The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-04-17


stopped short. Aunt Hepsy turned {
double summersault over the seats il
front of her, and landed against the wood
box; the rose-bush demolished, thai
beautiful band-box twisted into unrec
ognizable shape, the conductor in the
course of his pirouetting had sat dowr
on it. The old lady was unhurt, an6
with unusual composure, she turned tc
the conductor, who sat beside her, ano
asked "What place is this? "Don't
know" groaned the conductor. "Dc
they always stop that way ?" asked the
old lady.
Just then a man came in at the door
and asked "anybody dead here ?" and
proceeded to pick up the damaged con-
ductor. "Dead, remarked Aunt Hepsy,
"well never, what's the matter now p
"Rad q collision" said the man.
{: That's complaint we don't know any
thing about down to the Corners do
folks die of it ?" asked our undisturbed
herione as the man helpel her to her
feet.
| After some delay the passengers were
transferred to another train and in time
arrived at Newark. Here the news OF
the accident, having preceded them the
crowd and confusion was worse than
ever.
"Hack ma'am," Hack ma'am,
"Hack ma'am." eyes," remarked
Aunt Hepsy as she was assailed by a
half dozen of the sharks, hacked all to
pieces" Rose bush gone and just look
at this band-box, with my brand new hat
in it." "Hack ma'ani," shouted one
imporunate individual as he grabbed at
the band-box which now looked like a
used up ACCORDION. In spite Of protests
he seized the box, and was leading the
old lady along the platform. "Well I
never. I told Jane it would be just so,
everything mixed; Mr.. young man where
be you goin' ?" "Got nice hack,
ma'am; take you anywhere, hotel, pri-
vate house; take you anywhere you want
to CO."
"WeD, you are accommodatin'. I'm
glad met you; if it hadn't been for you
/ don't kuow-whatI would have done. v
.' Here's theshack ma'am; git right in;
have You got any baggage"
eyes, yes, I've got a trunk; a hair
trunk" is.ggsgEss
"Then give me your check ma'am. "
"Oh, that's it, now be careful, don't
drop that trunk for there's jar of pre-
serves in it and it might break"
| :. Away went the driver on his search,
leaving the old lady to her cogitations;
every sign within readable distance was
duly perused and her musings were only
interrupted by boy who put his head
into the window and shouted, "black
yer boots" tThe insolent critter, J."
thought Aunt Hepsy, Gas though my
boots needed blacking.' -
I s.They must hages given your trunk o
pretty good shaking down out here,
ma'am; amt much left Of it but the
straps remarked the, driver asshe re-
turned with the Precious piece OF bag
gage. ,
"They did use it little careless" re-
piled Aunt Hepsy, "the man that was
takin' care of it they say got killed, stove
upset on him and roasted him; but the
trunk ] guess wasn't scorched. Driver
Just run over to that insurance office and
ask the man what they will charge to in
sure my life. can't take the response
biity Of taking care OF myself much
longer"
"Can't do it marm; no time now.
Where would you like to go?"
cup to my nephews-"
&C WI, o.o 5oao he live 9o
"Why, in Newark of course-he's q
grocer, sells snuff and"
CT don't care about that; what's his
name ?"
"Oh his names Prosper"
"Prosper what?"
"Prosper Judge, named after our late
respected pastor; his father lives down
to the Corners, and his sister made so
much talk by her coming to church
with strange young man with blue
neck.tie and"
"But r don't see as how that's to the
pint. want to know the number and
the street where your nephew lives"
"Here it is, right here, on card that
Jane writ and gave to me when I was
startin'." "All right ma'an," and be-
fore the old lady knew it, there was
sudden start that nearly threw her out
of her seat.
In due time the carriage halted in
front of a comely brick dwelling, the
door opened and there stood the nephew
claw sakes, Prosper, how do you
do? Oh dear me, what a nice house
you've got, but I'm tired out; why
didn't you paint your blinds green. Look
out for that hair trunk"
All this was spoken while she was
going up the steps. and at the top she
met Prosper's wife and here again she
stopped.
"Why, Susan how do you.do; if you
knew how glad I was to get here; just
look at that cobweb on your hall lamp.
Jane said-but. me, I'm 80 huttered, I
don't know what all she did say. I
thought never would get here; my best
bonnet is all smashed, and I had to give
the rose.bush to boy to carry and 1
never saw it after that; law q! what a
pretty collar you've got on, and whele
did you get that pin with the rubies in
"Why, Aunty," inquired Susan.
"Ain't you most tired out ?"
"Tired, child; that's no word for it. I
thought never would get here. The
engineer broke loose and run smash into
another, and man with big sign on
his hat came to me and says he, old
woman, be you much hurt?' and says L,
Il amt hurt and amt an old woman,
either, and says he, its wonder; for
I guess there's three or four hundred on
'em killed. Just to think of three or
four hundred old women being killed,
says I; is my trunk safe?' Says he, 4
guess so, ma'am - Oh, law, I'm so
! tired"
"Here's your trunk, Aunty," said
Prosper, as he brought a bundle Of lath
into the hall. =.
els that my trunk" gasped the old
lady. "Sakes, Prosper, how under the
canopy can I ever get away from New
ark. All ruined! And sot 30 much
store by it. To think that old grandma
Charity's trunk should come to such an
end If that man that was takin' care
of it was only alive, I'd like to see him
lust to tell him what I think of him.
But we must unpack it, Prosper" Ano
they did unpack it; but sad sight IN
lI -, - TL o,o 1,o q tho Tor nf 011lncf