Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-07-10

uitutu1 hN7AoAf - u iNA 1tANNA-
4 thing to lap the souls delight
While morning widens into noon
From All the Year Round.
RAILWAY STORY.
I'm not a romantic man. and, if | had any
leaning in that direction. few Monday NOR
ming visits and Ieprimands from the Board Of
Directors would have cured me of the fail
ing; but somehow or other | have found that
railway men are made Of the same stuff a.
other men, and have hearts under their uni
form coats
1t was no business Of mine. if. while was
at the London terminus of the Great Division
and Longshire railway, ! examined the tick
cts and unlocked the carriages on the de-
parture platlorm-it was no business Of mine
if tall, fair girl, in deep mourning, came
twice week regularly. and showed me her
ticket for Nestgate, return. second class
But somehow it seemed 10 be my business,
when | had unlocked an empty carriage and
handed her in as well as | could, that
should lock that door again without banging
1t, and then take care that no one else went
in but ladv-like females. OF course | could
not helpit but from the very first day-cold,
winter day-when, thinly dressed, she came
shiyering along the platform. | seemed to
have some strange interest IN her. and, az
the weeks slipped by, | found myself looking
out for her regularly. 1t was easy TO see,
from the music roll She carried and the re-
turn ticket. that She went down the line to
give lessons.
called myself "a fool, and thought Of my
salary as guard, and my position in life
compared with the graceful, lady-like girl
who used TO come floating along towards me
every Monday and Wednesday. looking 50
pale, and sad, and careworn, that | first be
gan by pitying her. and then-well, never
mind now.
One cold December day was shifted for
week on the arrival platform, and so
missed seeing her leave: but | carefully
watched every train that came in till / saw
her get out. Without seeing me. she hur-
ried away. Well. there was nothing to sigh
for there you'll say; but ] did sigh all
the time, and was turning away, when |
saw the searching porter with music-roll
in hand, which some one had left in n car
riage.
Here. / know whom that belongs to, ''
/ said, snatching 1t from him, ard then see
inc that he was going TO make a bother,
slipped a sxpence into his hand, and ran out
of the station.
Just in time | could see her at the bot
tom of the street, and, catching hold Of one
of the boys hanging about the job, pointed
the tall figure out. and told him to follow her
70 where she lived and come back and tell
me.
And not send the music-roll2 No.
meant % take that. / knew not why. but
there seemed something pleasant in the idea
Of being servant to her. and waiting On her,
and kept telling myself so as / walked back
to attend to my duty.
Next morning was in quiet, shabby
lodging-lettmg place leading ont Of Cover
street, north. with a music-roil in my hand
looking for No. p. 1t was easy enough to
find, but something seemed to make me walk
past two or three times before | could sum
mon courage TO 20 up and ring. But at last
| did, thinking how foolish it was, when
only had to deliver the lost parcel and come
away.
So rang gently, and waited rang again.
and waited; and then red-faced woman
came 20 the door.
"You have a young lady who teaches mu-
sic-''
Second floor front, she said, snappishly
why don't YOU knock twice Bells for
t4iN EANlllA lAf9A. AiANA' ~ 20
| took off my cap, wiped my shoes, and.
feeling ashamed Of my uniform for the first
time in nv life, went slowly up b the second
floor, and then stopped for ! could hear
piano, and the sweetest voice / ever heard
was singing TO it in a low tone. s.opped,
listening and drinking in the sweet sounds
with my heart beating. for it was a long way
up; and | should have stopped longer, had
| not heard some one coming up stairs.
Then knocked, and a voice cried, - Come
in -
turned the handle two or three times,
for it was old and worn, and then, entering.
stood blushing like a great girl, and trem-
bling before the tall, pale lady, and some one
lying upon a sofa, in front Of miserable
fire
Such bare, chilly room, and SO cold and
pale both the inmates looked, as stood oh.
serving all could in the first glance.
'-Oh, manma, the music - cried the pale
girl, rising from her seat by the piano, and
running toward me and then. as clumsily
held it ont, ! saw that was recognized.
as she thanked me for bringing it. and also
for what she called my kindness at the sta
ton.
ASK him to take a glass Of wine, Louise
said the lady on the sofa, when / saw the
color flush in her daughters cheek as she said
hastily:
81 think, mamma, we have none in the
house"
clumsily protested that would rather
not take any wine, and was backing toward
the door, when a sudden pain shot through
me, for had detected motion on the part
Of the pale girl, and caught sight of shil-
ling IN her hand | suppose | showed
what ! felt, Tor she paused and colored
deeply, and, as | stood outside. she once
more thanked me, passed the shilling hast
ily into her left hand. and held II ont 10
me.
have some recollection Of having taken
it, and pressed it to my quivering lips. and
then | was laundering along the streets IN a
sort Of wild dream, seeing nothing, hearing
nothing, but right apparently lost.
The days went ON till Christmas eve. |
had watched for her next coming to the sta
ton, and, as usual, seen to the carriage in
which she went | knew had nothing to
hope for, being only railway servant. and
she lady; hut, for all that, it seemed nv
duty to watch over her, though since the dav
when returned the folio her bows had been
a little more distant, and she hurried into
the carriage
g.
that week ! had seen her. "Holidays. :
said to myself, and then tried to be as busy
as possible. to keep myself from thinking
that it would be perhaps a month or six
weeks before | saw her again. But There was
no fear Of my not being busy. for most people
know what sort of Christmas railway ser
wants keep-all hurry, drive. hustle. worry
and rush. Dull, heavy weather it was. vel
low fog and driving snow. The train came
in covered with white. which slowly tbowed
and dripped off, so that the terminus was
wet and cold, and miseraby dirty. Peonle
didn't seem to mind it though: for the Sta
tion was thronged with c0mers and goers-
friends coming to meet those from the CONN.,
try, and as many coming to see others off.
by yer leave, it was all day long, as the
barrows full of parcels and luggage were run
mere and there along the platform. The
place seemed alive with fish-baskets. OYSTER
barrels and poultry while, somehow or
other, from the poorest and shabbiest third
e,asS people up to the grandees Of the first
able. fi' "iu 0''''ioi'-
after train oH-all late. OF course for do
what you weuld, there was no find;ng roon,
enough Tor the people, and so II oot 10 ~,
past four, with the gas all alight and the eov
and snow thicker than ever A train yvas
Just starting, when there was bit of confu-
sion at the door. Some one shouts, .sHold
hard ~ and then from where | was-some