The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-04-07
THE OUTSIDE CARRIAGE,
A Railway "Reminiscences.

Often, going home by tho night train,
it is my lot to travel alone for great
part OF the way. It is slow, often
stopping train that 1 60 by, and people
get in and out; but generally, before the
Journey is finished, l find myself alone
and sitting with my facc to the engine,
in corner by the window. I look out
into the dark night and watch the car
riage outside-a spectcr carriage, that is
empty like this, except for some one sit
ting in the corner, close by my elbow,
tho brim Of whose hat can Just see
MS lean forward. Perhaps, il I cared to
look round the corner, l might see his
face, but that I don't wish to know. Let
him be mystery.
The carriage travels patiently but
swiftly alongside. It's light flickers like
beacon among the trees. It's windows
aud its seats are like ours; but it is Il
part of the landscape, too, aud anything
we pass mixes itself up with it. Some
times in dark overhanging cutting the
carriagc outside shines forth quite real
and distinct; sometimes III the open
country it becomes dim md uncertain,
and only its lamp, like stars, indicates
it is still there Then it comes into sutl-
den being ngain, marked with the brick
work and dripping walls Of some dark
tunnel, and then vanishcs altogether.
broken up and destroyed among the
tlaring lights of n station; hut il is wait
ing for lis still outside, Ms We know full
well, and when We pass once more into
darkness appears rs before.
One night, on my journey home from
London, tired and depressed, my heart
being heavy with forebodings Of evil,
and no comfort for mo anywhere, dark
hess md gloom cncompassed me. All
alone i'll tho carriage, I sat gloomily
thinking, with my eyes vacantly fixed on
the carringe outside.
How much better your lot, thought,
than mine, my friend whose hut brim 1
can Just SEQ tlle point of; how much I
would give 10 be you, looking in ut this
carriage OF wood and leather, with its
Pickering greasy lamp aud its sal, sor-
did passcnger-you, who travel outside
among tho trees and twinkling stars !!
What do yOu know Of the ills of life, OF
its loneliness nnd oppression? You. 10
not caro- for its dolellout Joys, for its
troubles that come in double hanlfuls.
There may 10 truth for you, looking
out from non-being TO being; there be
none for me, looking out from that which
is to that which is not.
grew quite in love with tho thought
Of sitting in the carriage outside; but
there was no why to it that I could SEQ;
I could only gazc iuto it longingly and
observe its light, now shining among the
dark trees, for We were passing through
u wood.
Suddenly l disccrnc,l in Tho further
window OF tho carriage outside, human
face, pale and ghastly, pressed against
the shadow Of the glass.
It was there hut q moment, md when
I turned to look in the real window OF
tho real carriage I could sec nothing. I
let down tho glass Of the opposite door
md looked ont, thinking that somebody
must have been standing there on the
foot.boarl; but there was no one.
Presently the train came shrieking
into n junction station, where there were
lights and passengers waiting, and bar
: maids III towering .hair, chatting Mt the
reireshment bars with young men; md
I lost sight Gf the carriage outside, and
almost forgot the facc that I had seen.
Bat when once again in the darkness
tho face renppearcd, pcering in at the
window Of tho carriage outside, and this
time it staid moment longer; but oncc
more, when ] turned to tho real win loT,
there waS nothing there.
Then saw no moro ot it, and ! reach.
cl home aul didn't think nny further Of
tho phantom fRce, having so many other
troubles thNe were not phantom NJ dll,
but roal antl urgent,
On the very next night WIS travelling
homo from London by the samo train.
remembered when I took my seat that 1
Ind this delnsion, rs l thought, about
the fNce, Nlld l looked ont for carriage
that was we'll filled. As wo rode along,
however, passenger after passenger left,
and I found myself alone. Coming 10
tho ptno wood, turned my eyes rGso.
lutelyNway from tho glass; hut us the
train flashed through it, thought IL
would be better that shonll ia longer
avoid the scene, but look boldly into the
nlAla, and thus disRipRt0 tho idon that