The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-10-04
Albaar 2rgister.
Forty Shillinxs and Costs.


branch line of railway, In the first
place. as the country line only ran
three trains day. passenger and goods
together, neceS>itating weary shunt-
ings at every station. we could hardly
be said to have made good start. In
the next place. the strategic arrange
ment whereby the London line man
aged invariably to start its trains five
minutes before the arrival of the up"
country train. making us wait for two
hours at Marlbury Junction, to spite
the country company, scarcely tended
to rapid progress. In the third place
as it always happens to be the aim Of
a tlaffic-manager to endeavor to drive
passengers on to the main line. and
to visit with all possible rctributiye
delays the hostile British public when
it teM travel on branch, we could
not be considered to have made up for
the lost time on the branch. In the
fourth place, it didn't help us forward
to be compelled to travel one hundred
and twenty-seven miles round about
in a paabola, in order to reach Chel-
chester, which, at starting. was only
fifty-eight miles from -iveminster.
In the fifth and last place, we were
not got to Chichester yet and 1t
would have been money i'll my pocket
if | never had.
''Swinbro' = SwinhrO'. Change
here for Marchmo..t and Nutchley.
Change here"
Almost time fora change. reflected,
considering Ind been nine hours out
on a journey of fifty-eight miles, and
was still far off from my destination.
Looking out from my window Of
tirst-class compartment, saw it was
a cherries, drizling night, and the
railway porterS were streaming in the
misty air as they hurried to and fro
past the CLEAN Of the lamps. Remon-
Strating with the guard respecting our
train being an hour late. and the time
past eleven at night, he soothed my
irritation by telling me grnifiy had
no business on branch line ii want
ell to go anywhere and if | would go
to out-of-the-way places like Chelches-
ter, | must be very thankful if the
company put themselves to the ex-
pense of taking me there at all, con-
Sidering branches didn't pay to work
rs q rule.
A solitary passenger then entered
my carriage, or rather was banged into
it by the guard. Another minute, and
the guard had banged himself into his
van. emitting the growl; ''Change
here. Our fiery and restive iron
stead, no doubt weary with its head
long career of full twelve miles an
hour, gave heroic neigh of triumph,
resembling a feeble crow. in emulation
OF past exploits, i'll days long before it
was condemned to transportation on
branch, and dragged Us off into the
bleak night.
My companion was a tall. thin. mid
dle-aged man, with face lean and
withered like a shrivelled apple, con-
cluded below the chin by stiff satin
cravat. In dress, tight-titting. ami
ancient and faded black. he looked al
together like II man who bad run very
much to seed, which perhaps account
ed for tile luxuriant growth of his
arms and legs. Observing his clothes
steaming with the damp air. l began
to realize it was very Chilly. 1t GER
tainly was.
Quite a change in the weather."
! remarked, VERY cold tonight, Is it
uot?"
Don't feel the cold myself. Per-
Iaps vou would like to u cadnye pt,ces
rit, he. There is no draught here"
replied | should I've pleased to do
30. If not to his Inconvenience; and
accordingly we changed seats.
1t tras cold, and 10 mistake. | must
have taken chill. for felt the cold
creeping over me in a most unaccoIVnt-
able manner.
Looking at my companion on the
opposite seat, Oh whom tie lamp-light
now shone full, | saw that his face was
not 50 thin. nor his features 50 wither-
ed. as had at first supposed and
must have made a mistake as to his
age, for he was by no ne;ils so cd as
| had previously judged. How cold it
was to be sure. As | continued too
look at him. | noticed his aspect
changed momtntly-that he was grow
ing younger that the wrinkles in his
face were filling ont and smoothing
down; and that he was gradually be-
coming like some one Ishad seen be-
fore. As his cheeks grew round and
ruddy. and his hair changed from gray
to brown, before my very eyes, be-
came in such q state OF nervous agita-
ton. | endeavored to cry out, but
could not. was pasiyzed with the
cold.-cod that seemed to make my
limbs rigid, and numb my vitals; for
saw the man sitting before me was
no longer a stranger--no more friend
or acquaintance /; he had become NE! |
held up my hands to try and shut
ont the sight, and as did so, saw
that they were withered, and thin, and
old. | pressed them % my brow, to