Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1870-03-17

"Thank you," said | pulling on my
coat, II don't think L shall play any
more tonight"
.'Not play? not play? why, you en-
gagged with me" said he, looking around
the room in surprise, half in suspicion,
half in anger. May 1 ask, sir, what
has produced this sudden change of in
tention"
Marker said l, ''you may take that
brandy and water-I have had enough;
I'm afraid you'll, find it rather strong"
20, see, ~ said the Captain, unmas K
ing at once, and advanced threatlngiy
towards the vicar, who was watching
him like a hawk. This fellow here,
whoever he may be, has been good
enough to SANDER me and my friend
while my back was turned, and pray.
sir. who are you ?" AS he said this he
walked up TO the vicar, hourlshing tne
butt end of his cue menacingly. II
don't know your name" he said with
long impudent fixed stare, or where
YOU are parson, but you're as like lag
once knew in Australia as two peas.
You remember Gentleman Jack,
Mossy?n
= "Of course do, and s'elp me, but he's
the very image of him." jabbered the
Jew.
"You were then, 1 presume, in the
same chain-gang," said the vicar, as he
rose and clenched his fist. I'll bear this
insolence no longer. You are both no.
torious billiard sbarpers; the marker
knows it, and has been paid for admit
ting you. The police all know you;
One word more and Ill ring the bell ana
send the waiter for constable and give
YOU in charge Now you be of. L won !
take the trouble to knock down TINS
sham captain for his insolence-a feather
would do that. Go, both ofyou; L. Ii not
let my friend be robbed by two such pit
iful thieves"
The Captain was paltroon. L saw
that he could have stabbed the vicar on
the spot. His color came and went. he
had once resolved on a rush; then Iear
seized him, as he saw his adversary
standing like marble statute-a pha-
lanx in himself. Muttering and curslng,
the two rascals skunk away like Satan
from the Archangel.
7"Perfect stranger to me, I assure you,
gents,n said the marker; '.neyer seed
'em before in my life.n :,
"You don't take to your brandy"
said L.
"Don't seem to care for any more,
thank you, sir. You pay for the table,
SIR" >,
"He doesn't deserve it, bat still pay, /"
said the vicar. So | paid.
? "The police shall know how THESE
rooms are conducted, depend upon IL, :,
he said TO the marker as be left; you
might as well garrote at once. What a
city ~ he said to me as we turned TO the
hotel, and 1 thanked him for his good
advice. sWhat a whirlpool of goddess
iniquity IbaAdulteraJed bread-adulter-
|ated wine-adulterated beer-aduiter,,
ated medicines-the very adulterated
ingredients themselves adulterated
Every foot one walks snare; In every
streets pitfal; virtue only vice disguised,
and vice itself as like virtue. as IL she
were her twin sister; sham everything.
When Will the FIRE descend fp
In the coffee room where we sat talk
| ing for half an hour, expressed my
surprise at the wears entering puoIc
billiard room. -,
"tYou do not know me-" he said. VI
am like EPaley; am never afraid OF
humbugs. II like to see the devils
schemes, that I may connteract them.
| We Church-of- England men know too
little of the world. That is why the
Bellais and Asmodes of cities cheat and
fool us SO often and outrageousfy.
make point, when syisit the metrop-
oils, professionally going to such places.
Another night you might have met me
lat Cremorne, or at the equally danger
Gus Alhambra. 1t is my duty, sir; and,
however unpleasant, j go everywhere to
see sin and folly at their fioodtide. Iou
will, at least, admit that my experience
of rascality has: been useful to you to-
night" %! q. iii2 ,s74a..''..
II owe you a thousand thanks,n / re-
piled. ~ had heard ofbilliard sharpers
but never met any before" 7ra~
II think I'll wish you good night,
now,u he said, ''as I am accustomed to
early country hours, and began to feel
what the children call the sand man"
busy at my, eyes. To- morrow, then, at
7:15 we meet Good night. .7.sai q .
So 1 wished the vicar good night, and
we parted. l was out nearly all day,
making calls and transacting business
I got back to the hotel about $50. or
dered down my luggage, and asked at
the bar if the Rev. MI. .Askin was gone
the porter said he was on the platform
waiting for me. He had just paid his
bill and taken his luggage forward.
took my ticket, but did not see him.
got my luggage labeled for Exeter;
still he did no. appear; but when the
guard opened the door of a first-class
carriage for me, | found plaid and
some books on the seat.
There's gentleman, sir, a clergy
man, taken that seat. He's been look
ing for a friend. l suppose that's you,
SIR. If he don't look sharp he'll miss
the train.n
The guard had already come for the
tickets. The sharp cry, Take your
seats,n had just gone forth when the
vicar cameTunning up, and said, open
this door, guard" The guard opened
the door and the vicar took his place,
laughing, opposite me. 1 hardly knew
him at first, for he wore a large dark
greatcoat, and had on travelling cap
drawn down over his eyes and with flaps
over his ears. He had a roll of papers
and two magazines in his hand.
How hate this fuss and hurry!' he
said, as he folded his plaid over his legs,
I"how hate the destruction OF all indi-
viduality! When 1 was young, the
coach journey was a deliberate quiet af-
fair-the traveller was recognized indi-
viduality. The eoachmani and guard
knew you and chatted; the ostler chat
ted; the insides and outsides knew you,
and chatted. There was interest in ev-
cry village; the people came out to see
you pass; the inn dinner was amusing.
Now you are mere parcel sent by train.
The pointsman, the signalman, are
mere machines, not cared for by you
aud not caring for you. Whiz. rattle,
battle, scream, hiss away you refash-
ed, and the only thing to break the jour-
ney is the name OF station SO pronoun-
ced as to be unintelligible.n 80
L Ilaughed and limited ut the annoyan-
ces, delays and dangers of the old sys-
tem-the overladen coaches, the exorbi-
tant landlords, the endless fees.
"Well," he said, perhaps in future
age of balloons or electric spark express
es, people will talk Of the delight of rail-
way travelling. The past is always
Draisel in order tn snite the nresent