National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1868-02-14
The MaiI-Guard'S Story.
Reader. have Won ever been nh

way station for an early train. If
you have not, you have hot expert.
enced the ne Plus ultra of human
misery. But when, as was my case
last year, you have left a ajolly 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 relief,
but that you had mistaken the time,
and had got three quarters OF an
hour to wait, your lot is not ali en-
viable one. SO | thought as /
stamped up and down the ill-Iit plat
form, and gaZed into the darkness
beyond, which was broken only by
the dim and misty light of the "dis-
tance'. signal, some hundred yards
down the line. The occasional bark
ing of a house dog alone broke the
stiffness, except when now and then
the autumn breeze played in a wall
ing tone on the telegraphic wires
over my head. AS paced up and
down to warm my feet, l felt regu-
Iarly savage that the well meant
solicitations of the company assem-
bled at the Beeches had induced me
to forego that last waltz with Min
ME Cameron, and hurry to the sta
ton.
l had been staying for the last
tC|,"tnight at the house Of a relative,
and whaL With shooting, fishing, and
(must | confess itO occasionally
flirting with the blue-tyed Minnie,
the days had passed rapidly and
when recalled to London by my
fathers busincss,like letter, which
limited at some impending calamity
connected with our firm l conld hard.
! ly believe that my leave had so near
~ expired. There was no help for
it, and go / must. Ny relatives ap-
peared as sorry as | was when / an
nounced my intended departure, and
| fancied | could discern traces of
tears in Minnie's sunny eyes as |
bade her farewell III the hall that
evening, bearing with me a shining
tress of her tlaxen hair, and hasty
kiss, as Souuenirs of my visit, Oh
Minnie, Minnie what would chat
excellent man, the incumbent, think,
could he have seen the shining
I token of what | iancied was your
affections for me, lying on my table
prior to its being committed to the
flames, with a bundle of old letters,
when last month heard you were
"engagedN
Under such circumstances as i
have described, the reader Will easi-
|, " imagine | was not i'll "a particular
" cheerful frame of mind on the
night, or rather morning, in cues
ton. | sauntered into the dreary
wait ing room, and lighting Il cigar.
rested myself in front of an eXplr-
| inc fire. which | was even denied
the anu semcnt of stirring, the au
thoyities having carried OIL the fire
irons. Placing my feet upon the
fender ] lay Sack in my chair, and,
as most men would have done. be
gan TO ruminat, Upon the events o.
the last fortnight, and--Minnle
After a time ] was r'used ny I'll,
creaking of the breaks Of train.
= started up. and rnshed bfndiy to th'
door, faneying that the lnall ha'
Co. come up, when ] came i'll Nloieh
contact with a guard. who was en
tering at the same moment as l va
making a hurried exit
d BEG your pardon, sir said the
c polite official; whats the matter
My train is going, J think, sai'
/. Let me see
', Its only q down goods and eat
'e tie, sir replied my companion
which shunts here. The mp mai
- won't be due for nearly twenty min
utes yet
.Confound itl' and returned t
the fireplace.
Coli night remarked the guar
as he came towards me.
u Yes said |, 'and wretched fir
with that
l Il think we can mend that, at an
- rate he replied; and, leaving til
room, he returned in u few minute
r accompanied 10y an individual whol
| rightly conjectured to be the ST
I'd. ker Of the goods train, carrying
,et large sh0venul of live Goals, whicI
wv W.. placed upon the cinders, soon il
'pt proved our fire, and gave quite
- cheerful aspect TO the dingy apar
ment
Thank yc, Jim,' said the gual
;. as the stoker departed. Now 81
that's an improvement, aint it9'
,ns 1T is indeed replied; 'and a
IT., : !, much obliged to you for procurll
esi i the Goals
Don't name it, sir was the rcpl
we' 'Onc must do something when o
- has to wait, you know
How long do you remain he
then = asked.
Till $40, sir. l take up I
ork s mall was the reply.
%, indeed,' said l.
II, n Yes, sir. Pm on this Job all Il
eor, @ MONTH Aid as he spoke the qua
han drew d pipe from his pocket, a
''S, N, having filed and lit it, he began
T. smoke i'll silence.
vsa Nv Have you been long on this lin
mes asked, after pause.
NNell, sir, about three years, a
on the mail duty, on and OIL abb
- one. I'm rcg'lar man OF lette
ICES he added, with a grin.
l laughed, and he continued.
II ,,os naarlv .hnLed with "A G;