Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1868-01-11
SELECTED MISCELLANY
LOST MY WHISPERS
From tae London Society. for Decemberl
CHAPTER L.


Do you object to smoking, sir?'
This 1 asked in my blandest manner
of an old gentleman who sat, with his
face hidden by newspaper, opposite
TO me IN a railway carriage.
All the seats IN the carriage were fill
ed: I and four others were on our way
from Cambridge to enjoy the Christmas
vacation. Oar spirits we're high, for
there is a delight in banishing for a
time all thoughts of comic sections,
NewtOn's Principal aud the little-go,
and entertaining, In exchange, visions
of hops, skating parties, and all the
orgies which every right minded family
hold at this season IN honor King
Christmas.
But 1 must introduce yOu TO my
chums, for chums we were, although
our tastes did not all lie in the same
direction. Jack Stirrup is Tor rather
was at that period a riding aud hunt
ing man, and was not unfrequently to
be seen df Newmarket; Stretcher, on
the other hand, loved boating, and pre-
ferTed- the sight of well-developed
biceps to that of the best bred hunter,
and would often remark to Jack, How
on earth you can say that you would
rather see the Two Thousand than
the 'Time-race' IN the 'COlquhoun
Seulls, l cannot for the life of me make
out Edwards was a poor and reading
man, but whose wit and talents render
ed him a universal favorite; whilst Da-
vies was a rich, Open-handed, good
hearted follow as ever lived. For my
- III 4 a ~ L II L
defined peculiarly, but did a little of
everything. / read little, rowed a
little, hunted little, had fair income
in short, if had any characteristic
at all, 1t was a love of lsziness and
practical jokes.
We congratulated ourselves on get
ting carriage to ourselves with the
exception of the old gentleman [ have
named, for we intended to keep out
the cold, and beguile our journey with
sundry pipes and cigars. We had our
cases out, and were preparing to light
mp, as a matter of course, when we
were astonished by my UiS-a-0is dashing
away the newspaper which had hidden
his face.
Do L object to smoking? Yes, sir,
1 do obiectl L object very strongly,
sir and beg that you will instantly re-
place your cigars In Your pockets. I
insist on having no smoking in this
carriageP
We looked aghast at this sudden
burst of old gentiemanly wrath.
Might l ask If yOu intend travelling
far on this line, sir?' inquired Edwards,
In his cOmically-pohte tone.
What is that to yOu, sir? What
business Is 1t of yours where am going
TOP
i merely wished to suggest. in case
Of your travelling far, that, pleasing and
delightful as it would be for us to en-
Joy your agreeable society, yet, never
theless, we would try to bear the loss,
should you prefer to change carriage at
the next station
No doubt you would wish to get rid
of me but no, sir 1 do not move nv
seat, and the first one that smokes /
.TepOrtt to the guard
In that case, / fear we shall be
Obliged, painful though it be, to tear
ourselves away, / said, as We drew up
at a small station.
Fortunately we found the next com
paTtment empty, and as We started
again we pulled out our cigar-cases, this
time to light their contents.
The old boy has certainly got out of
bed the wrong side this morning, said
/, putting away,
COR has made a mistake in his bet
ting-bOok,' remarked my sporting
friend. Wen give him benefit now,
at sny rate; vote we take it In turns
to pun smoke through the lamp-hOle.
Lets look at him; hal cooled down
little, Is about to compose himself to
sleep. I'll trouble yOu for his night
cap; come and look at it, Fred
did so, and rOared on seeing a red,
woven cap OF cOhiGal shape, which add
ed very considerably to the irascity of
the wearer's features.
With perseverance which deserved a
better cause, we each made a tube of
paper, and putting the end through the
lamp-hOle, took our turn at smoking
him Out;' and blush as / now think
how heartily We enjoyed the enraged
state In which he paced up and down
the empty carriage, ike Gagged tiger.
The next time we stopped, however,
the guard put his head into our car
rage window and said, with wink
'GentfnI IN next compartment COM
plains of your smoking, sir.
'SmOkingp we exclaimed, with mock
indignation. Do We look as though
we'd been smOking2 What nopseuser
and added In a mysterious manner.
You see there's one vacant seat; of
course were not going TO tell tales of
the man who occupied that.
AN rlghtF said the guard, laughing,
Il wasn't born yesterday And after
slightly confidential transaction of a
pecunlary nature, left as in peace.
The snow, which had been falling
heavily all day, now hay thick all around.
Our eyes ached again, as we Looked out
OF the window which was itself all frost
ed over, Jon 10 the dazzling snow which
covered all the landscape; and as we
stamped our feet on the floor of the
carriage, we began heartily to wish our
selves at our journeys end, and by the
fireside.
'Hallool what are we stopping for
now2 i wonder whether we're 9oino
to do an upset, or anything exciting of
that kind, said Davies, looking ont of
the window. i don't see a train anv-
where that we can have a friendly col
lision with.
Get out here, gentlemen said the
guard, passing the window; the line
is showed up, and we shall have to wait
till it is clear.
The Erumbling which this pleasant