Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-12-20
Strange Company.


II was In The gear is--, and tho month
was May, aud tho place WAS England. !
had leit London ilyo days before. and
now was mile aud miles away nom II,
IN the very heart OF the country travel,
Ing toward iittle town where J had
business IL waS ah old,iashionod Inn,
ml tho people were Kind aud obliging.
Travellers did not often stop ut that
inn, ] suspect, Tor they wero ~ particu'
lar about my meals ~ though ] had been
q prodigel son como home Tor tho holi.
lays
They killed tho lated chicken for me
aud made much OF mo altogether ; aud
TO crown all, ~ the train did not stop In
tim0 10 take INC ON as | wanted 10 20,
aud as II was only u matter OF five miles
or NO, what did tho landlord do but
hunt up u rusty old coach that was tuck
odaway in the coach house and order his
man to drive mo over that evening. IL
wasn't an extra, mind you, II was sheer
goodwill. SO | shook hands all around
and remembered tho chambormaid and
the waiter with halt q crown each, and
oil rode. II was getting dark fast, and
tho road wound away among the hills in
u very romantic sort OF way why, IL
made you think OF ghosts, II you were u
commercial traveller,
"Horc's the place." suya | TO myself,
"whero the cid gentlemen OF the road
would liko to have met mo and my
black bag fifty years ago. A hundred
years ago, anyhow, l would not have
felt as safe as do now"
Just then tho coach came TO sudden
pause.
"Hallo," cried ont OF the window |;
"what's the matter ?"
"It's more than can tell, SIR" said
tho man. "BlNck Jane has turned
sulky she won't move one step"
With that he began to shout and
crack his whip, ]. with my head out Of
the window, watching him, when sud-
denly the beast started Off like mad,
and I drow in my !aco and saw / had
company
When the coach Was at standstill q
lady and gentleman had slipped in.
They sat on the seat opposite me, and
though it was an intrusion, had not
the heart to find fault, for n prettier
pair never saw in my life.
II he was twenty.one years, it was
Just as much as he could be, and she
was not seventeen.
I have seen u pair of china lovers on
the mantel-pie the perfect image OF
what they we're, as pretty, and dres ed
much the same.
His hair was pow,lered, and hers,
too. She had on yellow silk, lower in
the neck than I would like n daughter
of mine to wear it. and her arms would
have been hare only for her long kid
o owes. She had pearls in her ears and
on her throat. and she had inst the most
innocent face nv two ewes ever rested
upon. As for The bov. he had a choco.
late velvet coat and white silk stockings
and lace ruflles at his wrists. And they
had one laroe cloak. his. 7 fancv-cast
obout the two nf them tbouch n droon.
ed back n bit as thew sat down,
mT'wo ynnma foiks go;no r. n foncv
hill nerbS os." said r "on1 inst took n
lift on H. a wa,"
And 7 toncIed INV can to than ond
savs T "Fine oven;nt sir"
"a Ala not onswor mo hnt obo ,oo,,.
od Of mo and T stretcLed ~ ont n l;ttIe
wbito hand ~
20 m0b s;rp clio so,d ulool ont a. tho
bool ~ tho M oonoI, T ,,rov yo,, and taij
mo- ;f no ia oa;ninn on no
Iool,eJ omt of tha window
s.Thn,o,s % n,,n nn horsohaoL r;a;nu
-, tbo ro,dn ssid T for cow ono
"O Loo"on, ,n sa;5 sLo
.Gomu'uo po,tn % so;a tho o,.
c,,,,ow sSTbon sholI nauar ,.rt @ no ,H"Ne
Tbon Lnew Il wac am q runa,uav @ watch
ct 600 how Il is F" cried "K naTmn ]
vorr boort vonnr man If tba vaunp
lady likes Won she'll stick to Won
thick and thin. I'll do nv
best to helm vou."
40 heavens /" she cried again. "Ob,
nv darling. 7 hear the borses' feet
There are more Of them. Oh. air. looL.
tell me?"
7 looked and saw manv armed borse.
men following swiftly.
"Closer to nv heart Bettv." cried the
younp man. "My beloved. thew come"
He drew his sword.