Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-07-19
THE BOX TUNNEL.


The 1915 train glided from Padding
ton, May z, 1S47. In the left compart-
ment of certain first-class carriage
were four passengers; of these two were
worth description. The lady had
smooth, white, delicate brow, strongly
marked eyebrows, long lashes, eyes that
seemed to change color, and a good
sized, delicious mouth, with teeth as
white as milk. A man could not see
her nose for her eyes and mouth; her
own sex could and would have told us
some nonsense about it. She wore an
unpretending grayish dress, buttoned
to the throat with lozenge-shaped but
tons, and Scottish shawl that agreea-
bly, evaded color. She was like duck,
so tight her plain feathers fitted her,
and there she sat, smooth, snug, and
delicious, with book in her hand and
soupcon of her wrist just visible as
she held it. Her opposite neighbor
was what l call good style of man
the more to his credit, since he be.
lohged to a corporation that frequently
turns out the worst imaginable style of
young men. He was calvary officer,
aged twenty-five. He had mustache,
but not very repulsive one; not one
of those subnasal pigtails on which
soup is suspended like dew on a
shrub; it was short, thick, and black as
a coal. His teeth had not vet been
turned by tobacco smoke to the color of
juice, his clothes did not stick to nor
hang to him; he had an engaging
smile, and, what l liked the dog for,
his vanity, which was inordinate, was in
its proper place, his heart, not in his
face, jostling mine and other peoples
who have none-in a word, he was
what one oftener hears of than meets
"a young gentleman. He was con-
versing in an animated whisper with
companion, a fellow officer; they
were talking about what it is far
better not to-women. Our friend
clearly didnot wish to be overheard; for
he cast ever and anon furtive glance
at his fair vis-a-vis and lowered his
voice. She seemed completely absorbed
in her book, and that reassured him.
AT last the two soldiers came down to a
whisper (the truth must be told), the
one who got down at Slough, and was
lost to posterity, bet ten pounds to
three, that he who was going down
with us to Bath and immortality would
not kiss either of the ladies opposite on
the road. "Done, doner Now ] am
sorry a man l have hitherto praised,
should have lent himself even in a
whisper, to such speculation; "but
nobody is wise at all hours" not even
when the clock is striking five and
twenty; and you are to consider his
profession, his good looks and the temp
tation-ten to three.
After Slough the party was reduced
to three; at Twylford one lady dropped
her handkerchief; Capt. Dofignan fell
on it like lamb; two or three words
were interchanged on this occasion.
At Reading the Marlborough of our
care made one of the safe investments
of that day, he bought Times and
Punch; the latter full of steel-pen thrusts
and woodcuts. Valor and beauty
deigned to laugh at some infiamed
humbug or other punctured by Punch.
Now laughing together thaws our hum
an ice-at Swindon it was talking
match-at Swindon who so devoted as
Capt. DolignanP-he handed them out
he souped them-he tough-chickened
them-he branded and cochhinealed
one, and he branded and burnt-sugared
the other; on their return to the car
riage, one lady passed into the inner
compartment TO inspect a certain gem
tleman's seat on that side of the line.
Reader, had it been you or |, the
beauty would have been the deserter,
the average one would have STAYED
with us till all was blue, ourselves in
cluded; not more surely does our slice
OF bread and butter, when it escapes
from your hand, revolve it ever so oft
en-, alight face downward on the
carpet. But this was a bit of
fop, Adonis, dragoon-so Venus re-
manned in tete-a-tete with him. You
have seen a dog meet an unknown
female OF his species, how handsome,
how empresse, how expressive he be-
comes; such was Dolignan after Swim
don, and to the dog justice, he got
handsome and handsomer; and you
have seen cat conscious of approach
ing cream-such was Miss Hawthorn;
she became demurrer and demurrer;
presently our captain looked out of the
window and laughed; this elected an
inquiring look from Miss Haythorn.
a" We are only a mile from the Box
Tunnel"
"Do you always laugh a mile from
the Box TunnelP" said the lady.
Invariably"
"What forp''
why, hem! it is gentleman's
joke"
Capt. Dolignan then recounted TO
Miss Haythorn the following:
A lady and her husband sat to-
gether going through the Box Tunnel
there was one gentleman opposite;
II was pitch dark after the tunnel the
lady said: George, how absurd of you
Il did no such thing You didn'tP'
mo! whyP' Because somehow /
thought you didp"
Here Capt Dolignan laughed and en-
deavored to lead his companion TO