National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-05-31
MY NIGHT IN A BOX.

MY NIGHT IN A BOX.
" And must you really 20 away, an,
remain all night in that nasty old box o
YOURS and leave your Little Rosebud. u
7ou call her, all alone here, to imagine
al sorts of horrid things happening t,
b,r poor old boy2 Couldn't you stay al
home lfst for this one night? 2"
"Couldn't possibly do it, my love-" sal,
!. struggling into my greatcoat, and pos
,r,,ing myself at the same time OF my bis
yinr-gloves, which my little wife wa,
abs,ntly trying to fit on her own littl,
hands,
Not il very much wished it, Willie
Do YOU know, | felt so strange and lonely
last night when yon were away, that !
could hardly make up my mind to 60 to
bed at all ; and tonight can scarcely
hear the thought that you should be so
long absent. You know what timid,
foolish little thing am"
Her arm quietly stole round me, and
.he looked up to my face with wistful,
anxious look. while "A tear stood glistening
o the corners of her sweet, blue eyes.
Why, YOU wee goose" said |, kissing
away the bright token of her earnestness,
what has put such absurd thoughts into
that wise little noddle of yours2 Are You
afraid that the fairies will waylay me and
snlit me away to their elfn-land9 If they
do shall tell them that | have left a
fairy at home, and not even the blandsh-
ments Of the queen herself shall tempt
lae into their uncanny country. But Sc
rioa,ly Maggie, there is nothing to be
alarmed about. | shall be at home by
seven o'clock, at the latest; but since you
are So ecrie, | will call at fathers as |
pass and send up my brother Bob to keep
You company and stay in the house all
night VIII that content you, little wo-
M.n?'
no; don't do that; it would look
foolish, and Bob would only laugh at Inc
when he came. He does not understand
HE. think no one does understand me
eycept you, dear Will"
Thank you, Mag | think do un-
derStand you. But here comes the gig
so goodbye, and don't fret for the short
dmel AIN away shall be back long be-
oreyou are done dreaming"
So saying mounted the gig and drove
rapidly along the frozen road. But my
wife fingered by the porch, following Inc
with her eyes and so long as the house
was in sight, | could, on leaning back, see
tr white dress shimmering ghost-like in
'.e light which streamed through the
open door.
At the time of which | write, was
telegraph superintendent on the Wilton
and Longbank line of railway. One OF
The clerks, who was on night-duty, had
been taken suddenly i'll, and being unable
70 ind suitable substitute, ] had taken
his work myself until such time as he
Should recover had only been married
aiew months, and was by no means re-
'oncIed to the necessity of leaving my
Tfe and home to pass the night in that
nasty old box" as Mag called it-and
She was perfectly right in her description.
bet knew that it was a necessity, and ]
anew likewise that no grumbling of mine
could mend the matter.
drive of about eight miles brought
0g to my post. There was nothing very
extraordinary in the duty TO which ! had
hceu called away, nor was it any new ex
.''''''t " llC bub ou llIht NY
mud was filled With vague, indetnable
tears, tor which tried in vain to account.
lbe night was clear and windless, and
away to the northwestern sky the aurora
boreas was fitting to- and fro in a thous
and strange fantistic shapes. As ! watch
ed the shifting and quivering CLEANS, now
,aooting in rapid succession from one
minous center, and anon spreading and
nlling wave after wave across the starry
4eavens | began to think of the disas-
uous omens of war, plague and famine,
IS hlrh in the olden times men drew from
such sights. Somewhat of the same emo
ton felt in my own mind, and reason as
] would, | felt it impossible to shake off
The growing sense of uneasiness and gloom
which had taken possession of me. On |
entering the telegraph station, the clerk |
whom | had come to relieve was ready |
70 depart.
You won't have much to do to- night,
Nr said he. "The instruments are
quite unworkab'e no signals have been
received for the last three hours. Good
night"
When was left alone, found that it
a. ilt Hdu Sdlu. Inc tltCll ~ Cui iSh'o,
G4leh are developed in the atmosphere
curing most meteorological changes, had
.,gAlered the wires quite useless; and al
~'u-h the needles swaycd ceaselessly
.4yAWards and forwards, they made no
,-1 which the wisdom of man could in
!ret. Seeing that my office was likely
PEE >lnecure, | drew my chair to the
'''e' aud taking down a book which !
saw on a shelf, tried to interest myself
- Tie story. The volume | had discov-
g'' was Jane Eyre :" and although,
'',e That time, have read with tears
-' aeehter, it and the other works that
"e rom the same true and loving pen,
!'' on that night the spell of her who is
io"ertul to awaken our interest and
1.'I our sympathy-who has given us
,.,. .A Rochester and chronicled with no
'Duly hand the vagaries of the three
D. sl'rlc curates, end won our hearts for
.IesSor Emanuel Carl Paul-had no
r TO quiet my wild. wandering
-olslts. While | was turning listlessly
u 'Ae the leaves, the stiffness was star