The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-01-03
The Mail Story.

Reader, have you ever been obliged
10 wait at a small country railway
station for an early train9 If you
have not, you have not experienced
the ne Plus ultra of human misery.
But when, as was my case last year,
you have left a jolly party, driven
five miles to catch the mail at two d.
M, and found, ON your arrival at the
station, not that the train had gone,
for that would be q relief, but that
you had mistaken the time, and had
got three-quarters of an hour to wait,
your lot is not an enviable one. So
l thought, as 1 stamped up and down
the ILL lit platform, and gazed into the
darkness bsyond, which was only
broken by the dim and misty light OF
the "distance" signal, some hundred
yards down the line. The occasional
barking of a se-dog alone broke
the stiffness, except when now and
then the autumn breezes played, in a
wailing tone, ON the telegraph wire
over my head. As 1 paced up and
down to warm my feet, / felt regu-
larly savage" that the we'll meant
solicitations of the company assem-
bled at the Beeches had induced me
to forego that last waltz with Minnie
Cameron and hurry to the station.
had been staying for the last
fortnight at the house of relative,
and that with shooting, fishing, and
Unjust / confess iti) occasionally
dirting with the blle-eyed Minnie,
the days had passed rapidly; and
when recalled to London by my
fathers business-like letter, which
limited at some impending calamity
connected with our firm, I could
hardly believe that my leave had so
nearly expired. There was no help
for il, and 60 1 must. My relatives
appeared as sorry as i was when /
announced my intended departure,
and l fancy l could discern traces OF
tears in Minnie's sunny eyes as l
bade her farewell in the hall that eve
ming, bearing with me shining tress
of her flaxen hair, and hasty kiss,
as souvenirs of my visit. Oh, Min
ME, Minnie what would that excell-
ent man, the incumbent, think, could
he have seen the shining token OF
what L fancied was your affection fol
me, lying on my table prior to its be.
ing committed to the flames, with 6
bundle of old letters, when iastInontt
heard you were engaged 2
Under such circumstances as
have described, the reader will easily
imagine L was not in particularly
cheerful frame of mind on the night
or rather morning, in question.
sauntered into the dreary drawing
room, and, lighting cigar, seated
myself in front of the expiring fire
which ] was even denied the amuse
ment of stirring, the authorities hav
ing carried away the fire-irons.--
Placing my feet upon the fender,
! lay back in my chair, and, as mos
men would have done, l began t.
ruminate upon the events of3k6e last
fortnight, and Minnie! After tim,
l aroused myself, and attempted thu
reperusal of my fathers letter, ant
then--I fell fast asleep. How long
cannot say, probably about five min
utes, but it seemed an age, when
was aroused blythe creaking of tn
brakes of train. l started up AM
, rushed blindly to the door, fancyins
that the mail had come up, when
came in violent contact with guard
who was entering at the same momen
| was making hurried exit.
Beg your pardon, sir said the po
llite official what's the matters'