Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-02-21
The Mail Guards Story.

tO WdII' dt SuIdlI COuutIy railway
station for an early train If you
have not, you have never experienced
the ne pIus 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 a. NJ, and
found on your arrival at the station,
not that the train had gone, for that
would be a relief, but that you had
mistaken the time, and had got three
quarters of an hour to wait, your lot
is an enviable one. So | thought as
| stamped up and down the ill-lit plat
form, and gazed into the darkness be-
yond, which was broken only by the
dim and misty light of the distance"
signal, some hundred yards down the
line. The occasional barking of a
house dog alone broke the stiffness,
except now and then when the autumn
breeze played in wailing tone on the
telegraphic wires over my head. AS
| paced up and down to warm my
feet, | felt regularly savage that the
well-meant solicitations of the compa-
ny assembled at the Beeches had in
duced me to forego that last waltz
with Minnie Cameron, and hurry to
the station.
had been staying for the last fort
night at the house of a relative, and
what with shooting, fishing, and (must
confess it p occasionally flirting with
the blue eyed Minnie, the days had
passed rapidly; and when recalled to
London by my fathers business like
letter, which limited at some impend-
ing calamity connected with our firm
| could hardly believe that my leave
had so nearly expired. There was no
help for it, and go | must. Ny rela-
tives appeared as sorry as | was when
| announced my intended departure,
and | fancied | could discern traces
of tears in Minnie'S sunny eyes as ]
bade her farewell in the hall that eve,
ming, bearing with me shining tress
of her haxen hair, and a hasty kiss
as Sou0enjrs of my visit. Oh Minnie
Minnie what would that excellent
man, the incumbent, think, could he
have seen the shining token of what /
fancied was your affection for me, ly
ing on my table prior to its being
committed to the flames, with bun
die of old letters, when last month ]
heard you were engaged?
Under such circumstances as | have
/ described, the reader will easily ina
gine | was not in a particularly cheer
ful frame of mind on the night, or ra
olIUI inUI uiIg In YuVotio.4 I'D. sanutar
ed into the dreary waiting room, and
lighting a cigar, rested myself in front
of the expiring fire, which | was even
denied the amusement of stirring, the
the authorities having carried off the
fire irons. Placing my feet upon the
fender | lay back in my chair, and, as
most men would have done, | began
to ruminate upon the events of the
past fortnight, and-Minnie After
a time | was reused by the creaking
of the breaks Of a train. l started
up and rushed blindly to the door
lancying that the mail had come up
when | came in violent contact with {
guard, W who was entering at the sam,
moment as I was making a hurried
exit.
Beg your pardon, sir" said thC
polite official whats the matter p
"My train is going, think, said |
Let me see"
ats only a down goods and cattle
sir" replied my companion, whicl
shunts here. The up mail wont b.
4 due for nearly twenty minutes yet"
4 "Confound it !" and | returned t.
the fire place.
Cold night" remarked the guarc
y as he came towards me.
! " Yes, said [, " and wretched fir
with that"
[ think we can mend that, at an
2 rate" he replied; and, leaving tn
t room, he returned in a few minute;
/ accompanied by an Individual whom
rightly conjectured to be the stoker o
the goods train, carrying a large shoN
elful of live Goals, which, placed upo
> the clnders, soon improved our fire
and gave quite cheerful aspect to th
dingy apartment.
e "Thank ye, Jim," said the guard a
9 the stoker departed. Now sir, that
Q an Improvement, amt it ?"
2 "It is indeed, "Ireplied; sand | al
much obliged to you for procuring th
GOALS"
u "Don't name it, sir" was the reply
One must do something when on
; has to wait. you know"
= "How long do you remain here
then ?" | asked.
! Till 3 40, sir. | take up the mail,
was the reply.
S 20, indeed" said |.
s "Yes, sir. I'm on this job all thi
!, month" And as he spoke the guar
drew a pipe from his pocket, and hay
ing filled and lit it, he began to smok
n in silence.
1t "Have you been long on this line ?
5, | asked, after pause.
1t Well, sir, about three years, an
n on the mail duty, on and off abor
one. I'm-a reg'lar man of letters
y he added, with a grin.
q | laughed, and he continued.
t 81 was nearly choked with a cap
% tai letter when | was baby. | ha
. letters on my collar when | was
the police. | was made a guard a
along of a bit of letter. And no
1 Il II l.. 4 r1 = \ L.