The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-11-06
THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS.

"Of all things. uight journey is The
most tedious said Ctaruuce HatIleid,
as he let himself fall heavily lnto the
stiff and Uncomfortable seat ot the
railway car, with the faded vetyet cush>
ions, aud Its back at exactly the wrong
angel for aught approachlng,the luxury
of nap Il say. Clifton, do you think
we might smoker"
"Wei., / rather imagine not, said l.,
with motion of my head towards the
other passengers.
There appear to be ladies Oh
board.
Hatfield shrugged his shoulders.
such ladies'!
"Well," laughed l, "they don't ap>
pear to bs parilcuiarIy stylish in man.
nrrs or costame. bAt pAyUffrtafrTas. III tafrTa.r saex saeXx
hedges them around ike ii wall.
DIVINITY is .heir humbu2!' shortly
interrupted Hatti,id. AS if these
dowdles, with babies and band boxes,
conld possibly beiolg to the same
world with B 3atrice H.le!''
To this | made no answer. Ii did not
seem to ms exactly appropriate to lug
Uu6 BdCItNl Va fIpHpiASo AANip ib'' -
d discussion. III a place like thus. Yet
what could do except to feel my face
flush, and the roots OF my hair tingle?
For 1 was unmistakably III love with
Bee Hale, and 30 was Clarence Hat
field.
If wera to waste quarts OF ink and
reams of paper is trying to describe
her m inifold charms and excellescles to
the reader, it wouldn do any good.
such things have been tried before aud
failed Lat hun imagine the fslrest
brunette that the sun ever shone On,
and he may come sinewAere near the
mark. Suffice 1t to say that she was as
beautiful ss dream aud that Hat
field aud ! we're both slaves at her
feet.
TVhich of us did she like best? ALI,
that was the question, 1t was some-
thing like the children 8 old game OF
see saw. Up / 60. down you come.
sometimes fancled had the ghost of
a chance. sometimes l was convinced
that Hatfield was altogether preferred,
and that had b-tter emigrate to AUS
tralia at once.
"Hel!or' cried Hatfield. breaking ;n>
in upon the thread OF my
musings, there goes the whistle. We
shall be off directly. Thank goodness
for that!'
Aud he put up his feet on the oppo-
site seat. and prepared for as c'm1orta>
BILE fonr hours ride as possible.
Clarence Hatfield and l. bs it under
atood, were employees in the extensive
business of Messrs. jenkins, jumper
ton & Co.. auctioneers, and had been
down in the country pntting us Il sale
of swampy lots, cnt into streets auh
sunares, according TO the most improv
Ell metropolitan methods OF doing such
things.
1t had been dismal business. Mo-
vember is not an inspiring month at
the best, and three days fog had cons
spired against the success OF Mount
Mora Park, AS Jenkins. Jumperton &
Co. had ohristened their new speculs-
ton. Yet, we had doue reasonably
well, aud were now thankful to get back
to New York.
Az the train gave its startling lnnge.
the door few open, and it came a tall
old lady, III prodgious black bonnet
and fur cloak, surrounded by per-
feet cheaveaux De frise OF squirrel ca
ges, leather bags, brown paper. parcels
and sandwich boxes. She WAS follows
ed closely by younger lady. dressed
in black and closely veiled, and paused
hesitatingy in front of our seat.
"Young man.. said she, i'll low
- sl,of n ssfE this
seat engaeed?"
Yes, sand Hatfield. "it is."
'For your feet?"
No matter what for" supercilionsly
replied the head clerk of Jenkins, Jams
perton & Co. PLEASE to pass on, Old
lady. You'll find seats enough be-
yond."
But this was stretching OF the
truteh. There wene no seats beyond,
as the old lady could easily precelve,
unless she chose to sit directly oppo :.
site red hot coal fire. or upon one OF
those corner arrangements close TO the
door, which are equivalent to no seat at
ali.
The old lady hesitated and changed
her heavy carpet bag from one weariea
arm to the other. l thought OF my
good Aunt Polly at home ana rose a.
once.
."Pray take this seat, ma'ma' SAID l.
And let me put your parcels up IN the
rack for you.
"CIiftou, what fool you are!' cried
Hatfiold, in an impatient sotto voice;
"Why couldn't you have sat still ana
minded your own bnsiness!
at is my own busincsA, ! answered