The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-12-24
THE SMALL BOYS STORY

IL all came of my having railway key and
being made to take music lessons.
Thompson gave me the key when he leaving
last term. I don't know how he came by II, or what
when he went home for the holidays; hut he was
always talking of the convenience OF having such
thing when you were travelling, and limiting ut tho
mysei iuuS pcuultlesthe company might inlet II they
caught YOU using IT.
iic gave It to me in exchange for bit of Lefty 3
hair Cshc's my sister, and THOMPSON was dreadfully
In love with herr aud scrap NJ the bonnet trimming
she wore In church I stole that but had to ask for
The hair, aud She brought ont . whole bundle aud said
might trade away the lot II chose, " Hair wasn't
worn much now
Music was another thing altogether. Herr otto
Flnke old friend of my fathers and lived at
Luckboro', our market town.
lie took a fancy to mo-bothcr him; and actually
my father and mother TO let me come
10 buckboro' every market-day with my father, for
lesson in German and music. didn't mind dining
with him tlrst ncomnonly queer mcsscs he had, and
lots Of lam with thcm)-but the music simply
the holidays, too l-and tho lessons
generally ended by Fnke getting to the piano himself
and warhling songs OF his Natoraud by the hour lie
ld so once tor often though-and now have got to
my story.
llckboro' hy omnibus. There was Mosslands station
On the line between Luckboro' and London, but my
father never went by II II he could help 1t. When he
did, though had the key with me never daro Use
IL, aud began TO think had made bad bargain with
Thompson.
one Tuesday, however, last winter, Finke got so
carried away by his sweet singing that he kept
long after ought To have started to meet my father.
and then got remorserul that thought he go
Ing to cry; or perhaps want to keen me all night.
'Louk here " said, "a 1t doesn' matter. There S
u train that gets In the bus. can catch
II II runhoud-bye - ana off scudded arm in
and one out ot my top coat for was sure he would
object, or want Ia see me OH, had money, and there
was train, which came up long before had all
| wanted about the station.
made dash Mt a carriage. II WASH ( locked as |
half hoped IL might he, aud In scrambled, hut was
nearly blown out again by a.yoley OF the strongest
language I did hear. The train started and
erkeI me down into seat before Ia time TO get my
breath. was not used to bad expressions, and my
follow traveller & remarks made my blood run cold.
There were ladies' In the carriage, hut he didn'
seem to mind that. lie had u red, scuwlug face,
with heavy red eyebrows and blood-shot eyes All
the rest of him mass OF railway rugs aud wraps.
had tumblcd over his toes into the middle seat Op-
pOsite. where sat scared aud speGchleSs, till |
caught the eyes of tho lady next TO him fixed ON
Ugh such a bad old face A tight, cruel mouth,
with all sorts of coillines about it, and wicked SHARP
gray eyes that screwed into one like gimles.
didn't care much for Redface by this time.
didn't believe he would 'twist my neck and chuck
out of the window. - he suggested; hut hated
her all at once, from her sausage curls-grz2y
gray, twoon each sideto her hooked claws of fingers
that We're twitchng away ct her knitting- reedcs, In
and out OF the big gray stocking
'Hush, sammy she said, quite sweeily; ttlC
poor child means no harm. and he can easily get out
at the next station. Where are you going to- love Y'
I could only gape In reply, and she must have
thought that softly, for she twisted my ticket
clean out Of my hand before knew what She was
after.
Mosslauds Very good. That the next station
III SEQ him safe out. Sammy, dear
Sammy grOwicd an inartculatc response from I'M
der his rugs.
The third passenger had neither spoken nor stirred
She sat on the same side as the other two, covered
with big plaid rug and blue wooden veil tied over
her head. could make nothing out except that she
seemed asleep in a very uncomfortable attitude.
sat in the middle opposite the old woman. 1t was
so disagreeahle, finding her sharp eyes on me while
her needles clicked on Just the same, that thought
might as well pretend to 70 to sleep too So curle
myself up aud gave two mods, and then
dropped my face my that she coudn't seeit.
Presently heard the needles going slower and
slower. ! peeped and saw the biz bonnet and saus-
age curls giving lurch forward and then backward.
once, twice, then big snorc, and then she was of
/ didn't stir for minute, for saw that
80 sammy was up To TO something. lie
leant forward, and peered ut her rs II to
make sure she was quito asleep; then eau
tosly CROPPED In the seat beside her. and hauled up
little backb bag. lie opened IL softly, drew out q
silver topped flask and closed 1t lust jerk of the
train reused the old lady Sammy dived back into
his corner and she sat bolt upright rubbed her eyes
hard, felt suspCiously about till she found the bag,
slowed It away behind her, and resumed her knit
ting. only for u few moments, though; with
weary groan she let stocking, needless and all e
down with run, and dropped back sounder asleol
than before.
Then from Sammy's corner came gurgIe-soft and
low--many times repeated, then all was quiet.
Now was my time. | began TO look about and
think what | should do first. Whether dared gel
upon the seat and how the communication witt
tile guard worked, and what would happen II
pulled it. II the train did stop could make of, ol
say 1t was Sammy. lie was half tipsy now, and peo-
pie wOudn I believe him. First of all ! went to tn,
window TO look out u little. 1t was pitch dark out
side, and all could see was the reflection of the car
rage and of the lady in the blue wooden veil. Sh,
sitting M now, and looking intently at mo
What an uncomfortable set they were, to be sure
looked around at her directly. She was yer,
young-younger than Lefty, and she's Just seven.
teen, and not pretty-but so thin and frightened
looking that felt quite unhappy about her.
She fixed her big bright eyes On me- and put up he
finger. 90 Don't speak, ~ she said In q Cea
whisper. Keep Iooling out of the window. Cal
you hear what am saying 2''
nodded. and she went on, looking now at me, ant
now Mt the old woman.
"lf they yet me to London | dead woman
You my last chance. VIII you help me 80
nodded very hard indeed, and looked at the com
munication with the guard. She shook her head.
NO. that's no good. | must get away at TIN
next station. He is safe. Can YOU stop her from
following meY''
didn't believe could. might have thrown
rug over Sammy, and sat him for a minute %
two: but that old woman too much for me.
felt that directly she woke she'd see what | wa
thinking of, and stranglc before / corld stir
The precious minutes hyng-the miles wer
hurrylng past us In the outside gloom-the girls BIZ
81 have friends who VIII save mo II can but &c
to them, shepanted. 'Just one minute s chance
only ONE
All at once | had an Idea. splendid one
"Look ut this, - whispered, AMI held up my rail
way key. - II open this door dare you get ont
You can hold outside till the train stops. Run
straight across tho down line. There's only BAN
and hedge on the top. Lots of gaps In II neare
the station. There you are on the Luckboro
road. DO yOu hear?''
| was quite hot and out OF breath with whispering
all this MS plain rs | could. She caught every wor
rs fast as could think 1t almost.
What with the feeling of my own cleyerncss
hatred of that nasty old woman and delight In spit
ing her. and pity for the poor girl, felt ms brave
any fellow, however big could do, aud as full q
''Giye me that, l said, pointing to her blue veil
They won see you're gone II sit here with
tied over my head.
"oh no, no They II XIII you. ~
''Not they They can't Interfere with me.
q declare, felt as II could fight Sammy an
never.' | tied the veil over my head an
lowered the window as softly as possible. Their
was no time to lose, for the train was slackenin
speed even then unlocked the door She gave m
one look that made me feel Drawer than ever and In
clned to cry, both at once; and In . second she wa
out on the step. The train stopped. ! saw her skin
nutter In the stream of light that fell from our ope
carrlagedOOr across the down line OF rails, and tina
was all-and was hudded down under the big plai
rug with the old woman wide awake standing owe
''Drat the boy sammy can the porter, he'
got out at the wrong side.'
"Cal-un-yre-selfi - answered Sammy, all In on
word.
she pulled tho door TO and trampcd back to lie
seat taking no more notice OF me than II had bee
the cushion of the carriage. :" II dom matter IL Ii
has broken his neck, either, ~ she muttered; per
haps we'd better make no FUSS The train WAS OF
again. l dared not jump up while she was In IN
way, and thought must take my chance at the neA
station
"Oh! my bones and body - she grOaned pres
emily. "oh, what time has been sammy =
No answer
"sammy - She was up again. and l think sl
hauled him up and shook him, for something fe
with crash, like a broken bottle.
''Nou idiot - she screamed. 'Mhen you wal
all the brains you've got, and more too no pla
his trick Serve you right II get out and leave 80
! at the next statlOn-ugh !,
II sounded as II sho were banging his head again,
the carriage. That and the fresh air seemed
arouse him. lilo got up and put his head out OF III
window for short time, and then replied slowly an
/ mpresslyey;
q Now, Look here, old woman. None of yol
nonsense. When hos wanted, Samuel Nixon is a
there. Ana no man alive can say he Ism I, - he weI
ON solemny, holding carefully ON TO one word TN I
was sure Of the next. - As to this business, as
| yOu--is It niue or is II yours2 Now then?''
- Yours, | should think, AS it's your wife who
giving us All this trouble. Wish I'd left you
| hghtit out yourselves. -
! 81 Stop that, - said Sammy, who WAS making hin
self sober aud consequently savage a. III not ha,
/ IL put upon me. | didn't want TO marry her; TIN
/ was your doing, and don't want to make away VIII
! her: that your doing, and IT'S hanging matter
/ am not the one TO swing for II. -
] FOO