Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-10


ENGLAND-THE STORY OF THE TIMID MAIDEN
AND THE TIMID BUT ExHILARATED CLERGYMAN.
The crime Of LEROY has caused the greatest
agitation In England concerning the system OF
travelling by railroad. Mr.. Labouchere, of Lon
don Truth, takes advantage Of the excitement
to publish remarkable story illustrating the
perils OF that system. 1t Is drawn from life,
and recounts the adventures of the Rev. Jude
Gloam, shy young clergyman. who had taken
glass more than usual at dinner and Of Miss
Aviss, an equally shy young lady, whom he &C
cOsted on the train:
1t Is the curse of shy men that, getting so lit
tie practice in cOnversing with women, they
never know where to stop when peradventure
they do get a chance of talking. 1t is by shy
men that the rudest things are habitualy said
ana done through sheer ineXperience. Mr..
Gloam had no idea that he was transgressing
the prOprieties. He thought he was making
himself very funny and agreeable.
~ say, Miss-Aviss," suffered the Rev. Jude,
with leer, ''suppOsing there were piece of
mistletOe in this carriage?"
No answer from the girl. but her eyes opened
wide. an she shrank up trembling in her cor
ner of the carriage.
"I-I think there is a piece: look there!" con-
tlnned the foolish man. pointing to the lamp in
the ceiling, for he meant to be facetiOus.
The girl was now fairly frightened and moved
from her seat to the further corner of the car
rage. She had heard of drunken ruffians in
suiting ladies i'm railway carriages. and she set
down her reverend companion as being drunk
and possibly ruffian. No doubt his clerical
garb was only disguise.
what are you running away fOr?" asked Mr..
GlOam, and he rose to follow her with an I'M
steady gait, caused not SO much by his tipsi-
ness-fOr he was not regularly tipsy-as by the
oscillation of the train. But to the affrighted
girl who saw him stagger it looked as if he were
dangerously inebriated.
''If you approach another step, sir, I shall
scream" cried she, starting up, with all the
"What fOr3" asked the Rev. Jude. and put
ting out his hand to steady himself, he quite I'M
Intentionally rested it on her shoulder The
movement of recOil which this apparent assault
caused the girl to make threw MIR. Gloam off
which she had risen. This only increased the
girls fright, and wildly opening the window of
murder!''
In an instant Mr.. Gloam was sobered The
girls shrieks cleared all the fumes of wine from
his brain and showed him in what a. desperate
position be had placed himself. 'For Gods
sake, don't scream like that" he implored,
you Il ruin me-" and seizng the girl by the
waist ne wrenched her from the window.
Help" she gasped. as she fell On to one Of
the seats and struggled to regain her footing
''Miss Aviss, for Gods sake let me explain"
entreated Mr.. GlOam, seiZng her hands: but the
horrible fear which was now 1egible on his face
made him more dreadful object to look at than
before, while the violence he used to restrain
the girl robbed her of all presence of mind Dis
engaging herself from him, she tottered toward
the nearest door and frantically turned the
handle. blast Of cold night air flew into the
carriage and shower of sparks from the engine
was seen flying by. Mr.. GiOam made d grab at
the girl to draw her back. She eluded him, and
screaming louder than ever, tried to step on the
fOOtbOard. Then there was another faint shrek
and all was silence. The door, swinging for
ward by the impetus Of the train at a curve
closed Of it's own accord The girl had slipped
and was gone.
'Great God muttered Mr. Gloam when one
awful minute had elapsed. He had taken off his
hat and was strokng his forehead as he sat en-
deavoring to realize what had happened He
asked himself whether he was not in the midst
of nightmare. If the train had stopped at
that minute, he would have been unable to
crawl out. and anybody who had seen him must
have suspected him of a crime. During a quar-
ter of an hour the poor wretch could neither
stir nor think lucidly; he could only moan and
tremble. What first recalled him to himself was
the sight Of the things which the poor gjrl-now
dead, beyond doubt-had left in the carriage.
There was shawl a travelling bag a novel:
and on the floor small gold watch without
chain.
The sight Of these articles stirred in the nm
willing murderer the sense OF self-preservation.
He caught them up one by one and flung them
out OF the window into the dark after which
he crept on his knees and looked under the
seats to see if anything else had been left He
found nothing. Pitiable as his agony of mind
then was he saw the necessity for composing
himself and sat down again. trying to reflect
Had any OF the passengers in others CARRIAGES
heard the girl shrek? Had any one seen her
fall! If so he was lost man. He would be ar
rested at Birmingham. and in due time he Would
sentenced Tn q,
the better part of his life. How would his
story be believed? and if it were believed how
would it justify him? The public cutlery against
him would be all the greater, as he wasa clergy
man; and. now that he had thrown the girls
things out of the carriage in the first moment
of his panic the evidence of criminal intention
would seem complete; "Why did I throw the
things out!" faltered Mr.. Gloam. speaking to
himself; and then he groaned again. My God,
what shall do?''
1t was between bennington and Birmingham
that the girl had fallen out of the train cas- the
express neared Birmingham the tension on Jude
Gioam's nerves was such as few men ever expert
ence. Within five minutes he endured an amount
of terror and anguish enough to spread over
lifetime; yet he had the craft to see that all his
chances of escaping unsupported might depend
upon MS behavior when the train stopped. He
must aiight quite cOOlly; ne must not run nor
appear anxious to get away; he must control his
terrOrs, though his heart throbbed to burst
ing.
The train glided into the station; the porters
ran along the platform opening doors; one of
them opened Mr.. GlOam's carriage. ANY lug
gage, sir!' ''Yes, l have some luggage said
Mr.: Gloam. and he stepped out, shaking in every
limb. but apparently sedate and calm, as it be-
hooves clergyman to be- Next moment he was
mixed up in the thrOng Of people who were for
aging for their trunks and portmantaus.
Nobody paid any attention to him. He heard
no one talk about shrieks having been heard
during the journey. The passengers all attended
TO their own business and left him to his Mr.
GlOam's business was to collect portmanteau.
a box and hamper; having done this he turned
to ask porter to call a cab for him, but as he
was about to speak the words frOZe on his
tongue, for he saw standing beside him a girl
who was the very image of Miss Aviss
II the girl had looked at him she must have
noticed his confusion. but she was CHANGING
toward an elderly gentleman and lady who were
walking toward her.
Here's her box, papa, but I've not seen her
pass said the girl to the elderly couple
we nave looked into every Carriage" said
the gentleman addressed as papa; but she
hasn come. l suppose she missed the train"
III. but no" comes her box to be hereS''
wash there change of carriages some
where between this and LOndon?" supge sted the
elderly lady. 81 think there's change at Did
cot. Perhaps she got out there and afterwards
entered the wrong train -