Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-01-17
ESCAPED.

y
night when homeless wanderers
sunk down frozen to death, and the
very marrow seemed to CONCEAL in
ones bones.
"There's one great advantage in
steam" growled fat old gentleman,
in the corner seat "wind and wealth
er don't affect it. No flesh and blood
horse could stand night like this
but the iron horse keeps straight
ahead, though the thermometer is
below zero, or at boiling water heat.
Just then the conductor entered
Tickets, gentlemen, ifyou please. "
otis dreadful night, conductor"
| said, feeling with stiffened fingers
for my ticket.
dreadful, sir" feelingly respond
ed the conductor. "Why, the brake
men can't live outside, and so | look
the other way when they creep in,
poor fellows, to get breath of warm
air at the stove"
And the conductor opened the
door, and plunged across the coup
ling into the next car, crying out
! Hardwick -
1t was quite considerable city
with handsome iron depot, and the
usual crowd around the platform,
with their hands in their pockets,
and their cigar ends ablaze.
Our car was nearly the last on the
long train, and but one passenger
entered-a slender young girl, wrap
ped in a gray blanket shawl, and
wearing u neat little travelling hat OF
gray straw, trimmed with stone
colored velvet flowers. She seemed
20 hesitate, like one unused to trav-
cling, and finally sat down near the
door.
pardon me, young lady," said /,
"but you had better come nearer the
stove"
She started, hesitated an instant,
and then obeyed.
"Doos this train go on to Bays
water ?" she asked in voice so de-
liciously soft that IL seemed to thrill
through me.
ayes. Can l be of any service to
you ?"
"Oh, no-at least not until we
reach Bsyswater | would like a
carriage then"
1--WE shall not be there yet these
three hours"
do we stop again ?"
"Only ut Exmouth."
She drew q deep sigh, seemingly
Of relief, and then settled back in her
corner. By the light Of the lamp
could see her face plainly. Appar.
emily she was not more than sixteen,
with large blue eyes, golden hair
drawn straight away from her face,
and little rosy mouth, like that Of
a baby.
"Do you expect friends to meet
you at Bayswater, my child y | ask.
ed.
"No, sir; I am going to school
there"
1T will be an awkward hour to ar
rive by yourself-ono o'clock in the
morning"
"Oh, 1 am not afraid" she said,
with an artless little laugh. 81 shall
go straight to the seminary"
SO the train Numbered on, with
ceaseless pulsing at its iron heart,
and constant roar. Sud- emily the
signal whistle sounded, and the train
| began to slacken its speed.
"Surely we are not at Exmouth
yet ?" | thought, "unless | have fall.
en- unconsciously asleep, and allowed
the progress of time to escape me-
l glanced at my watch 1T was
barely half past eleven, and | knew
we were not due at Exmouth until
twelve.
rubbed the frost from the win
dow pane. and looked out. We had
stopped at little way station, in the
midst of dense pine woods.
ais this Exmouth p
1t was the soft voice of the pretty
traveller opposite.
"No; | don't know what place il
is Some way station.
docs this traiu'stop at way sta
tions? ?"
"Never, generally they must hav,
been specially signalled here. Yor
are cold, my child-you: voice trem
bles."
ut is cold, she said family, draw
ing her shawl around her. "Oh,
wish they would hurry ~"
We are moving once more"
said. "Conductor"-for the man o
tickets was passing through the carr
why did we stop st this back
woods placer"
"Oat Of water" was his reply, a
he hurridiy passed by.
Now | know perfectly well tina
this answer was not the real solution
Of the matter. Oar delay had no
exceeded half q minute-altogethei
Too short time for replenishing tn,
boilers and where on earth was th,
water TO come from in that desolat,
stretch of pine woods2 Five min
utes after the conductor entered th,
car / made room for him at my side
"Sit down, conductor - you'v
| potb;ny m do inst this roinuta -