The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-08-12

| iedSL INC prlViieSe VI oASh6uS
some one who had theme within MS
knowledge.
"Why, doctor, 1 know less about this
matter than old Prince, asleep there on
the rug; and appeal to your sense OF
Justice. Here is my wicked daughter,
who is going to tell US what she knows
about Torpedoes,' and refuses TO ex-
change with her poor old father, although
she thoroughly understands his subject.
Do you consider this fairT
Yes, the doctor evidently did, for he
heartlessly joined the party having the
floor. What else could he do when Alice
entreated? So the poor judge was forced
to capitulate, ard was released on parole.
"But YOU must give me short re-
prieve; l insist on time to think it over
a little. here, let Louis tell his story
first. What Is 1t, Louis2-'Bears! And
YOU are exactly the man who can tell US
all about them, after your last summer IN
the woods. Up you go" and small Louis
was swung to the rostrum lately vacated
by the speaker.
The little fellow stood abashed for
minute, with fist boring into each eye,
suffering, the doctor said, from an attack
OF stage fright; but after short whisper
ed prompting from Aunt Alice, he said,
in u low, gruti voice, up in the MORT
| woods! Heard big band of moosic! Big
bear coined ont and eat every body up!
That's the end o my storyP And
stretching his toes down until they touch
ed convenient chair, reached the floor
in triumph.
This rather mixed statement was re-
ceived with shouts of applause and laugh
ter, frightening the small orator out OF
his wits, but did not give the judge the
time for preparation which, he insisted,
every condemned man was entitled to.
"But Two caught ut slight Glow,
founded on the fact, and l hope it will
unwind to your satisfaction. lfnot, why,
shall delight in tho sutierings you have
called down on yourselves, for you de
serve il"
The noisy audience, quoting down, be-
gan to form circle round the blazing
fire, leaving seat for the speaker in their
midst, who after a few moments met.ita-
ton and one or two preliminary coughs,
began.
"In the old, old days, when l was in
my Senior year in Columbia declared
10 mention the exact time, for some of yon
youngsters will bo trying your skill III
arithmetic on ME; but was much old
or fellow than l am now, l had beer
home hero for the Christmas holidays,
and was to start next morning for New
York To resume my work.
sin those days n journey from the IN
terror of the State Of New York city was,
speaking after the manner Of men, only
"A less serious matter than death. In
deed, among the country people very
much the same preparation was made for
each, as far rs putting all business affairs
| on u possible post norton footing went,
with view OF making settlement easy
IN Case any thing happened, MS 1t was
| quite likely To do. A summer journey
was undertaken onl y under the most ur-
gent stress of business, as the time occu-
! pied and expense incurred were things to
| be thought over and talked over before
| being realized. OF course we had steam
boats, such as they were; but TO the farm
ers IN The retired districts The idea of go.
ing u York in n steamboat WAS about as
practicable as 1t would he to talk of cross
ing the ocean in balloon in these later
times. They much preferred the safer
and cheaper sloops and other sail vessels
which made regular trips between Alba
nv and New York for the accommoda
ton of travellers.
ali MI average summer journey re-
quircd all this iorcthought, for one I'M
| dcrtakcn in the winter, when We were
obliged TO cross the river and other
streams hardly less dangerous on the ice,
| in u heavily laden coach drawn by four
horses, to break our way through deep
snow-drilts, or to go the wheels depth in
| mud, the risk was very much enhanced
| The advertised time for the winter trip
was three or four days, and the small
way side tavcrns where we used to put
up at nigh are still standing. The
promise rs u time was rarely kept, de-
pending as it did on the condition of the
roads, and the last day of the journey we
generally rode pretty well INTO the night.
/ remember very well being on the road
eight days during my college years, when
the passengers were Obliged To pry the
coach out of the mud several times. But
rs this doesn't seem to be Intimately con-
nccted with my theme, I'll defer it.
Charley R--was my companion,
and had been home with me for the holt
days. A nice, clever chap enough, and
to this day nay good friend, but rs boy
| he was too cifrmnatc to be very popular
among his hardy classmates. He had re-
marksbly small hands and feet, like
| girls, and, wo used to say, was quite rs
proud of them. could never under
stand why Charley, with his soft, wo-
manish ways and manners, should have
taken to the Cnurch; but he did brave
and effective work on the Western from
| tier, when it required rs much courageto
he a missionary Ms to lead forlorn hope.
ave were obliged to 90 seven-and-
twenty mile, by private conveyance to
reach Albany, from which place the stage
started. We arrived there about ten
o'clock in the evening, and enjoyed our
| night of freedom ut the then famous
Congress Hall-enjoyed it almost too
well, we thought next morning when we
came down to the dimly lighted break.
ias,.room shlvering and dispir,ed,
ut was the custom for the stage to go
round from house To house to collect pas
scngers, the seat being secured in adj
vance, like boxes at the opera; so when it
drove up to the hetcl that dismal morn.
ing It was filed, with the exception OF
the two places which we had bespokan,
one on the middle seat, where the only
support TO the back was swsying iesth
er strap, and the other on the front. We
could Zee dlmly by the drivers lantern
that the two occupants of the front seat
were An elderly gentleman, looking very
cross, and evidently an invalid, and
pretty, fresh looking young girl, rolled
up To the eyes in iur-lined mantle, and,
AS We found out later, the sick mans
daughter. l don't think ever saw SO
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