Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1872-03-09

IOouhtess MOI Lazy OF large pro
perty-wife Of Glasgow merchant
Devil a bit Missionary woman
mol Tight-rope dancer2 mol Stew
ardess on WesC Indiaman, spending
pay2 Yes-that's it Come home
six months. Find big American
ship watsrlogged- cargo notions
nobody on board but pussey cat,
you rummy old passenger-bosrded
her-Hullo What's that?"
l did not know what it Was, but
there was sudden snap, and our
carriage gradually slackened speed
and eventually stopped. Iput my
head out Of tho window. The coup
ling had broken, and our carriage
and the guards van had been sepa-
rated from the rest of the train.
The driver knew nothing about it,
and there we were, half way between
Stafford and Rugby at IL P. NJ, on
q very cid April night.
"Great Heavens |" said I, in the
very greatest alarm, "the coupling
has broken and we are left behind
by the train. We shall be smashed
by the next down train
"Not bit, you old strange one !"
replied she, without even looking
out of the window. Guard at end
of train if we broke OF, he broke
of, too"
The guard had, in point of fact,
rushed forward waving his lantern
in the fsiut hope of being able to
attract the attention of the driver,
but in vain. So he returned very
excited, but very sulky.
"What in the world are we to do ?"
asked l.
"Get out of this-you and your
old woman-while ! lun back to
Bembridge to telegraph. Come,
out you CO.
"But where are we to go2 1t is
raining hard, and we shall be
soaked"
"There's a light yonder across
the common. You'd better trot
over there, YOU and your old woman,
and knock 'em up. l don't know
the country just here" And of he
went like lightning.
"His advice very good. my old
man" said my companion. II take
your arm and we trot. Come, rum
chap
There was no help for it. I sue
cumbed, and we had squashy walk
over a painless and fuzzy common
half mile in diameter. My COM
panion had q knack Of tumbling
down in a sitting attitude aC the
faintest provocation and if | lifted
her up once, lifted her up twenty
times. Twenty times sixteen stone
is exactly two tons--which repre-
sents the weight l lifted off Benz
bridge Common that night. Il
have since had reason to believe
that her actual weight is fifteen stoue
three, but l say sixteen stone, be-
cause l take into consideration the
moisture with which her clothes
we're saturated.)
At length, after twenty minutes
difficult walking, We reached the
light that had attracted our atten,
ton. 1t proceeded from the win,
dow of a very small cottage. We
knocked, and eventually the door
was opened to us. In the mean
time, my companion, who had in
formed me that her name was Dolly
Fortescue, sang negro songs in o
deep contralto.
"Wot is it2" said the cOttsger.
"There has been an accident on
the line, and we want shelter"
"Wot Il you give?"
"a guinea" said Miss FOrtescue
"This rum Old card give guinea.
"Well, you can lie in the stable
Ny cottage is chock-full."
He took o lantern and showed mt
into the "stable," which was a hui
with one stall and a loose box il
which was a very untidy donkey
l at once declined to share this sta
bic with Dolly, preferring to risk &
night in the rain. l stated my In
tention.
"Old boy is quite right. He's {
rummy old passenger, but he's quite
right. Come along, queer old mar
we walks somewherss else"
"Now, lookee here" said the man
"wot's your game, you twoP Woi
are yer hup to? Is this here q lark
Where's my guinea2 Give us old o
my guinea afors you goes. None
Of this with NE you knowl Give Ut
old O my guinea, come
"Old man." taid Dolly to me
"pull out employers cash-box anc
give guinea like birds"
"Wot's this here about cash
boxesP" said the man. Come
out with that guinea We hears
good deal about it, but we don't se'
none of it. Come. let's see some o
it. Be q man."
al shall give you nothing" sait
I. "You are an insolent scoundrel.
"Wotl" said the man" wot''
this here about cash-boxes ? Com
along O me |" and he laid his han'
upon my collar.
"You scoundrell" said I, "if
were a stronger man, ID
"Wotl assault the perlice9 NJ
eye, here's go! Come along o me
I'm the constable. I'll give you
lodging. So it's caah-boxes, is it
Come along O me both on yer"
And he led US to a square build
ing at the back of the house, and
unlocking the door. pushed US in
snow" said he, "I'm a-gOin' Il
search you"
And no did ; but he found no
thing except a few Sovereigns-fO
nv money was in my despatch box