The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-06-03
MY NIGHT IN A Box.

MY NIGHT IN A BOX.
"And must youSfeally go away, and
remain all night ineth6t, nasty old box of
yours, and leave your Little Rosebud, as
you call her, all alone here, 70 imagine
oil sorts of horrid things happening to
heg poor old boyi Couldn't ION stay at
home just for this one nirilb lt'
"oouldn't possibly do u my love, said
], struggling into my greAtcoat, and pos.
aessing myself at the same time OF my big
driving. gloves, which my little wife was
absently trying to fit on her own little
hands, '
"Eot II livery much wished II, Williei
Do you know, felt SO strange and lonely
last night. when you were away. that |
could hardly make up my mind to go to
bed Mt all; and Tonight can scarcely
bear the thought that you shonld be SO
long absent. You know what a timid,
foolish little thing ] am."
Her arm quietly stole round me, and
she looked up to my face with a wistful,
anxious look, while n tear stood glistening
In the cornerst her sweet, blue eyes.
"Why, you. wee goose,n said I, kissing
away the bright token Of her earnestness,
" hat has pnt such absurd thoughts into
that wise little noddle of yoursl Are you
afraid that the fairies will wAylay me and
spirit inc away to their eliin.lanl1 fthey
do, shall tell them that | have left
fairy at home, and not even the bl6ddish-
ments Of the queen herself shall tempt
me into their uncanny country. But Sc
rionsly, Maggie, there Is nothing to be
alarmed about. shall be at home by
seven o'clock. at the latest; but since you
are 80 eerie, 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-
mani" a.I ....
"No; don't do that; It would look
foolish. and Bob would only laugh at me
when lie came. He does not understand
ME. ! think no one does understand me
exceht you, dear Will"
"ThAnk you, Mag; | think / do un.
derstand you. But here comes the gig
so good. bye, and don't fret for the short
time am away. Islall be back long be.
fore you are done dreaming"
So saying, mounted the gig and drove
rapidly nlOHg the frozen road. But my
wife fingered by the porch, following me
with her eyes; and so long as the house
was in sight, could, on leaning back, see
her white dress shimmering ghost.like In
tho light which streamed through the
open door.
At the time ofSwhich 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 III, and being unable
to'flnd n suitable substitute, had taken
his work myself until such time as he
should recover. Ihad only been married
few months, and was by no means re-
conciled to the necessity of leaving my
wife and home to pass thu night In that
"nasty old box.n as Mag called it-and
she was perfectly right in her description.
But knew that 1t was a necessity. and ]
knew likewise that no grumbing of mine
could mend the matter. ~
A drive Of about eight miles brought
me to my post There was nothing very
extraordinary In the duty to which ! had
been called away, nor was 1t any new ,ex-
periehce to me; but on that night my
mind was filled with vague, indefnable
fears, for which ] tried in vain to account.
The night was clear and windless, and
away TO the northwestern sky the aurora
borealis was fitting 10 and fro in q thous-
and strange fantistic shapes. AsI watch.
ed the shifting and quiyering CLEANS, now
shooting Ia rapid succession from one
luminous center, and anon spreading and
rolling wave after wave across the starry
heavens, ! began to think Of the dsas-
trous omens Of war plague and famine,
which in the olden times men drew from
such sights Somewhat Of the same emo.
ton felt in my own mind, and reason as
/ would, I felt 1t 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
10 depart,
"You won't have much to do tonight,
sir" said he. "Thc instruments are
quito unworkable; no signals have been
received for the last three hours. Good
night"
When was left alone, I found that It
was as he had said. The electric currents,
which are developed in the atmosphere
during most meteorological changes, had
rendered the wires quite useless; and al.
though tho needles swayed censolessly
backwards and forwards, they made no
sign which the wisdom Of man could In.
terpret. Seeing that my office was likely
to be a sinccure, drew my chair to the
stove, and taking down a book which I
saw on a shelf ttried to interest myself
in tile story. The volume had dscoy.
cred was aJane Eyre - and although,
since that time, | have read with tears
and laughter II and the other works that
came from the same true and loving mem
yet on that night the spell Of her WHO l.
30 powerful to awaken our interest and
enlist our sympathy-who has given ma
Black Rochester and chronicled with no
unkinily hand the vagaries of the three
eccentric curaies, and won our hearts for
Professor Emanuel Carl Paul--had no
power to 1niet my wild, wandering
thoughts. While was turning listlessly
a,.e Cha tha 1aavaa kha stilln aas ,,,.. 49,.