Port Royal commercial and Beaufort County Republican. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1873-1874, 1873-11-27
daring to trust the evidence of his

daring to trust the evidence OF his
ears.
"Well, then, hostler, open the stage
door. In with you And, dye hear
be sure to take the two middle seats;
so, one on each side."
Tho guards horn sounded, and
coachee's voice was heard: "Only one
minute and half more, gentlemen;
come on !!
They came, bowed laughing to our
friend of the corporation, and passed
on to the coach. The young lord was
the first to put his foot on the steps.
Why, how now, coachee? What con-
founded joke is this Get out, you ras-
Gals, or I'll teach you how to play gen.
tlemen such trick again"
"Sit still, my lads; you're entitled to
your places. Ny lord, the two middle
seats, through your action and that of
your young friends, are mine; they
were regularly taken and duly paid for.
I choose that two proteges of mine
shall occupy them. An English stage
coach is free to every one who behaves
quietly, and I am answerable for their
good conduct; so mind you behave,
boys Your lordship has horror of a
middle seat; pray take the corner
one."
"Overreached us, by Jove !" said the
law student. "We give up the cause,
and cry your mercy, Mr.. Bull"
Blythe is my name."
"We cry quits, worthy Mr.. Blythe. "
"You forget that possession is nine
tenths of the law, my good sir, and that
the title of these lads to their seats is
indisputable. I have installed them as
my locum tenentes, if that be good law
Latin. 1t would be highly unjust to
dislodge the poor youths, and cannot
permit it. You have your corner"
Heaven preserve us !" exclaimed
the clerical student.
You are surely not afraid of black
coat" retorted the other. Besides,
we ought not to suffer our thoughts to
dwell on petty earthly concernsS but to
turn them heavenward.
"I'd rather go through my examina-
ton a second time than to sit by these
dirty boys" groaned the medical
student.
"Soot is perfectly wholesome, my
young friend and you will not be
compelled to violate a single hygienic
rule. The corner you selected is vacant.
Pray get in"
At these words, coachee, who had
stood grinning behind, actually cheated
into forgetfulness Of time by the excel
lence of the joke, came forward.
Gentlemen, you have lost me min
ute and a quarter already. I must
drive on without ye, if so be ye don't
like your company"
The students cast rueful glances at
each other, and then crept warily into
their corners. AS the hostler shut the
door he found it impossible to control
his features. Ill give you something
to change your cheer, you grinning ras-
CAL" said the disciple of Esculapius,
stretching out of the window but the
hostler nimbly eluded the blow.
"My white pantaloons !" cried the
lord.
"My beautiful drab surtout p ex-
claimed the lawyer expectant. "The
filthy rascals +
The noise of the carriage-wheels and
the unrestrained laughter of the spec
tators drowned the sequel of their la
mentations.
At the next stage a bargain was
struck. The sweeps were liberated and
dismissed with gratuity the seats
shaken and brushed /; the worthy sons
of the university made up, among
themselves, the expenses of the post
chaise the young doctor violated, for
once, the rules of hygiene, by taking
middle seat, and all journeyed on to-
gether, without further quarrel or
grumbling, except from coachee, who
declared that "to be kept over time a
minute and quarter at one stage and
only three seconds less than three min
utes at the next, was enough to try the
patience of saint, that it was y