The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1869-05-01
9rlertt0 1fltsrellanp.
FORTY sHuLINGs AND COSTS.


AVeminster to Chichester by a country
line, London line and branch line Of
railway. In the first place, as the country
line only ran three trains a day, passenger
and goods together, necessitating weary
shuntings at every station, we could hardly
be said to have made good start. In
the next place, the strategic arrangement
whereby the London line managed invaii |
ably to start its trains five minutes before
the arrival of the cup country train,
making us wait for two hours at Marl-
bury Junction, to spite the country com.
pany, scarcely tended to rapid progress. |
In the third place as it always happens to
be the aim of a rafiC-manager to endeavor
to drive passengers on to the main line,
and to visit with all possible retributVe de.
lays the hostile British public when it a0iH
travel on branch, we could not be con
sidered to have made up for the lost time
on the branch. In the fourth place it
didn't help us forward to be compelled to
travel one hundred and twenty.seven
miles round about in parabola, in order
to reach Chichester, which, at starting,
was only ffty-eight miles from Aveminster
In the fifth and last place, we were not
got to Chichester yet; and it would have
been money in my pocket if never had.
SWinbro'-SWinbrO, Change here
for Marchmont and Nutchley. Change
here" i
. Almost time for a change 1 reflected,
considering had been nine hours out on
a journey of fifty.eight miles, and was
still far off from my destination. Look
ing out from my window of a first class
compartment, | saw it was CheErless,
inhf
were streaming in the misty air as they
hurried to and fro past the CLEAN of the
lamps. demonstrating with the guard re-
specting our train being an hour late, and
the time past eleven at night, he soOthed
my irritation by telling me gruffly 1 had
no business on branch line if wanted
to 60 anywhere; and if would go to out,
of-the-way places like Chichester, must
be very thankful il the company put
themselves to the expense of taking me
there at all, considering branches didn't
pay to work as rule
A solitary passenger then entered my
carriage, or rather was banged into it by
the guard. Another minute, and the
guard had banged himself into his van,
emitting the groWl; "Change here !"
Our fiery and restiVe iron stead, no doubt
weary with its headlong career of full
twelve miles an hour, gave heroic neigh
of triumph, resembling feeble crow, in
emulation of past exploits, in days long
before it was condemned to transporta-
ton on a branch. and dragged us off into
the bleak night
My companion was tall thin, middle
aged man, with face lean and Withered
like shriVelled apple, concluded below
the chin by a stiff satin Cravat. In a dress,
ght-fitting, and of ancient and faded
black, be looked altogether like man
who had run very much to seed, which
perhaps accounted for the luxunsnt
growth of his arms and legs. Observing
his clothes steaming with the damp air l
began to realize it was very chilly. II
certainly was.
"Quite a change in the weather" /
remarked, Every cold tonight, isitnot?"
"Don't feel the cold myself Perhaps
you would like TO change places soih me.
There is no draught here ..
Ireplied l should be very pleased to do
so, if not to his inconvenience and ac-
cordingly we changed seats. 4.a
1t 0dS cold, and no mistake. l must
have taken a chill, for felt the cold creep
ing over me in most unaccountable man
ner,
Looking at my companion on the OPP
posite seat, on whom the lamp light now
shone full, | saw that his face was not so
thin, nor his features so withered, as had
at first supposed and | must have made a
mistake as to his age, for he was by no
means SO old as had previously Judged.
How cold it was to be sure AS / con
tinued too look at him, noticed his aspect
changed momently--that he was growing
younger; that the wrinkles in his face
were filling out and smoothing down and
that be was gradually becoming like some
one / had seen before. As his checks
grew round and Tuddy, and his hair
changed from gray to brown, before my
very eyes, became in such a state oi
nervous agitation, / endeavored to cry
out, but could not / was paralyzed with
the cold, that seemed to make my
limbs rigid, and numb my Yitals for
saw the man sitting before me was nc
longer a stranger--no more friend OF
acquaintance he had become MEL
held up my hands to try and smut oui
the sight, and as did SO, saw that they
were withered, and thin, and old Ipressed
them on my brow, to see if were dream
ing; but found Ii shrivelled, and scanned
and puckered. And knew that this man
this fiend, had stolen my body, and give1
me his. Maddened with the discovery,
rose to my feet, --hjsfeet, which swaye(
beneath me- and | struck wildly at thu
vision Of myself on the other seat. But
found my arms light as vap0r, for thel
passed over his body, which went through
them, giving me the impression of pain
Ii was body Of shade that had beel
given me for my own body Of flesh anC
blood, which this wretch had stolen. Bl
some sorcerY or other, we had indeeC
changed places
"Borcererdem n cried out, only Il
hear myself speaking with his sharp
cracked voice. When | saw gayseJf sittini
opposite TO me coolly addressing me ii
my own voice, could no longer cTeditm,
senses, if indeed / had any Of them at 81
left of my own.
{ Dare say you think you are speakini
loud now he said.
Unanswered BY calling the guard "a loud
" as I could halloo.
"Ah, you might call d good deal loude
than that, il the carriage were full Of PAL
genpers, and they could no more hear VI
than they could go ycu," be continued
chuckline, and screWing up my feature
into hideously knowing grin, such as
could neVerhave made them assume. 10
see, nv friend, yours is o body Of air, (
shadow, insensIble, inpalpable to all bt
myself iust az II was to all but you Whe
entered the carriage You wish, PEI
haps, to know who am9 Well, tW
years ago tonight, / wss q passenger b
this very upmail There was colllslu
with 4 stupid down goods, you nee, an
tho result was that several passengers Wer
injured. One Of them was well, its q
use minoiBg matters Killed on the spo