Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-11-03
Blame these gentle.

men I)I mat, ne SAlu. 4uey Will UOL De
offended if say that thought them just
a little de trop; and / fancied, from some
thing they said, they we're about to get out
at the station we have just passed, and so
| | waited. But when found they were
c0ming,the whole way, saw it was useless
waiting any longer, and came out, and
nearly frightened poor Polly there" (the
ssrvant) ''out of her senses" F
Very sorry we should have been in
your way, SIR" said Sargent. "But it may
interest You to know that l am the very
profoundest sleeper who ever travelled in a
train, and that / feel terribly sleepy al
| ready"
And l." said Rossmore, scan hardly
keep my eyes open.
SO the discreet barristers at once turned
| round in their seats, coiled themselves up,
closed their eyes, and were apparently
buried in slumber deep enough for the
Emperor Barbarossa or the Sleeping Beau
ty in her immortal wood.
Then Harold sat beside Alice, and took
her hand in his; and the servant, Polly
seemed to follow the example of her legal
travelling com panions, and sank into sleep.
So Alice and Harold talked and talked,
and We're happy. About to part apparent
present Surely that is one of the most
excellent and exquisite properties of love
exquisite in its delight and in its pain l.
that 1t never looks beyond the present
hour, but finds happiness now in a mo-
mentary meeting, though the agony of a
long parting threatens near at hand
agony now in q momentary parting, al
though the hope OF speedy reunion may
smile and offer consolation
These two then were happy for the hour
But the whole journey from London to
Liverpool by express IL only some five
hours affair; and two hours had been
wasted before our adventurous lover
emerged from his conceament. So the
prospect Of Liverpool and separation be-
gan to look very threatening and imminent:
and Harold, dreading and detesting the
thought of such parting. began to urge a
wild proposal, Why should they not
escape at Liverpool, take the first train in
the morning only very few hours to-
uait--and go on to Scotland and be married
there2 Then let the family do its worst;
and Harold would rot go to the West
Indies, but would push career at
home. Or, even if he had to go, he
would at least leave behind him
welded wife, whom no ill-conditioned step
father could take from him. "Be my wife
come and be my wife-that first; that at
all hazards !" SO rang the refrain OF the
passionate outpouring which for nearly an
hour Harold Kept whispering in Alice's
ear.
The girl had spirit enough. and was not
unwilling to yield Indeed, there were few
risks lite could offer which she was not
ready to encounter rather than go back to
the dreary and odious home life, with
Harold far away. Now she was being
sent, as she perfectly well knew, to the
custody, the mere custody, of an uncle and
aunt in Liverpool, in order that she might
be kept out Of the way until Harold should
have left London and gone out to the West
Indies, where he had relatives, and where
he hoped to make fortune.
but, Harlod dear" the girl whispered,
'the thing is impossible. My uncle will
be at the Station waiting for me with the
carriage. Do you think he would be likely
to fall into our plans ?"
mo, Alice; have thought OF that. If
you have courage--and know you have
and are very, very quick, We can escapean
defy him. Now listen, and don't be afraid.
Just before we get to Liverpool, the train
enters tunnel and inside the mouth of the
tunnel we stop for minute-a bare mo
ment--to make sure that all is clear. l will
have the door open, and will take you in
my arms and get out: it will be perfectly
easy and SAFE and Polly shall follow with
out one instant of delay. Then we hold
our breaths, and stand N the darkness
close up to the tunnel wall for only a mo-
ment, until the train rushes by; and then
we get quietly out, take TO the road, and
get carriage at the nearest inn, and drive
TO any station on the line, where we can
wait for the Scottish mail. Your uncle will
only suppose that you have put off coming
tor day; he will grumble and wait for to-
morrow without doing or even suspecting
anything, and then it will be too late"
IF We are killed"
Dearest, do you think l would expose
you TO any danger
"No, Harold, it was not that. l was on
~ going to say that ii we are killed.
mean even II we are killed-we shall be
killed together +
Harold embraces Ais intrepid and des-
perate faRCee, and the plan was resolved
on. s few whispered words conveyed the
whole to stout hearted Polly, who had
romantic heart, and would have gone with
these lovers any where--leaped with them
out OF an express train flying at fun speed
rather than desert them. The moments
went by; the tunnel was near; the two
young barriers had long since been fast
asleep in good reality; Harold softly open
ed abe door, snd stood close to 1t with
Alice in his arms; the faithful Polly loaded
herself with such Of her mistress's cloaks
and shawls and things MS she could attempt
to carry; the train began already to slacken
its speed; they were OF the mouth OF the
tunnel; Harold said, in whisper, Now
lover And Alice shut her eyes, ana
pressed her face against his shoulder.
The train ratified and crashed through
the eehoing tunnel. The apt.uw, hideous
reverberaiions aroused our sic, ping narris-
ters. Sargent started up, and rubbed his
eyes.