The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-05-16

live in England, 1 have never paid single
visit, or been for one week awsy from
home. Oh, it is such fun going to Hatton
Do my cousins ride ="
"yes, a great deal; are you fond Of it ?''
~ love it; there is nothing in the world
TO me like good gallop. All, it was the
greatest trial Of all my life when Queen
Nab was soldw
"When was that ?"
"Mamma made me give up riding, or
rather I gave it up Of myself, because it
made her 20 nervous"
"What else do you care for---dancing ?"
"Oh, I love it; but have never been to
a ball in my life"
"There are to be two at Hatton next
week, and you must promise me the first
waltz at EACH"
"Do you waltz"
"Oh, yes. You zee am not such an old
fogy as you expected"
"No; nobody would believe you 10 be
6fty.eight, but for one thing"
"What is that :"
But Edith blushed and would not an
swer.
"You need not mind, child, I never was
at all sensitive; and, alas now my memory
is not what it was"
"That's it," said Edith, eagerly; "only I
did not like to say it. Here we are at sta
tion."
twas now ten o'clock; Uncle George
bought the Times and Daily Ne,rs, and they
both began to read. About twelve o'clock
the pangs OF hunger began to assail. Edith,
and she exclaimed:
"Uncle George, it is only twelve o'clock,
and must eat to live"
II have been existing merely for the last
hour with the greatest difficulty, but /
have got nothing wherewith to refresh ex-
hausted nature; I calculated on a bun at
Carlisle"
"Hours hence! No, I am amply pro-
vided. Will you have beef or chicken
sandwiches, or cold partridge, or what ?"
They made very good lunch, and uncle
and niece grew hourly better acquainted.
IL believe we ought to look out of the
window" said he, presently. any father
said that the country about here was quite
beautiful"
"That must have been before the days Of
railways" said Edith, gravely. "Those
coaching days must have been quite de-
lightful."
"They were."
"Mamma has told me about that extra
ordinary adventure you and papa had on
the Aberdeen coach"
"It was extraordinary"
"Papa caught the branch of tree, did
he not"
did ?"
"You Jumped out just as the coach up
set, and sat on all the horses heads"
"And most uneasy seat it must have
been; and did Uncle Arthur--.l mean your
papa---remain suspended in mid-air?"
"No, he swung into the tree. l have
often heard of your climbing exploits, and
that when you were young you could climb
any tree"
"I have not lost the power" said Uncle
George. stretching himself "Holloaw
"What is the matter" said Edith,
startled.
"Nothing---nothing---sit still"
But she followed the direction of his
eyes. The train "a very long one) was
going round sharp curve, they were in
one OF the last carriages, and TO her horror
and terror, she saw, about a hundred yards
in front of the train, whole herd OF cows
on and off the line---two or three frantically
galloping.
All heads were stretched out of the win
dows, clamoring tongues and even cries re-
sounded from the other carriages, but
neither Edith nor George utter sound,
only she put back her hand and caught
his; he seized it very tightly in the sus-
pense, knowing we'll that terrible accident
might be impending. 1t was hardly Sec
ond, but it seemed lifetime. The frantic
cattle rushed off the line in body, all but
one unfortunate beast. The guards put on
the very heaviest brakes, but the impetus
was 80 great that the slackening was hardly
perceptible. 1t may have been fortunate
that it was 80, for, instead Of upsetting the
train, the COW was tossed off the line utterly