The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-01-18
THE MAIL.GUARD'S STORY.

Reader, have you ever been obliged tC
wait at small country railway station
for an early train If you have not, YOU
have not experienced the ne plus ultra o.
human misery. But when, as was my
case last year, you have left jolly party
driven FIVE miles to catch the mail at two
q. M, and found, on your arrival at the
station, not that the train had gone, fol
that would be a relief, but that you had
mistaken the time, and had got three.
quarters Of an hour to wait, your lot il
not an enviable one. So thought as
stamped up and down the ll-liJ platform
and gazed into the darkness beyond
which was only broken by the dim and
misty light of the distance" signal
some hundred yards down the line. The
occasional barking of house dog alone
broke the stiffness, except when now and
then the autumn breeze played in q
wailing tone on the telegraph wires over
nay head. AS | paced up and down to
warm my feet, l felt regularly Savage"
that the wellmeant solicitations of the
company assembled at the Beeches had
induced me to forego that last waltz with
Minnie Cameron, and hurry to the
station.
had been staying for the past fort
night at the house of relative, and
what with shooting, fishing, and (must
confess it?) occasionally flirting with the
blue-eyed Minnie, the days had passed
rapidly; and when recalled to London
by my fathers business-like letter, which
limited at some impending calamity con-
nected with our firm, could not believe
that my leave had so nearly expired.
There was no help for it, and 60 1 must.
My relatives appeared as sorry as was
when announced my intended depart.
ure, and fancy / could discern traces
of tears in Minnie's sunny eyes as bade
her farewell in the hall that evening,
bearing with me a shining tress Of her
faxen hair, and hasty kiss, as souvenirs
of nay visit. Oh, Minnie, Minnie! what
would that excellent man, the incum-
bent, think, could he have seen the shin
ing token of what faucied was your af.
fection for me, lying on my table prior
to its being committed to the flames,
with bundle OF old letters, when last
month heard you was engaged?
Under such circumstances as / have
described the reader will easily imagine
was not in n particularly cheerful frame
OF mind on the night, or rather morning,
in question. | sauntered into the dreary
waiting-room, and lighted cigar, seated
myself in front of the expiring fire,
which | was even denied the amusement
of stirring, the authorities having car.
ried away the fire-irons. Placing my
feet upon the fender, / lay back in my
chair, and, as most men would have done,
began TO ruminate upon the events of the
past fortnight, and-Minnie! After a
time / reused myself, and attempted the
reperusal Of my fathers letter, and then
I fell fast asleep. How long slept
can not say, probably about five minutes
but it seemed an age, when was aroused
by the creakipg of the breaks of a train
| started up, and rushed blindly to tn,
door, fancying that the mail had com,
up, when came in violent contact will
n guard, who was entering at the sam,
moment as l was makiDga hurried exit
Beg your pardon, sir" said the polite
official; "what is the matterT'
My train is going, / think" said /
"Let me see."
Its only down goods and cattle
sir" replied my companion, "whicl
shunts here. The up-mail amt due TO
nearly twenty minutes yet"
"Confound itp muttered; "wb,
did it wake me. then?" and / returne,
to the fireplace.
"Cold night, sir" remarked the guar
as he came towards me.
"Yes," said 1, "and a wretched fir,
too."
CT think we can mend that, at an
rate" he said and, leaving the room
he returned in a few minutes, accom-
panied by an individual whom right
conjectured to be the stoker of the gooc
train, carrying large shovelful of Ii,
Goals, which, placed upon the cipder
soon improved our fire, and gave quite
cheerful aspect to the dingy apartmen
"Tbank ye, JIM" said the guard
tho stoker departed. "Now, cir, that
an improvement, amt it?' he aGde
cheerfully.
1t is, indeed" 1 replied; "and al
much obliged to you for procuring I'll
Goals"
Don't name il, SIR" was the repl
One must do something when one hi
TO wait, you know"
" How long do you remain here"
asked.
Till $40, sir. l take up the mail
was the reply.
"Oh, indeed" said /.
"Yes, sir. I'm on this Job all tb
month";" And az he spoke the qua,
drew pipe from his pocket, and havIr
filled and lit il. he began to smoke
silence.
=" Have you been long on this line
l asked after pause.
- Well, sir, about three years, aud
tne mail duty, on and oil, about o,