Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-17
MY ADVENTURE.
A Coaching Romance.
BY MRS. T. b. DARRINeER.

ines when he has been especially aggravated
With me, that it was all nonsense, ana 1 must
ret over it. should like TO see myself getting
,yer 1t, when everybody knows that II we mar {
ned women had not been timorous and femir rse !
md dependent, and all that, our Johns would !
never have fallen in love with us!
Nothing very dreadful has happeyied IN me
20 far in nv life though have expected eseugh
to make up for it. lid say moth
ing dreadful? had forgotten, really forgotten
for the moment, how near L c1.me once to being
brought home to dear John a corpse. 1 don't
know as should have been brought heme at
all, though, which wouh have been verse vet,
story. Indeed, / have told il to John so many
times, that he says he hopes will tell it to a
'ssympathizing public" and then De done with
it. That is just what mean to DO.
Ten years ago, last December, / was travel
ing from Chester to Durham in an old-fash-
Toned, dilapidated stage-ceach. There were
ten other passengers in the coach, one, an eld-
erly lady dressed in the Quaker garb, and the
other, young country girl, who was evidently
familiar with the route, as she seemed quite at
home and paid no attention to anybody. The
driver was a little wIZened up old man, who
would be of no sort of use TO US, remember of
thinking, should anything happen, and as the
train had been several hours late, ii was begin
ming to get dusk when We left Chester, and /
had yet ride of fifteen miles before me.
learned, on inquiry, for began to be rather
frightened at the prospect OF such ride in the
to Durham, which relieved me. somewhat
- Are yOu timid about travelling alone?" |
ventured to ask the old lady, after we had rode
a mile or so in silence.
Heaven has taken care of me thus far. and
have nothing to fear that know Of" she
swered quietly.
"Oh,' 1 said, not knowing exactly what to
say.
i'There is no danger on this road ;" the young
woman broke in with. =" / have lived in these
parts all my life"
freely, but 1t is growing very dark. L wish We
were at Durham"
But We sha'nt be, this three hours, for we
never go of u walk up these hills" and the
young woman laughed.
1--WE are in woods, aren't we?'
The young woman shaded her eyes with her
handS-the coach was lighted with half of a
tallow candle-and looked out.
eyes; we are In Satan's Kingdom"
"Mercy on us. l hope not yet," said.
81 wouldn't use those words, my DEAR" the
old lady mild y advised.
elf we ever get into daylight, or DOWNRIGHT
again, shall be very careful of my words and
The last exclamation was wrung from me by
sudden lurch which the coach made, sending
US nearly OFF our seats.
This is dreadful! Why don't they fix the
roads here?''
They do once in while, but they won't
stay fixed in Satan's kingdom
What do YOU mean?' asked, laughing in
spite of myself
" That is the name of these hills just through
here"
There was never a more appropriate one,
III.
as the candle bobbed over and went out.
The driver reached back and lighted it, as if
it was no unusual occurrence, and we rode for,
l should think, another mile in silence, when,
suddenly, voice which seemed to spring out of
the darkness inst beside us, said the one word,
''Halt!" And halt We did with such ven
geance that the old lady and / raped heads
and bonnets together without apology.
As for me, i was SO scared that thought
either must have heard Gabriel's trump, or
that was in another world than this. To be
lxy nEaH hrrh i.f1,vra
was what i, in my widest moments, had never
never believed could happen to me. But here
we were, in these awful woods, and the still
more awful darkness, inside 80 Satans king
dOm, with perhaps dozen men that meant to
plumber and murder us, and leave nobody to
tell the tale! Atany rate, there was one man,
and heard him say, 90 How many passengers?''
as was stuffing hundred-dolar bill inside nv
dress and drove under my corset; for / had my
senses about me enough TO know that must
not lose that unless was murdered.
Take everything, but don't hurt poor old
man." was the next We heard. There is a keg
of maekeIel under the seat and new gown for
two lunches"
:" Shut your mouth, you old fool We want
the mails and the money. Go to h with your
mackerel and your gowns."
The old lady had not said a word thus far
indeed, none of us had, only had been PRAYING
as hard as cOs!d, :. Don't let them hurt us,
dear Jesus! Let me get back to John again."
Take my satchel, my dear know that
voice.
Then she opened the door of the stage.
L :" Robert! Robert Kelly!"
60 Who IN h knows me here?"
Robert" she said, ''fetch the light. 1 wish
to look into thy face once more"
punched myself to see If was awake, or
dreaming. I was certainly awake, but what
was coming next?
al have a great mind to scream )" the young
woman whispered. 81 am sure there is a house
not far from here. We shall all be murdered
surely"
The man came to the stage-door and held up
"My God! You here?"
All, Robert, how many times hast thou
broken thy promise to me? l will give thee
"And will, too" said, nervously clutch
ing so bill and handing it out, while swat
lowed great lump of something in my throat.
thou will strive to be honest"
never can be; but keep your money. You
and all around You are safe" the man said.
for thee in Heaven at last. Don't forget that
Drive on, old man." the rObber said with a
queer Iembie in his voice, and the old man
Get up! oh, good Lordy, get up, get up!''
We went into Durham in short meter the
S %hss5e1 being 80 ffrghtensd that he forgot
gers, or two of them at least, being so fright
ened that they would not have minded had thew
been l9ited 70 jelly, as long as they reached
1t seems the old lady, who was every inch a
SAINT, had long been connected with mission
schools in the city, and "RObert" had been one
OF her charge; and, besides that, she had taken
blind sister OF his into her own home. thus
earning an eternal debt of gratitude from him.
That was all that saved us, and that was a mar
row escape, think, for my part.
have often wondered what had become of
both the old lady and the highwayman, but |
never expect to know. need not say that the
stage route between Chester and Durham has
never been travelled since by me; though be-
neve the Old vehicle still runs, but it is under
the management of young driver
Now, will leave 1t to any reasonable wO-
man, II my story is not worth the telling and if
IL was not quite an adventure for an unadven-
furious woman, in spite of John, but must say
that he looked rat-.er pale when related it to
him the hrst time, through whether it was over
me or the $40 have not as yet been able to
useover.-Sprinafeid Republican.
Advice % Saturday Travellers.
Walking hrIlQS the oh