Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-02-24

With glimpses, faint and fair, Of the long wished
afor reAt.i tr-aft0 .tH .i '"f 9
And so drop the roses from my hand, +
down Xii ss Sctoss T iSS and S peaee g fpS land
Lapt in tho golden calm of, dying day; IL b. =
That rough or smooth iSs Way lave S not far to
-PisSSiiie Opinion. Ts.a 7'i7ei 3
.00-T~r'TY'- r'TY'- "a gE t-is
MY .sE1RST.CLASSo- GHOST STORY.
l WAS seated in comfortable compaft-
ment in q first-class railway carriage at
London Bridge railway station on the 9th
of December. The weather was horribly
cold, aphkheSwipd was very hi6if had
my evening paper already cut by my side,
and my Bfddsha,o wasin my handy but
they vereat present both unhedGed FIR
my thcpght4 were faE away down the line
forty Niles down 10 Nettleton, where
was going to spend my Christmas holidays
with my uncle, Arthur Blucher, few
coosins, and Bessie Noland When Esay
that my uncle and cousins were second
and third in MY thoughts, I need hardly
explain thai Beeeie was my sweetheart
rather an old fashfoned word, but Iiil<e to
use it. / had won her after a courtship of
twelve months; and thought myself the
happiest of young fellows andthe Ipckiest
of niahkinds. Lwillgnot attempt TO de-
scribe my EBesasg for that can only be
done by spllofographE 4 ASheEwas very
pretty very ssnsibies and beloved by
everybody, and adorcd by me. l had
parted with her i'll the autumn; and
although every week brought ma,a kind,
gentle letter from her we had mot met
since saying goodby at the Barmouth sta
tion, North Wales, when she went to
stopat Nettleton, and / returned to grim
old law in my chambers, New Inn, Lin
coins Inn. How slowly the time dragged
on, to be surel There never could have
been windier or more cherries Octo-
Der than in that year, nor duller or dark
er NoYemteE II could find mo charm in
the London theatefs, 10 spite of the novel
ties sprodttced. The Newspapers were
stupid and the magazines barely readable
My friends, too, somehow or other, be-
came weariseme. JohnsOns puns fell fat,
Robinsons practical jokes lost their
charms, and Smiths aud Jone5's parties
bored me, j wanted Christmas to come as
quickly as possible, and yet Old Time
would not get on any quicker in spite of
my fretting. But at last the day arrived
for my departure. had packed my port
manteau two days before it was necessary
l had studied my route until knew the
stations by heart, and I found myself at
London Bfidg station a good half hour
before the train was advertised to start
Immediately & my y train II had known
this $50 for so many weeks that l looked
upon II in the light Of personal property
backed into its position insisted ON tax
ingmyvseat, although the guard assured
me- that we. shouldn't be off for quarter
of an hour, if then, Never mind; felt
hor raFlia nd lao 1ooa IN,
knowing thatit was something somehow
connected with Nettleton and my visit
Ourstrain, according to the timetables, did
not stop anywhere after passing Croydon,
but ran right into Nettleton junction-ig.
noring Reigate, Little Houghton and
Rusliley So, giving a shilling to the
guard requested him to lock the door,
and was left to my cigar, my evening
paper, my BrddshG1o, and my Bessie.
The station was thronged with holiday
makers of all grades of society, pushing,
squeezing, laughing, shouting, but all bent
on-One. object--tO get good places in their
various trains. Poor guards, how pitied
them and how 1 admired their GOODNESS
and clearheadedness ia the midst of such
q Babel of, tongues Should we never
start, asked myself as leaned out of the
window for the twentieth time Yes,
surely thoseare- "ourp doors being slam
med 10 that is our guard whistling and
holding uR his hand; and that brisk, de-
terminedi whistle. belongs TO our engine.
We off AS we slowly glided out of
the. ,station1 was somewhat surprised to
SEGA tail, hank, whilesfaSed gentleman
wslk up to- my carriage rdoor--Whiehe l
paid the guard 10 lock-open it, step in,
and take his seat opposite me. He was a
l<.~,l - s,l
face vas very long, and painfully white
his.eye was big ht and restless his hands,
incased lin black kid gloves, had the ao.
pearaticc Of possessing good deal of bone
his legs were aWkwardly long, and, to
add TO lhisl ntricity, his head was quite
bald, and shone like plain white billiard
ball. On catering the carriage he bowed
to me-. and, after carefully gazing round
him, smiled nsuch smile land taking
outa black ;cQyers d book, coiled himself
up-in.a a corner and buried himself in its
contents. This strange being puzzled me
considerably. What could he beg Per
hapsa doctor. NO--his appearance would
terrify any nervous patient. A lawyer
possibly an escaped lunatic more prob
ably 1'deterniined to speak TO him; folI
though / ssas,not coWard, did not like
theaman for now and then he. would put
down his book, gaze on the lamp above
him, and laugh quietly; then fixing his
eyes on me for a second, would relapse in
to smile, and scontihtie his reading. sDo
you object TO smoking Z" Iasked-I own
with an effort. He took no notice of me.
repeated the question but, in lieu ofTe'
plying, lie twisted himself into an easier
position, and went on with the black
bound bOoksIshag
at shall not be at all sorry when we get
to Netteton, i thought TO myself, as
threw my cigar away and TOOK up the
paper; ~ don't relish this superhuman
feiioW,passenge at all. Well, as there:
nc. chance. Of release foftWo good hodrs, ]
mayiRs we'll make the best OF it," l tried
to read, but could not fix my thoughts on
any subjects so I soon gave itup, and tried
to lose myself IN dream Land. But at first
/ could not sleep |; for whenever happen
ed TO 1ook up, 1'found my horrible com
paniona4 eyes fixed on mine. A. cold pers
piration came oyer me every time l looked
ON him SO summoned up courage ganC
said, somewhat sharply, think you arr
very rude, 10 stare at me so, sir If you
have anything To say to me, be good
enough TO speak, He smiled, and looked
out Of the window for moment, sighed
and changed his seat. I must have sooI
fallen into a doze, but how long slept
have little idea. When ! awoke l founC
the, carriage oscillating violently, and t
my horror and surprise, my companion
had gOHei Yes, was alone in the car
riagel In another moment the air wa
filled with shrieks of agony aud yells o
des pair, the escape of steam, and the crash
ing of wood. My carriage shook AM
Qroaned, and then tottered over on its sid
down an etnbankment; but luckily for me
Twas, with the exception Of afew bruises
unh urtS jOh, what sight was before me
The B :50 from London had run into
90 DDS train, aud lay before me wrecl
W omen, children, and men were burie
un der the debris, while some, like me, ha