Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1870-09-24

A PERILOUS ADVENTURE.
The Danger Of Drinking TOO Mach
Before Dinner.

| was 10 embark Tor Foreign parts. I
ought to have been present at the pa
rade; but my kind-hearted colonel
who was indirectly acquainted with
our family, wrote to me and said, that
as might possibly be up rather late OIL
my last night in England, and as,
moreover, could be Of no use at the
parade, he would excuse my attend
ance there; but he added, in somewhat
peremptory language, that no possible
allowance could be made If l arrived at
Portsmouth later than the one p. NJ.
tain; that l must report myself at
half-past one, and embark with the
regiment at two o'clock. He also, l
remember, said something about the
regiment soon going into action
abroad, and limited at commissions be
ing lost by circumstances so trivial as
unpunctuality on the eve of real war
fare.
Well, it was about three p. NJ. on
Monday before the Tuesday | have al
luded to; | had made very heavy
bunch at New College, Oxford. The
days then were those in which prOba.
bly, more strong and XXX ale were
drank in a week at that College than
are now consumed in month";
Strong and XXX had figured at our
lunch, likewise sherry and champagne.
was very jolly when l left Oxford on
my way to London, via Bletchley.-
From oxford to Bletchley Junction |
slept a little. When arrived at the
last named place, | was obliged to
change trains and wait for the express,
due in ten minutes time. had not
cOppers (beg pardon, ladies; | mean a
somewhat parched mouth) after the
champagne, xxx, aud my sleep, so |
went into the refreshment room, and
had some beer. have no doubt it was
nasty, heady stuff, but it cooled my fe-
verish mouth. Excited a little with
M, .aidlay meal, and by nature in
Olined TO arguey teL mo some ueDateI
I forgot what, but / b,les P9hucal
one, with some gentleman, who was
like me, refreshing himself Distinctly
do remember a bell rung as a depart
= ing signal distinctly do | rec0lleot the
guards voice sounding through the re-
freshment room doors "Any more for
; the up-express ?" but the words fell on
u my hazy ears slightly like brother
: Ned's when, in solemn language he is
: laying down self-evident truths in his
e pulpit. beg pardon, Ned; the sequel
will prove that you and guard were
p right, wrong for my inattention.
/ Something, l know not what, sud
II denly made me think that my train
u the express, was starting-was off.
r rushed on to the platform. The ex
u press had started. The guards box
: the last in the train, had just cleared
), the station. / ran hard, and could eas
~ ily have jumped into the guards van
/, mot second class carriage as on SOM
q other lines, but spacious affair, open
II II ed behind, into which any tolerably ac
II tive person could spring and find safe
le ty. A wretched porter or pointsmal
y tried to stop me; swiftly dOdging hin
% | got ahead, and jumped on the foot
board of the carriage, just in front OF tn
le guards van. Now, in those days Their
A was no communication between guart
r. and engine-driver. In those days, too
l. none of you carried, as most of you
% daresay now do, a railway key. Th'
oi doors Of the carriage on to the step o
6 which had jumped were locked. Th'
T ~ train, an up-express, had pulled up a
., the down platform, possibly because
there was refreshment room there.
N And so my fix was this. l wa
&c standing on the foOt-board Of an alTea
Ie DIV very much swinging carriage. Tht
n speed was rapidly increasing, and
n could not get into 1t. There was no
much chance of the engine driver stop
ping to save me, because, as | was OF
Dr. the off side, it was not likely | shOul(
10 he noticed az we came through the sta
le tions. The guard crept along, not eX
n n acily his fOot-bOard, for the guard, val
n was not made like the other carriages
III but he stepped from point to point, ant
urged me In every way that he coult
Z, to move from my platform to his car
n riage. | could not; my nerves fallet
y me. The train was getting into ful
~ swing-thirty, forty, sixty miles al
al bourobefore could make up my mind
10 The guard, entreating me to hold tight
retreated to his den. From time tt
y time, | saw his kind face looking q
10 me. with outstretched neck, and hi
- mOuIu SpeuNluS "N W
e ment and caution.
ie y They never reached nue., but were
- horne back by the wind Bletchley way
Hold on | did, with the grim clutch
of worse than drowning man. One
and only one male passenger was II
the carriage on the foot0boarl Of which
IS I was riding. He did everything III
se could for me; tried to get me through
er the windOw-a great failure; gave me
D. brandy; passed q sash round my body
y: and held the two ends himself vi
~ we sped. My head was dizzy ana turn'
~ ing; my hands were cramped ana get
Z ting tired; my legs almost blown on
rs INV hat quite so. Iwell remember tht
~ lev feel Of the tunnels; the horrible
III earthly smell, mixed with flavor ol
y compressed steam; the drops of water
: falling from the roof on my uncovered
Ill head and oh! the passing OF trains
u The first met was in tunnel; glued
l. myself to the side Of my carriage. ThC
'e second was luggage train in the open
ID Would Il never come to an end
OI thought I; and yet l suppose we wert SI
is only q few seconds passing II. Inc
d third seemed to be u brother r-express.-
n Phhsshtt / thought I had been car,
p ried off in its violent whirlwind, bu'
awoke to sense of what was compar'
rs alive safety, clinging, yet more closely
+ with fast-dying grasp, to the door-han'
le die. supported yet more firmly by tht
q inside passenger and his scarf, rushing
ls through vacant windy space IN the
" shane Of cornfields and laborers; now
le a mill or two, and man; now, sta,
&c ton, where everybOdy's arms seemed
<. to be raised on high In horror; now
OF ugh !-another luggage-train. "MorSS
II bFandy,?" said my kind preserver'
IL drank Il, Hurrahl we are slackenlne
. speed-we have pulled up! hal
y y swOon; find myself In the custody s yy,G 2