New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-31
Escape FROM JUSTICE.

|
II was bitter night in January, nlgh1
~ "1a on,eiess wanderers on the mOOl
VIII have sunk down and frOze 10 death
miS tI,a verv marrow seemed to cOngeal IL
"n .eThera's one advantage in steam.
romIed a fat old gentleman In the corner
sseat .wind and weather don't anect IL
NJ flesh and blood horse coqid stano
night like this, but the iron morse keeps
straight ahead, whether the tnernome'ei
ia at zero or boiling heat.
Tnst then the conductor entered.
"Tickets gentlemen, if you please >,
..Irs dreadful night, conductor,
sold feeiing with stifened fingers for my
ticket. in the breast pocket OF my coat;
dreadful, SIR feelingly responded the
conductor. "Why, the brakemen cant i've
outside, and so l look the other way wneS
thew creep iu-poor fellows-tog get breath :
" IT, ION, air at the stove. We have not had
such bad night since a year ago, the sec
ond Of February, when Tom Blakeslee, the
baooa oe.master, frOze both his feet, and q
wnmaH. who was coming on from chicago,
GOT off at Bunns Four Corners, with her
baby in her arms, corpse"
"FrOze to death "
Ave frozen to death, and she never
thought-poor thing-bnt II was asleep.
| INV baby's cold,' says she, but we'll soon
| WARM IL, >" ACA w 81 AASAA~~' "
such night as this
And the conductor opened the door, ana
plunged across tina opening into the next
car, crying out
'.Hardwick ~
! It was quite considerable city, with q
handsome iron depot, faring gas lamps,
and the usual crowd around the platform,
with hands in their pockets, and cigar ends
flaming through the night.
Our car was nearly the last OF the long
| train and but one passenger entered it-a
| slender young girl, wrapped in gray
blanket shawl, and wearing neat little
| travelling nat of gray straw, trimmed with
stone-colored velvet flowers. She seemed
| to hesitate, like one unused to travelling,
and finally sat down near the door.
pardon me, young lady," said /, "but
you had better come nearer to the stove"
She started, hestated an instant, and
then Obeyed
"Does this train go to Bayswater y she
asked, in voice SO deliciously soft and
sweet that it seemed to thrill through me.
'Yes; can be of any service to your
Bayswater. 1 would like to have car
rage then
I'VE shall not be there yet these three
hours"
DO we stop again p
''Oniv at Exmouth.'
She drew deep sigh, seemingly of relief
and settled back in corner. By the light
of the lamp that hung in its brass fixture
opposite. l could see her face-that Of
lovely child. Apparently she was no more
than sixteen. with large blue eyes, golden
hair, brushed smoothly back from her
face, and a little rosy mouth, like that of
baby:
."Do you expect friends to meet YOU at
Bayswater, my child" asked incidentally.
No. sir. am going to school there"
1T will be an awkward hour for you to
arrive at, one in the morning"
'Oh, am not afraid" she said, with an
artless little laugh; Il shall go straight to
the seminary"
So the express train Numbered on, with
ceaseless pulsing at its iron heart, and con-
slant roar. Suddenly the signal whistle
sounded. and the train began to slacken its
speed.
Surely. we are not at Exmouth yet"I
thought unless have fallen unconsciously
asleep. and allowed the prog ess Of time to
escape me-"
| glanced at my watch 1t was barely
halfpast eleven, and l knew we were not
due at Exmouth until after twelve rubbed |
the frost from the pane and looked out. We |
had stopped at lonely little way station in !
the midst OF dense pine woods.
lis this Exmouth'''
1t was the soft voice Of the pretty traveller
opposite J.
No don't know what place it is; 500
Does this train stop at way stations!'
Not generally: they must have been spe-
cialiy signaled here. You are cold. nv
child: notice your voice trembles."
1t Is cold. she said in a scarcely audihle
voice. drawing her shawl around her. ooh.
wish they would hurry on
we are moving once MORE" l said.
Conductor. for the man of tickets was
passing through the car-''why did we stop
1t that backwoods placer
out of water" was the reply, as the man
passed on.
Now. l knew very we'll that this answer
Vas not the true solution of the matter.
Cur delay did not exceed half a minute.
lltoSefher too short for replenishing the |
'oliers: and where on earth was the water
o come from in that desolate stretch of
,arren pine woods
FIVE minutes after the conductor re.en-
ered the car. l made room for him at NV
ide. ny
10 now. ~
He Obeyed
NV nat do you mean by telling me such a
le just now
spoke under NY breath: he replied in
he same tone:
About what
ABOUT the reason you stopped to take
II single passenger-a gentleman 1rho
as come down from the Bayswater for the
ieasure OF travelling once more over the ,
anne route - o
Exactly sn-for the purpose of travel.
l2 IL IN certain society. Don't be alarmed i,
II your own society-it's a detective Dolice- :
IAN. 1
was about to repeat the words in a. ,
'nlshment, when he motioned me to cau.
on. ~ !,
Where is he"
The detective He sits by the door
onder, with a ragged fur cap pulled over !
is eyes. Did you ever see more perfect
'Tc.uish OF the dllapidated countryman p
l smiled; | could hardly HELM il.
wv hat is the case? p
"A murder-a man and wife and two lii.
chlldren-thcir threats cut last nioht
aa .he mouse set on fire afterward.'
Treat heavens what monster y,
we had continued the Conversation
in whisper SCARCELY ahova
IT. BREATH and now the conductor rose Cd :; =
n me to study the faces of my tellow-nas-
Ssers; with curious dread and horror.
ooileno"' as often as l revolved the
"'eei IA my MIND, my fancy would settle
III !" ,' coarse gross-iooking man opposite, a
l1 Iar 't tr oeard and shaggy coat, with the
at this man, with the heavy hanu;ra ;au el
rs Gam. And as looked fnrtiyefv across 81
tie girl. Va ~ " 'n0 A''At g,
Obeying the instantaneous IMPULSE of nv a.
art arose and went over to her. III
You have heard what we were SAVING
Y child!" ''sins
- 1es-a nun der. Oh, how horrible ~ in