Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-07-18
Romance On q Railway.

Two young barristers travelling from
London to Liverpool took their seats in
the evening in first-class carriage Of
the five O'Clock express train at the
Euston Square Station "a station
known, l venture to think. to every
American who has ever invaded the old
country. There were only two other
seats occupied in the compartment en-
tered by the two young men. Two Ia
dies-at least lady and her maid
were the other occupants. The lady was
young, pale and pretty; the maid was
fresh, blooming, round-eyed, north
country girl; the moment she spoke
word her accent made it plain to one Of
the two advocates-himself from the
lakeland of Northern England-that
the girl came from dear old Cumber-
land. Two gentlemen, one apparently
the young lady's father, attended her to
the carriage door, and waited at the
door till the train actually moved off.
They both, especially the one who
seemed to exercise parental authority
over the young lady, kept necessarily
casting expecting, eager, suspicious eyes
upon the platform, as If they looked
for or dreaded the arrival of somebody.
These little facts the two barristers, ac-
customed to note small things and con-
struct them into evidence, observed al
most unconsciously, and by sheer force
of habit. .....
The old man, whom both the youths
learned in law, assumed to be the father
of the departing young lady, at last
nodded Significantly to the other, and
said in a low tone: at is all right,
Cunningham. He is not here. Thank
Heaven!'
"He can't come now,' said the other.
/" 1t would not have much mattered even
if he did," the elder observed. He
should not have exchanged word with
her-not one word! But 1 am glad to
escape scenes and tears and confusion
for all that -.t,'-
The lady in the carriage had heard
nothing of this. She sat at the further
end of the compartment. Doubtless
what was said would never have been
spoken were she near enough to hear it.
One of our lawyer friends, however, did
g.. l. hnI h i'm
self; he had no choice but to hear.
The eldest of the two had taken
farewell of the girl when he put her
into the carriage, that is, he kissed her
very eoldly, and said goodbye, and ad-
ded few whispering words, which
seemed to he something in the nature
of caution or a menace. No W, as
the train moved of, he only nodded
farewell. He had a formally handsome
face, regular, cold and harsh, with thin
lips and very white teeth.
The train went on and soon whirled
through the pleasant suburbs Of that
side of London, and away into the open
country. The young lady seemed very
melancholy and absorbed. She replied
gracefully to few civilities and atten-
tions offered by the two barristers, but
was evidently not much inclined to any
manner of conversation. She exchang-
ed a few words every now and then
with her maid, bnt for the most part re-
mained silent. .!- .-.i 3.
1t was growing too late in the au-
tumn, and dusk soon began to come on.
The evening was soft and beautiful; !;
the face of the country looked tender
and poetic, with all its autlimnal charm
and melancholy grace around it.
I Our two friends talked together on
many subjects; at first in low tone
then, as the young lady appeared to be
asleep, or wholly absorbed in her own
thoughts, they began to speak more
freely and loudly. Something or other,
perhaps the gray, poetic sadness Of the
evening, set them talking of the old
world ghosts-the dear delightful, tor
turing, hair-lifting, blood-chilling spec
tres who used to haunt our childhood.
They actually began to tell each other
ghost stories, aud did not observe the
shuddering terror of the Cumberland
+, lass, who could hardly sit still in her
seat, so great was her interest, excite
ment and superstitious dread.
81 don't know" said one of the two
young men, Lewis Rossmore by name
"why railway should be supposed to
have necessarily banished ghosts. car
quite imagine ghost making his ap'
pearance in this very train, for in.
stance" ........ .....
Scan you," replied Fred Sargent. 81
confess / can't; but think you North
men, near the Scottish border, bay'
. more Imagination than we prosaic cock
neys." 80.
At the same time he happened tt
, glance at the young lady in the corner
and her pale, sad face seemed ghost-lik'
enough in the gray evening light. Sar
gent thought for q moment of the lie
gend of the company who sat one eve
ming telling ghost stories until at las
the turn came to pale young lady VIII
). had been silent all the time, and nov
when inyited to contribute her share t.
the entertainment, said, in a low tone
less voice, 81 have no ghost story to tel
hut I am a vhnst mvselfy, and so van