Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-10-20

dcrgraduates of the University and
even the somewhat lax rules of st. AL
dates were upon this point strict M those
of more learned colleges. The arrival Of
the trains from Watingbury, at any rate
Of those late in the day, was attended by
proctor and bulldog, to see if any of
his flock had been astray while a watch
was also kept upon the roads which led
from the city in that direction |
Iook here p cried the tcmpter, clad
for the occasion in the llame-colored blaz-
on Of the Honorable Richard Gordon, "if
we get back by the four o'clock train, we
shall see all the best of the fun, escape
the proctors, who will not be on the look
out until the six o'clock train, and save
Charley's gate.
at is all very well for you fellows
to risk it,, but | can't afford to be sent
down."
"Pooh not chance Of your being
sent down II amt like you to funk.
What a capital time we had there last
year! And my cousin has a horse run
ming and we can get the tip from him"
"Are you sure that there is four
o'clock train -
Certainly. Come, that is good fell
low"
''Then, by Jove, Twill go - cried Char
ley.
And as no promises are so well kept as
those which please ourselves, he kept his
word to the letter. He was too young to
find the pleasure turn to dust and ashes.
He thoroughly enjoyed his afternoon on
Watlingbury race course and for once
the tip, wonderful to relate, was the
strong one, and the affair went off capi-
tally.
"My boy said Gordon, taking him II
little aside about a quarter to four, ''you
have Just time to catch your train. We
will risk it; but If You are not It fool
you'll DO off,
I'm not going" cried Charley reck-
lessly."
"Then you are fool answered the
other; "take my advice, and 60"
1t was such rare thing for Gordon to
give advice of this kind that our hero
took it as that of n good angel, who, i'll
stead of the suggestive tlame-colored
blazon of yesterday, had assumed, with
nuch appropriateness, fashionable
frock-coat, of Quaker-like. gray Qued-
ellington reached the station Just in time
to tumble into a first class carriage already
pretty full. Many of its occupants look
edas if the tickets in their pockets might
be of any hue,save white, which was, and
is the color of first-class tickets upon tine
Watlingbury brauch line. Charley look
ed them over with the superciliousness
of st. Aldate's and came to the conclu-
sion that, If undergraduates at all, they
hailed from some college more than n
Sabbath days journey from the centre of
university life.
They had lunchcd well, and were loud
and NOISY, as was Charley sometimes ;
but, somehow, their loudness and nois-
ness were not like the same things at st.
Aldate's, and Quedglington regarded them
with much the same disapproyal that
filled the Dean of St. Adates when
brought face to face with his, Charley's,
vagalies.
His gaze settled at last on face in the
far corner which, under the crcumstan-
ces, caused him some surprise. 1t was
so decidedly ont of place. 1t was that Of
a rather pretty girl, with n fair-haired,
graceful little head, set of by small
gray hat 1t was face formed to be
either gravely sweet or coquettishly smil-
ing but now it was frightened, piteous
little face. The sudden Eruption of the
noisy and excited crew into her carriage
was evidently not to her liking but as
she was sitting at the end furthest from
the platform, it was no easy matter to ex-
tricate herself. "She's a goveness, and
a pretty one, thought Charley. Ger
tainly She is travelling first class, so she
must be Newnlam or Girton girl. They
get II lot of money. She is too plainly
dressed to be n swell. | wish had some
sisters who wanted governcss.
1t was not Qucdglington only whose at
| fnn oh Oft tnl
their bets settled, turned toward her more
of their regards than was polite or pleas
ant. From this they advanced to making
to one another, and generally to talking
rather in way chat made Quedglington's
face hot with anger BY the time the
train stopped at the junction Charley was
on the point of interfering. The young
lady rose, however. and, taking up her
cloak, stood prepared to leave the car
riage. Her tormentors made way for her
not an inch, but sat with their knees
meeting across the passage.
Would you be kind enough to let me
pass ~ she said bravely, in quite steady
voice. But they were heated with eX-
citement and the wine they had taken at
luncheon. Charley had come to the con-
clusion by this time that they were not
Varsity men at all, and we will hope and
trust that he was right. At any rate they
sat still
81 think, said one, with mock polite
ness, "that the ticket you showed ut Wat
lingbury was for our destination. We do
not change here"
"And we really cannot spare 50 pretty
a face. We are hoping to have the pleas
ure of seeing you home"
SO the girl was in fact prisoner the
noise upon the platform made it impossi-
bic for her to get help from thence. Her
eyes wandered round the flushed faces,
and rested upon Charley's, flushed too,
but from different cause.
She saw that he was not of the others.
''Don't let us have any Of this rot ~ he
said quietly. LET this lady pass, if You
please"
They all turned upon him, as he rose
and with some roughness pushed two or
three of them aside. The girl Just touch
ed his hand, stepped lightly past them,
and was out of the carriage in a nom ent
before they could recover from their sur
prise.
"Confound you What business is il
of yours cried one, standing up and
catching hold of his collar. Charley did
not answer him in words his blood was
up, and MS the other maintained his hold,
he struck him between the eyes with all
his strength and some little science. The
man fell back among his fellows, and all
rose up and hit out at Charley rather
wildly, who warded off blow or two,
and then stepped lightly backward on to
the platform to avoid the others He was
only Just in time before they could fol-
low him the train began to move por-
ter, who, i'll the hubbub of the station,
had seen nothing of it, slammed the door ;
and the last that Charley, standing upon