The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-01-16
TINE COST OF A TRAIN.


OF the costly hut trall material OF the
dress.
'''l beg thousand pardons, mailame,"
said the officer, with polite BOW, and
then was about passing on, when he Was
detained by the lady's husband.
"You have insulted my wife."
.t,NoLhing was farther from my inten-
tions, sir. Your 'wiie'S long dress was
to blame lor the accident, which 4 ,siil-
eerely neg ct, .lnd1 beg you once more
10 receive my apologies for anyicare-
lessness 0nmy part.' Andhe attempted
TO hasten OH.
F'YUu shall not escape so,' said the
lady, with her head thrown back in a
spirl.ed way. "To-day is the first time u
nave worn this dress, and 1T cost two
hundred rubleS, which you must make
good.
"My dear madame, beg you not TO
detain me. L am obliged 10 60 ON duty
at once. AS TO two hundred rubles-l
really,can not he.p the length OF your
dress, yet beg our pardon lornot hay-
ing more caution"
''You shah not tir, sir. That you are
obliged to go on duty is nothing to us.
My wife Is right; the dress must be
made good"
The otiicer's face grew pale. 4
"You force me to break through the
rules of the service, anu L shall receive
punishment"
''Pay the two hundred rubles and you
are Free"
The ,quicRly changing color in the.
mau's face betrayed now inWardly dis,
turbed he was; but stepping close up o.
them both, he said, with apparent SELF
command:
You will renounce your claim when!
| tell you that 'am IA poor man, who
has nothing to live on but his 'officer'sl
pay, and the amount of that pay hardly
reaches the sum OF two hundred rubiesi
In wholeyear. loan, therefore, make
no amends for the misfortune, except by
| again begging your pardon"
| '"Oh, anybody could saythat; but we'll
see il it's true; we'll lind out il youlhavel
nothing but your pay. i declare myself
not satisfied with your EXCUSES, and II
demand my money!" persisted tue lady,
in the hard voice sot thorough unfeet-E
ing woman.
| "That is true-you are right" the hus-
band added, duUllully supporting her.
"By good luck we have the open COURT
now just in session. Go with US to the
j I'D @, and he will decide the matter.
All furtherp pr0testation ON the officer's
part that he was poor, that he las ex-
pected on duty, ETC., ala not help mat
| ters. Out OF respect for his uniform,
and to avoid an open scene, he had to GO
with them to the courtroom, where the
gallery was denseiy PACKED with peO-I
llple.
After waiting some time, the lady had
leave to make her complaint.
| "What have you to answer to this
.complaintp said the Judge, turning to-
the officer, who seemed embarrassed and
halt in despair.
| stOn the whole, very little. AS the
lateness .oi the hour, and being required
/ ON duty, compelled me to hurry, .didi
not notice this lady's train, which was
drag ging ON the igrou nd. i caught .Ons3
of my spurs in il, and had the misfor-
tune to tear the dress. The lady would
not receive my EXCUSES, but perhaps
! now she might find herself more dis
posed to forgiveness, when I.decIare, so
| help me GodI that / committed this!
awkw ard blunder without any misohieV-I
Gus intention, and earnestly beg that
she will pardon me-"
| A murmur ran through the gallery /
evidently from the people taking sides
with the defendant, and against doug
trains in general and that ladyis in par
| ticular. TDe Judge called Them to OIL
/ der, and asked:
'tAre you Satisfied, madame, with the
defendanps explanatory
i ':Not at al satisfied. i demand two
hundred rubles, in payment for my torn
dress.n
'sDefendant, will you pay this sunlw
Il 81 would have paid it dong bsfDre This
had been in a position to do 80. Ul-
! fortunately, am poor. My pay as an
You hear, complainant, that the de.
II fand 10 a hlp tn ho
i demand of him. Do you still wish lhe
h complaint tostandW
II unbrOken stiffness reigned through
sout the hall, and the young oftioer's
\ breath could be heard coming bard.
H 81 wish IT to stand. The law shall
II give ME my rights"
\ There ran through the crowd a MUIR
A muir OF indignation that sounded like
rushing wafer.
"C0nsider, complainant, the conse-
\ quences OF your demand. The defend
. ant can be punished only by being de-
4 prived OF his liberty, and by that you
could obtain no satisfaction, while to-
II the defendant it might prove the great
/! est injury i'll his rank aud position as an
4 officer, and especially as he Is an officer
4 VINO is poor and dependent upon his
\ pay. Do you insist upon your COM
4 plaintW
Il still insist upon it,"
Il The course the affair was taking
\ seemed to have become painful to the
\ lady's husband. He spoke to his wife
\ earnestly, but, as could be seen by the
4 way she held up her head and the en-
/ ergy with which she shook it, quite use
lessly. The Judge was just going ON to
4 further consideration Of the case, when
a loud voice was heard from the audi
| ence:
81 will place the two hundred rubIes
at the service Of the defendant"
| There followed a silence, during which
a gentleman forced his way through The
crowd and placed himself at the young
| officers side.
| .sSir, l am the Prince W, and beg
YOU will oblige me Dy accepting the loan
ot the two hundred rubles in question"
| "PrInce, am not worthy OF W onr kind
ness, tor l don't know il l shall ever be
able to pay the loan," answered the
young man, in voice tremulous with
| emotion.
.'Take the money at all events. I can
walt Till you are able to pay it,"
The Prince then held out two notes Of
a hundred rubles each, and coming close
up to him, whispered afew words to him
| rDharn onhdan Uh