Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-02-04

ooi noA arrangements Close 10 the door,
which are equivalent to no seat at all.
The old lady hesitated and changed
her heavy carpet bag from one wearied
arm to the other. I thought of nv
good Aunt Polly at home, and rose at
once.
"Pray take this seat, ma'am," said I.
"And let me put your parcels up in the
rack for you"
Clifton, what fool you are |" cried
Hatdeld, in an impatient soto pocs
"Why couldn't you have sat still and
minded your own business ?"
at is my own business" answered.
orusquely, "to see that every lady is
made as comfortable as it is in the ma.
ture of things to be. Now the SQUIRREL.
cage ma'am-itll go very we'll under
the seat 1 think" IN
Hatfield uttered contemptuous grunt
but he never offered to take his feet off
the opposite cushion, although the
younger woman stood in the aisle nm.
comfortably swaying back ward and for.
ward with the motion Of the car, until
woman beyond, observing the state
OF affairs, drew sleeping child into her
lap, and beckoned the other to take the
place thus vacated.
By this time my old lady had estab-
llshed herself to her entire satisfaction.
and opered her sandwich box.
"Much obliged to you, young man, ("
said she. ut is easy to see that YOU
have mother of your own at home.
and you're in the habit of doing rev.
erence to her gray hairs. As for this
person"-with nod of her poke-bonnet
In the direction of Mr.. Hatfield-"if
he's got a mother 1 can't say much for
her bringing of him up. Perhaps he
may beold himself some day, and stand
in need of little politeness and consid.
GRAFTON from the young"
"When I'm anxious for your good
opinion, ma'am, I'll let you know" Mr..
Hatfield retorted rather flippantly.
The old lady could only exress her.
self by vehement sniff. And even I
was little annoyed at his manner.
Hatfield" said I, in a low tone.
you might behave like a gentleman"
$50 I will" he retorted with
shrug, "when I find myself in company
that calls for such measures.
said no more, but leaning up against
the side of the door, prepared to make
myself as comfortable as possible, until
the train should stop at Stamford, its
first way-station, and some descending
passengers might make room for me.
Reader, did you ever stand in an ex-
press train in full motion? Did YOU
ever feel yourself swayed backward and
forward, humping one of your phreno-
logical developments against one side
OF the car, and bringing the base of
your spinal column against the top of q
seat at the opposite swerve of train ?
Did you ever grasp blindly at nothing
for supportP Did you ever execute an
involuntary ''pas seul," by way Of keep
ing your balance, and then grind your
teeth to see the two pretty young ladies
beyond laughing at your antics If SO,
you will know how to pity me during
the hour and half between B.
and Stamford.
Hatfield went to sleep and snored;
the old lady in the gigantic bonnet ate
sandwiches end drank from q wicker
flask Of excellent smelling sherry; but
the young lady sat as noiseless as a
black-veiled statue fretfnl babies
whimpered; old gentlemen uttered
strange sounds in their sleep the lights
fiared like sickly moons overhead, and
the shrek of the train as it few through
sleeping villages sounded like the yell
of fiery-tnroated demon.
Stamford" bawled the conductor.
At last succeeded in dropping my
weary and stiffened limbs into q seat
where slumber overlook me in Just
minute and quarter; for had been
asleep on my legs once or twice, even
in my former Instantaneous attitude,
and 1 could scarcely believe the evil
dence of my own senses when we finally
Numbered into the echoing vastness of
the Grand Central depot in New York.
Hatfield, alive to the necessity of
catching car before all the world Of
travellers should crowd into it, STUN
bled over the old lady's ankles with
small ceremony.
ooh, take carel You've knocked the
squirrel cage overl" cried she.
"Confound the squirrel cagel" shout.
ed Hatfield, crashing his teeth, as the
ancient dame placed herself directly in
the aisle to set the furry pet up again,
thereby completely blocking up his
egress.