Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1878-02-06

now L WOnOeT III we are gong TO &c
an upset, or something exciting of that
kind" said Davies, looking out of the
window. 81 don't see train anywhere
that we can have q friendly collision
with"
"Get out here, gentlemen" said the
guard, passing the window " the line is
showed up, and we shall have to wait
unit. it is clear"
The grumbling which this pleasant
announcement naturally caused was
imm ediatelv stopped by our hearing
the voice of our disagreeable COM
panion in the next compartment.
Line showed up, is it, said that
gentleman, trying to appear calm in
his fury. land we get out here? Oh
and do you suppose / am going quiet
ly to submit to this The line ought
to have been cleared ready for us. l
shall bring an action"
But, sir" said I,"how on earth
could they--'
Might request to know who spoke
to you, sir? | consider your remark
and interference excessive imper-
Thence"
This was a little too bad, and 1 turned
to Jack and whispered that we would
devise some plan of giving our friend
a lesson demonstrative 70 the evils
attending bad temper at Christmas
time.
We were fortunately stopped at dis
lance of only two hundred yards from
a station: but q very poor station it
was, without any waiting rooms or re-
| freshment rooms.
The station master. who was pleas
ant sort Of fellow, said we would have
to wait but a couple Of hours, and gave
us room, where we made the best of
a bad job, and having sent for some
beer from the nearest public" be-
came, as Edwards fundamentally OBJ
served, approximately happy The old
gentleman, however. had not vented
all his wrath, but kept on anathema-
tizing the snow and the people at in
| tervals.
| After we had warmed ourselves,
Stretcher proposed that we should
have some songs; but as no one vol
unteered, suggested that we should
and helped clear away the snow To
this all assented, except our amiable
friend, of course We had worked
away merrily for an hour, and were
congratulatlng ourselves on being able
| to start, when Jack came running up
with a very pleased expression of
countenance, and as he tapped me
on the shoulder [ remembered that he
| had not been with us for the last half
hour.
Fired, l have an idea"
keep it, them" / replied, " for it is
SO rare a commodity with you that l
would not deprive you of it for the
| world"
Don't chat, and will tell you about
it. [ went up into the room at the
station just now and found our friend,
the old boy, fast asleep in his chair,
completely collapsed under the soporitic
effects of the fire and glass of brandy
and water. [ Immediately ran into the
village and bought these" he said, show
ing a handful of screws, gimlet and a
screw-driver.
What in the name Of everything
ridiculous can you want of these?"
asked in establishment.
Don't you see? We shall be able
to start again directly, now that the line
is clear; we meanwhile run up stairs,
screw the old gentleman firmly into the
rOom-the train goes On-We are re-
venged for his surIy behavior to US, and
he will then learn that old gentlemen
should not be lll-tempered at Christmas
time"
"Capital!'' I cried, always ready to
fall in with a practical joke. Let US
be off at once"
We certainly found the old gentleman
In as MOrphean q torpor rs we could
wish. His feet were propped up on a
chair while his boots were drying, and
he was breathing with his II outh wide
open, in rather apoplectic manner
Shall put SNOWFALL in each of his
boots?' said.
No; that would be too much of q
good thing, but I will tell you what you
shall do you are rather swell at draw
ing, aren't you? I'll just burn the end
Of that beer-bottle cork and You shall
artistically adorn his face"
That is Splendid he whispered, as
l finished off with giving him NOUS
tache which turned up in a facetious
manner. "Just move that looking-glass
and put it SO that he can admire him
self directly when he wakes up; and
now let us be off, r.
We walked on tiptoe to the door. The
hinges began to creak, and cold as the
weather was, a faint perspirAtion began
to develop itself on my forehead, as /
noticed the old gentleman move in his
chair it was, however, only to turn his
head on to the other shoulder, and we
closed the door in safety.
"Give me the screws quick" said,
"and 60 to the bottom of the stairs and
prevent any one coming up
/ bored hole after hole as noiselessly
as could, and having made the door as
fast as eight good screws would make it.
| ran down stairs and whispered, "All
right
g Is there gentleman up stairs,
SIR" asked the station master, walking
toward us. He asked me to wake him
IN time for the train, and it is just ready
to CO."
ooh, he won't like to be disturbed