The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-04-28
THE EXPRESS TICKET.
From Chambers journal.

One of the pleasantest Journeys |
ever took was made 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 un-
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 had plen-
ty of excellent cigars, and was very lib
eral with them, and ere we had ridden
half-a- dozen miles, he produced pack
of cards and asked me to play. Ide-
clined and he said with a 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 un-
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, l said with smile, ''by
your own rule you would lead me to
suspect you.
'You wouldn't be wrong, if you did, y
he replied, with very meaning nod 81
only wished to play for cup of coffee
at the refreshment station but / have
played in railway carriages for very
different stakes-and won them. How
ever, / am all right tonight, and don't
want to win anybody's money. l clear
ed eight hundred over the Leger, and
that will last me some time"
| congratulated him on his good for
tune, and said | wished | had been as
lucky.
eff it shouldn't mind, " he returned;
Eight come, light 60; but still it is bet
ter to have II few hundred in your pocket
than to he without penny to pay your
fare, as have been on this very rail.
way.
"Indeed, calculated, as he made
pause here; "that must have been
awkward. y
/" Awkward / believe you" he said.
But there a man with his head screw
ed on the right way need never be at
loss in rich country like this.
hadn't a penny--at any rate, | hadn't g
tenth part of the required fare-witl
me; Twas bound to keep an engage
ment, long way down the line, and ]
had not friend who would lend me
sixpence; and here | found myself, one
evening, quarter of an hour before
the train started. Something like q
fix, Ell! What should you have done
dOne?n
well, T." replied. q hardly know
IL | had watch"
"But | hadn't " he interrupted; "nol
anything else that would fetch two
pound seven, the price of ticket.
first class ticket, of course, | mean;
made up my mind to ride first class
like 1T best, and, under the circum
stances, 1t was Just rs feasible as an,
other.
Then, perhaps, | should have gon,
TO the station master or superintend
ent, " l said, "and told him all abou-
it; and if that wouldn't do, I must
have stopped in London. p"
"Then it wouldn't have done, vor
may swear, he replied; 4" station mas
ers are not SO soft as that. Well, now
I'll tell you all about it; and it may b,
of use to you to know, some day, VIVA
is possible to he done in such a fix.
/ nodded my thanks, and he began
need not tell you how came to b,
so placed-speculative men are Otter
IN such position; we always get on
of it somehow, however, and did, thi
time. When arrived Mt the station
there was the train, with the engin,
waiting little way off, blazing an,
kissing away. Some of the passenger
had taken their seats, but most of then
were walking up and down, or hayint
parting glass with their friends. O
looking Mt the book-stalls. How | en-
We'd the shabbiost of them ALL for he
whoever he was, had got his ticket. am,
could not get mine If the train Ia,
gone right through, would have take,
my seat and CHANGED dropping out ius
h'fore they stopped; bnt / knew the,
examined tickets halfway, SO tina