Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-06-22
ROMANCE ON A RAIL WAY.

Euston Square Station-a station known,
| venture to think, to every American
who has ever invaded the old county.
There were only two other seats occu
pied in the compartmet entered by the
two young men. Two ladies-at least a
lady and her maid-were the other oc-
cupants. The lady was young, pale and
pretty; the maid was fresh, blooming,
round-eyed, north country girl the mo-
ment 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 Cumberland. Two gentlemen, one
apparently the young lady's father, at
tended her to the carriage door, and
waited at the door till the train actually
moved off. They both, especially the
enc who seemed to exercise parental au-
thority over the young lady, kept in
cessantly casting expecting, eager, sus-
picious eyes upon the platform, as if
they looked for or dreaded the arrival
of somebody. These little facts the two
barristers, accustomed to note small
things and construct them into evidence,
observed almost 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 low tone: at is all right,
Cunningham. He is not here. Thank
Heavenv.
:" He can't come now," said the other.
1T would not have much mat
tered even if he did," the elder OBJ
served. d" He should not have ex-
changed word with her not one world
But am glad to escape scenes and tears
and confusion for all that"
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..
hear tin fact he could not help him
self he had no choice but to hear.
The eldest of the two had taken a
farewell of the girl when he put her
into the carriage, that is, he kissed her
very coldly, and said good bye, and
added few whispering words, which
seemed to be something in the nature
of caution or a menance. Now, as the
train moved Oft, he only nodded fare
we'll. 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.
tons offered by the two barristers, but
was evidently not much inclined to any
manner of conversation. She exchanged
few words every now and then with
her maid, but for the most part re-
manned silent.
ltwas growing too late in the autumn,
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 autumnal charm and melan-
choly grace around it.
Our two triendS 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
tors who used to haunt our childhood.
They actually began to tell each other
ghost stories, and did not observe the
shuddering terror of the Cumberland
lass, who could hardly sit still in her seat,
80 great was her interest, excitement
and supersttious dread.
| don't know" said one of the two
young men, Lewis Rossmore by name,
"why railway should be supposed to
have necessarily banished ghosts. i can
quite imagine ghost making his APP.
pearance in this very train, for in
stance"
"Can you," replied Fred Sargent. ~
confess | cart; but | think you North
men, near the Scottish border have
more imagination than we prosaic cock
neys."
At the same time he happened to
glance at the young lady in the corner,
and her pale, sad face seemed ghost-like
enough in the gray evening light.
Sargent thought for moment of the
legend of the company who sat one
evening telling ghost stories until at last
the turn came to pale young lady who
had been silent all the time, and now
when invited to contribute her share to
the entertainment, said, in low tone.
less voice, | have no ghost story to tell,
but | am a ghost myself" and so
auished.
"Yes," pursued Lewis Rossmore, al
can easily imagine it; and | think it
can be done with rather fine effect.
Look here, Sargent take note of this
idea, and make something of it for one
OF the magazines. The people are trav-
cling along in railway, the express.
and have just passed one of the only
stopping places. Behold, as the train
IS rushing at tullspeed across the open
country, fifty miles an hour, and the
evening is growing dark, like this, they
suddenly perceive that one of the seats
has an occupant, whose presence was not
observed before--.'
"Ged's sake don't We 20 on in that
way" broke in the Cumberland girl,
unable to contain herself any longer.
Don't ye 60 on, gentlemen it's enough
to raise a ghost right in the midst of
us all !'
The young men laughed at first, but
the superstitious fears of the poor girl
were SO obviously genuine and profound
that Rossmore discontinued his goblin
invention, and they treasured her and
talked for few moments of something
else. The train stopped for five minutes
at the only station where it was to make