Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-05-04
THE EXPRESS TICKET.
From Chambers Journal.


One of the pleasantest journeys l
ever took was made a short time back,
in company with total stranger, but
who proved to be the most chatty, most
communicative person / ever met with,
although his code OF morals was UNI
doubtedly rather lax. We got in at
London terminus, and as he almost at
once asked me where / was going, We
found we were each bound to the same
large city. fancied he had been din
ing rather generously, from his face,
which was little flushed he adplen-
ty of excellent cigars, and was very lib
eral with them, and ere we had ridden
half-a. dozen miles, he produced q pack
of cards and asked me to play. Ide-
clined; and he said with smile:
Afraid of strangers with cards well
you are quite right; but we shall do no
harm to each other"
Ihastened to assure him that ! was I'M
der no suspicion as regarded himself,
but that did not care for cards.
There you are to blame, he re-
turned you should always suspect
strangers who want you to play at cards
Why should man carry pack with
him if he does not intend to profit by
their use Take my advice, always be
on your gard.
But then, / said with a smile, 'by
your own rule you would lead me to
suspect you.
you wouldn't be wrong, if you did, =
he replied, with very meaning nod l
only wished to play for cup OF coffee
at the refreshment station; but have
played in railway carriages Tor very
different stakes-and won them. How
ever. l am all right tonight, and don't
want to win anybody's money. clear
ed eight hundred over the Leger, and
that will last me some time
| congratulated him on his good for
tune, and said l wished | had been as
lucky.
eff il shouldn't mind, he returned;
eight come, light go; but still it is bet
ter to have few hundred in your pocket
than to be without a penny to pay your
fare, asI have been on this very rail
way"
Indeed, calculated, as he made
pause here; THAT must have been
awkward.
Awkward I believe You, he said.
"But therel man with his head screw
ed on the right way need never be at
loss i'll a rich country like this l
hadn't penny--at any rate, hedn a
tenth part of the required fare-wlth
me; Twas bound to keep M engage
ment, a long way down the line, and
II s,,,, ,rh a
sixpence; and here / found myself, one
evening, quarter OF an hour before
the train started Something like a
fix, eh2 What should You have done
donei'
We'll, " / replied. i hardly know,
Ii | had a watch
But / hadn't he interrupted; ''nol
anything else that would fetch tive
pound seven, the price Of ticket. 4
first class ticket, OF conrse, / mean:
made up my mind to ride rirst class
like il best, and, under the circum
stances, it was just as feasible as any
other.
"Then, perhaps, should have gon,
to the station master or supenntend
ent, y / said. land told him all abou
it; and if that wouldn't dc, ! mus
have stopped in London.
Then it wouldn't have done, yor
may swear, he replied station mas
ers are not so sof, as that Well, now
I'll tell you all about il and 1t may b
of use to You to know, some day, wha
is possible 10 be done in such a TX.
/ nodded my thanks, and ne began
need not tell you how ! came to T.
so placed-speculative men are ofte
in such position; we always get on
of it somehow, however, and ! did, thu
time. When | arrived at the station
there was the train. with the encln
waiting a little way off, blazing an
kissing away. Some Of the passenger
had taken their seats, but most OF the1
were walking up and down. or havin
parting glass with Their friends, G
looking ii the book-stalla. How ] II