Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-11-03
StletteO Storu.
ROMANCE IN A RAILWAY.


Two young barristers, travelling IRON
London to Liverpool, took their seats one
evening in a first. class carriage OF the nv.
o'clock express ut the Euston Square Sta
tion-a station known, | venture to think,
to every American who has ever invaded
the old country. There were only two
other seats occupied in tho compartment
entered by the two young men. Two la
dies-at least, a lady and her maid-were
the other occupants. The lady was young
and pale and pretty; the maid was fresh,
blooming, round-eyed north country girl
the moment she spoke word her accent
made it plain to one of the two advocates,
himself from the lakeland of Northern
England, that the girl came from dear old
Cumberland Two gentlemen, one appa-
rently the young ladys father, attended her
To the carriage door, and waited at the door
until the train actually moved of. They
both, especially the one who seemed to
exercise parental authority over the young
lady, kept necessarily cisting expectant,
eager suspicious eyes about the platform,
as if they looked for or dreaded the arrival
of somebody. These little facts the two
barrsters, accustomed to note small things
and construct them into evidence, observ-
ed almost unconsciously, and by the sheer
force of hab t.
The older man, whom both the youths
learned in law assumed to be the father of
the departing young lady, at last nodded
significantly 10 the other, and said, in
low tone: at is all right, Cunningham.
He is not here. Thank Heaven!'
"He can't come now, said the other.
at would not have mattered much even
If he did, " the elder observed. He should
not have exchanged word with her not
one word But I'm glad to escape scenes
and tears and confusion Tor all that"
The lady in the carriage had heard moth
ing of this. She sat at the further side of
her compartment Doubtless what was
said would never have been spoken were
she near enough to hear It, One of our
lawyer friends, however, did hear it-in
fact he could not help himself, he had no
choice but to hear.
The elder of the two speakers had taken
a farewell OF the girl when he put her into
the carriage--that is, he kissed her very
coldly, and said good-oy, and added few
whispered words, which seemed to be
something IN the nature OF caution or
menace Now, rs the train moved off, he
only nodded a farewell He had formal
" handsome face regular, cold and harsh,
with thin lips and very white teeth.
The train then went on. and soon whirled
through the pleasant suburbs OF that side
of Lcudon, and away into the open coun-
try. The young lady seemed very melan-
choly and absorbed She replied grace
fully to few civinties and attentions Of
fered by the two barristers, but was evil
IDENTITY not much inclined to any manner
OF conversation. She exchanged few
words now and then with her maid, but
for the most part remained silent.
I, was growing to be late IN Autumn, and
dusk soon began to come on. The even
ing was soft and beautiful; the face of the
country looked tender and poetic, with
ali it's autumnal charm and melancholy
grace around II.
Oul two friends talked together on many
subjects, Mt first in low tone, then, as
the young lady appeared 90 be asleep, OF
wholly absorbed In hec own thoughts, they
.,egan to speak little more freely and
oudly. Something or other, perhaps tht
gray poetic sadness of the evening, SET
them talking of the old world ghosts-tht
dear, delightful torturlng, hair-hfting
blood-chilllng spectres who used to haur
our childhood. They actually began tell
ing each other ghost stories, and did no
observe the shuddering terror OF the Cum
berlaud lass, who could hardly sit still il
her seat, so great was her interest ex
element and superstihous dread.
II don't know, said one OF the two
young men, Lewis Rossmore by name
owhy railways should be supposed to have
necessarily banished ghosts, can quit
imagine n ghost making his appearance, II
this very train, for instance
"Can you ?" replied Fred Sargent. "
confess | cant; but | think you Mortimer
near the Scottish border, have more imag
iuntIou than We prosaic cockneys
At the same time he happened to glanc
ut the young lady in the corner, and be
pale, sad face seemed ghoStlike enough i
the gray evening light. Sargent though
for moment of the legend of the compan
who sat one evening telling ghost storie
until at last the turn came TO pale, youn
lady who had been silent all the time, an
who now. when invited to contribute he
share to the entertainment, said, IN low
toneless voice, Il have no ghost story I
tell. but / am a ghost myself = and S
vanished.
"Yes, pursued Lewis Rgssmore; 81 ca
easily imagine 1t; and think 1t could b
done with rather fine effect. Look here
Sargent, take a note of this idea, ard max
something of it for one of the magazines
Two people are travelling alone IN rail