Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-02-05
The Maii-Guard'S Story.

Neader, have you ever been Obliged to
wait at small country railway sutton for
an early train If you have not, you have
not 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. ", and
found on your arrival at the station, not
that the train had gone, for that would be
u 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 [ thought as ] stamped up and
down the ill-lit platform, and gazed into
the darkness beyond, which was broken
only by the dim and misty light Of the
distance" signal, some hundred yards
down the line The occasional barking Of
Il house dog alone broke the stiffness. ex-
cept when now and then the autumn
breeze played in a wailing tone on the tele-
graphic wires over my head As | paced
up and down to warm my feet, | felt regu-
larly savage" that the well-meant solici-
tations Of the company assembled at the
Beechcs 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 what with
shooting fishing, and Unjust | confess it p
occasionally flirting with the blue-eyed
Minnie, the days bad passed rapidly; and
when recalled to London by my fathers
business-like letter, which limited at some
impending calamity connected with our
firm [ could hardly believe that my leave
had so nearly expired There was no help
| N
peared as sorry as | was when | announced
my intended departure, and l fancied |
could discern traces of tears in Minnie's
sunny eyes as | bade her farewell in the
hall that evening, bearing with me
shining tress of her faxen hair, and
hasty kiss, as SOurenirS Of my visit. Oh
Minnie, Minnie what would that excel
lent man, the incumbent, think, could he
have seen the shining token of what [ fam
cied was your affection for me- lying on
my table prior to its being committed to
the flames, with bundle of old letters
when last month | heard you were en-
gaged"?
Under such circumstances as have de-
seribed, the reader will easily imagine
was not in particularly cheerful frame of
mind on the night, or rather morning, in
question. l sauntered into the dreary
waiting room, and lighting a cigar, rested
myself in front Of the expiring fire, which
L was even denied the amusement of stir
ring, the authorities having carried off the
fire-irons. Placing my feet upon the fender
lay back III my chair, and, as most men
would have done, L began to ruminate upon
the events OF the last fortnight, and-Min-
ME After time [ was reused by the
creaking of the breaks of train. | started
up, and rushed blindly to the door, fancy
ing that the mail had come up, when |
came IN violent contact with guard, who
was entering at the same moment as | was
making a hurried exit
Beg your pardon, SIR" said the polite
official whats the matter %
My train is going, think" said |.
.' Let me see.''
g It's only a down goods and cattle, SIR
replied my companion, g which shunts
here. The up mail won't be due for nearly
twenty minutes yet"
:. Confound it T." and [ returned to the
fireplace.
Cold night remarked the guard as he |
came towards me-
Yes" said 1, :. and a wretched fire.
with that
" think we can mend that, at any rate"
he replied and, leaving the room, he re-
turned IN few minutes, accompanied by
an individual whom 1 rightly conjectured I
to be the stoker of the goods train, carr
ing large shovelful of live Goals, which |
placed .'on the cinders, soon improved our
FIRE, aud gave quite cheerful ASPECT to |
the dingy apartment.
THANK We, Jim," said the guard as the
stoker departed. Now sir, that's an i'm.
aint it ?"