stop again :"
"Only at Exmouth."
- She drew u deep sigh, seemingly
: relief, and settled back in n corner. L
n the light of the lamp that hung its bra
fixture opposite, | could see her fac
ID that of lovely child. Apparently 81
was no more than sixteen with lari
blue eyes, golden hair drawn straig
away from her face, and a little ro
mouth like that off baby.
"Do you expect fIiends to meet "
n at Baysw ater, my child ?" asked
~ cidentaliy.
u; mo, sir-.I am going 10 scht
" there"
:. at will be an awkward hour Tor y
to arrive by, yourseli-one in the MOI
ing"
TO "Oh, 1 am not afraid," she said wi
=. All artless little laugh; 81 shall
ad straight to the Seminary"
,s. So the express train Numbered {
1nd with steady, ceaseiess pulslng at
nm iron beurt, and constant roar.
he Suddenly the signal whistle rout
I'd, the train bcgan 10 slack lie 5pecd
- surrey we're not al EAnioutn yei
IL. j Ihuugnt, "uniess | nave falien unc,
sciously asleep ana allowed thr rrogr'
of time 10 escape me-"
glanced AT my watch II was bar'
half past eleven, and | knew We W
not due at EXmouth until few m
utes after twelve. rubbed the fr
'r from the window pane and lOoi
g" out.
-- We had stopped at lonely little v
station in the midst Of the dense p
woods.
rm "Is this Exmouth w
er, 1t was the soft voice Of the pre-
,he traveller opposite.
use ',e. "No, don't know what place II
al some way station"
The "Does this train stop at way