The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-02-24
A TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

| A recent murder by one LEROY has caused
| the greatest agitation in England concerning
( their system Of travelling BY railroad. In
/ England, 1t will be remembered, passenger
[ cars are divided into small compartments,
which are entered through doors in the sides
of the cars, and have no communication with
each other.
Mr.. Laboucher takes advantage of the ex-
cItement to publish a remarkable story illus
trating the perils Of the system. 1t recounts
the adventures of Rev. Jude Gloam, shy
young clergyman, who had taken a glass
more than usual at dinner, and of Miss. Aviss,
an equally shy young lady whom he accosted
on the train.
1t is the curse of shy men that, getting so
little practice in conveTsing with women,
they never know when to stop when perad-
venture they do get chance of talking Mr..
Gloam had no idea that he was tran sgressing
the pToprieties.
81 say, Miss Aviss," shouted the Rev
Jude, with a leer ''supposing there were
piece of mistletoe in this carriage? ?''
No answer from the girl, but her eyes
opened wide, and she shrank up trembling
in her corner of the carriage.
IL think there is a piece look there -
continued the foolish man pointing to the
lamp in the ceiling, for he meant to be face
tious.
The girl was now fairly frightened, and
moved from her seat to the further end of
the carriage. She had heard of drunken ruff
fans insulting ladies in railway carriages
and she set down her revele end companion as
being drunk, and possibly a ruffian. No
doubt the clerical garb was only disguise.
"What are you running away from ?'' ask
ed Mr.. Gloam, and he rose 20 follow her with
an unsteady gait, caused not so T2uch by his
tipsiness-fOr he was not regularly tipsy-as
by the oscillation of the train. But, to the
affrighted girl VINO saw him staggeI, it looked
as if he were dangerously inebriated.
'If you approach another step, sir, shall
scream" cried she, starting up, with all the
color fed from her face.
''What for" said the Rev. Jude, and,
putting out his hand to steady himself, be
quite unin tentiOnally rested it on her shoul-
der. The movement of recoil which this ap-
parent assault caused the girl to make threw
Mr.. GlOam of his balance, and he pumped
into the seat from which she had risen. This
only increased the girls fright, and wildly
opening the window of the carriage she
screamed, "Help help murder -
In an instant Mr.. GIoam was sobered. The
girls sbrieks cleared all the fumes of wine
from his brain, and showed him in what a
desperate position he had placed himself.
For Gods sake don't scream like that" he
implored; you'll ruin me" and, seiziug the
girl by the waist, he wrenched her from the
window.
''Help - she gasped, as she fell on to one
of the seats and struggled to regain her foot
ing.
''NIiss AvIss for God s sake let me explain,
entreated Mr.. Gloam. ssizing her hands; but
the horrible fear which was now legible on
his face made him a more dreadful object to
look at than efore, while the violence he took
to restrain the girl robbed her of a II presence
of mind. Disengaging herself from him, she
tOttered toward the nearest door and franti-
cally turned the handle. 4 blast of cold
night air flew into the carriage, and shower
of sparks from the engine was seen flying by.
Mr.. Gloam made grab at the girl to draw
her back. She eluded him, and, screaming
louder than ever, tried to step on the foot
board Then there was another faint Shrek
and all was silence. The door swinging for I
ward by the impetus of the train at a curve,
closed of its own accord. The girl had slip /.
ped and was gone.
"Great God - muttered Mr.. GlOam, when I
one awful minute had elapsed. He had ia 4
ken off bis hat and was stroking his forehead I
rs he sat endeayoring to realize what had .
He asked himself whether he
was not in the midst of nightmare. If the
rain had stopped at that minute he would
rave been unable to crawl out and anybody
Who had seen him must have suspected him
II crime. During quarter of an hour the
,oor wretch could neither stir nor speak lu-
idly he could only moan and tremble.
What first recalled him to himself was the
light of the things which the poor girl-now
cad. beyond a doubt-had left in the car
iage. There was shawl, a travelling bag
novel, and on the floor small gold watch
Without chain.
The sight of these articles stirred in tie ,
unwilling murderer the sense of sole -~~~~0~ :
n