Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-07-18
SEC, MsE Vol. II, No. 4S.

just little de trop; and fancied, from
something they said, they were going
to get out at the station we have just
passed, and so l waited. But when /
found they were coming the whole way,
saw it was useless waiting any longer,
and came out, and nearly frightened
poor Polly there Servant girlD out OF
her Senses"
"Very sorry we should have been in
your way, SIR" said Sargent. ''But
it may interest you to know that l am
the profoundest sleeper that ever trav-
eled in train, and that L feel terribly
sleepy now"
"And l." said Rossmore, can hardly
keep my eyes open." .rl. .Ha
So the discreet barristers at once
turned around in their seats, coiled
themselves up, closed their eyes, and
were apparently buried in sleep deep
enough for the Emperor of Barbarosso,
or the sleeping beauty in her immortal
wood. ....r r-.......
Then Harold sat beside Alice, and
took her hand in his; and the servant
Polly seemed to follow the example OF
her legal travelling companions, and
sank into sleep. So Alice and Harold
talked and talked, and were happy.
About to part, apparently, for years, yet
they were happy in the present. Sure
ly that is one of the most excellent and
exquisite properties of love-exquisite
in its delight and in its pain-that it
never looks beyond the present hour,
but finds happiness now in momen-
tary meeting, though the agony of a
long parting threatens near at hand
agony now in momentary parting, al
though the hopes of a speedy reunion
may smile and offer consolation.
These two then were happy for the
hour. But the whole journey from
London to Liverpool by express is only
some five hours affair; and two hours
had been wasted before our adyentur-
Gus lover emerged from his conceal
ment. So the prospect OF Liverpool
and separation began to grow very
threatening and imminent; and Har-
old, dreading and detesting the thought
of such a parting, began to urge wild
proposal. Why should they not escape
at Liverpool, take the first train in the
morning-only 4 few hours to wait
and 90 on to Scotland and be married
there? Then let the family do its worst
Harold would not go to the West Indies
but would push career at home. Or
even if he had to go, he would leave be-
hind him a welded wife, whom no ILL
conditioned stepfather could take from
him. "Be my wife-cOme and be my
wife-that first; that at all hazards ~
So rang the refrain of the passionate
outpouring which for nearly an hour
Harold kept whispering into Alice's
ear.
The girl had spirit enough, and was
not unwilling to yield. Indeed, there
were few risks life could offer which she
was not ready to encounter, rather than
to go back to the dreary and odious
home life, with Harold far away. Now
she was being sent, as she perfectly well
knew, to the custody of an uncle and
aunt in Liverpool, in order that she
might be kept out of the way until af-
ter Harold should have left London and
gone out to the West Indies, where he
hoped to make fortune.
''But, Harold, DEAR" the girl whis-
pered, "the thing is impossible. My
uncle will be at the station, waiting fol
me with the carriage. Do you think ht
would be likely to fall into our plans?
"No, Alice; have thought of that
If you have courage-and know you
have-and are very, very quick, we can
escape and defy him. Now listen and
don't be afraid. just before we get to
Liverpool the train enters tunnel, and
inside the mouth of the tunnel we STOP
for a minute-a bare mOment-to make
sure that all is clear. | will have the
door open, and L will take you in my
arms and get out; it will be perfectly
easy and safe; and Polly shall follow
without one instant ofdelay. Then we
hold our breath and stand in the dark,
ness close up.to the tunnel wall for on
ly a moment, until the train rushes by
and then we go quietly out, take to the
road, get a carriage at the nearest inn
drive to any station on the line, where
we can wait for the Scottish mail. You
uncle will only suppose you put OF
coming for day, he will grumble an,
wait for tomorrow, without even sus
pecting anything, and then it will b.
| too late.' ...t
"If we were killed"
"Dearest, do you suppose would ex
pose you to any danger?'
"No, Harold, it was not that. wa
only going to say that if we are kille'
I mean evenif we are killed-we shal
be killed together''
Harold embraced his intrepid and des
perate fiancee and the plan was re
solved on. A few whispered words con
veyed the whole to the stout-hearte'
Polly, who had n romantic heart, an
would have gone with these lovers any
where-leaped with them out of an eX
press train rather than desert them
The moments went by; the tunnel wa
near; the two young barristers ha'
long since been fast asleep in good real
ity; Harold swiftly opened the doc
and stood close to it with Alice in hi
arms; the faithful Polly loaded hersel
with such of her mistress cloaks an
shawls and things as she could attemp
to carry; the train already began I
sIacken its speed; they were at tn
mouth of the tunnel; Harold said in
whisper, Snow loven' and Alice sim
her eyes, and pressed her face agains
his shoulder.
. The train ratified and crashed throug
the echoing tunnel. The hollow, hide
Gus reverberations aroused our sleepin
barristers. Sargent started up an
rubbed his eyes.
sHallo, Rossmore, this is the Edge
hill Tunnel? We shall be in Liverpo,
i'm moment. Shake yourself up, oil
| hoy w