Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-10-06
A Railroad Experience.

1t was the second week I'D October
last, and l had just returned from
delightful continental campaign when
urgent family matters necessitated
my immediate presence in Ireland.
81 shall have to start by the 1926
from Euston tonight / remarked
to clerical friend who had just
dropped in to welcome me back to
London.
''Pll come and see you off, he re-
piled, promptly. s'But it is too bad
to lose you SO soon after your return"
81 don't suppose l shall be very
long in Ireland" I remarked, again
reading over the letter in my hand.
Although I might stay, and go and
hear some of those trials that are
coming on soon."
/ had so much to see to during the
| few hours at my disposal that Mr..
Chasuble soon took his departure,
promising to call for me in time for
| the Irish mail. / waited until the
last minute, but he did not put in an
appearance. Finally, not little
piqued at being 50 treated, l went off
like the independent woman / am,
and soon myself and my travelling
impediments were comfortably en-
sconced in second class carriage at
Euston. | had the compartment all
to myself, upon which l congratula-
ted my lucky stars, as l had observed
that the three or four other second
class carriages were pretty fully oc-
cupied. Looking at my watch 1
found that it yet wanted eight min
utes to the time of starting, and |
decided TO walk up the platform and
give look for my faithless friend.
Sure enough, there he was, hurry
ing down the platform. He was pro-
fuse in his apologies. forget what
they were, but / believe l considered
his excuses valid and forgave his
breach of faith.
"Going the whole way, miss?" in
quired a guard, approaching us and
touching his cap.
Yes [ replied. II am going
over by the Holyhead mail to Dub
linz
"Thank you, MISS" and he walked
away.
81 am so glad, Mr.. Chasuble," |
said, ''that / have got a compart-
ment all to myself, as l like to take
off my hat, tie my head in a shawl
and lie down and make myself COM
Portable"
"Quite SO, he assented. 81 see
them putting in the foot warmers
don't you think you had better take
your seat?''
He was looking into the carriage
as he was speaking, and passed the
one in which my shawls and rugs
were deposited.
"Which is your carriage?" he ask
ed peering into each one. ''They
seem to be more or less alike"
''This is mine L replied, indicat-
ing the carriage he had just passed.
s'What nuisance" / added in an
under tone. tThere is some man in
the far corner: he has come in since
/ got out
Two minutes more and the train
steamed slowly out of the station.
Mr.. Chasuble walked by the side of
the carriage, and l kept chatting to
him out of the window until he could
go no farther. l threw up the win
dow, drew down the blinds and seat
ed myself near the lamp, in order to
improve my mind by the perusal of
the last number of London Society,
and scarcely glanced at my travelling
companion. Presently, there is no
use denying it, began to feel very
hungry. The mental pabulum had
not refreshed me physically, and
longed to attack the sandwiches with
which l had been careful to provide
myself.
l laid down the paper, retreated
into my corner, and looked at nv
companion. | was in the corner of
the opposite seat, at the far end of
my compartment. Suddenly it struck
me there was something odd in the
way in which he was wrapped up on
the seat. He was evidently tall,
powerful mani could see that plain
ly. He sat with his back on a line
with the door, and his legs stretched
out on the seat. | noticed that he
wore a tall hat, rather sloucked over
his forehead, and heavy dark over
coat, inside of which was folded a
soft, warm-looking cashmere hand
kerchief; his hands were beneath the
well tucked-in warm rugs with which
he was enveloped from his wrist to
his feet, and his eyes were closed.
| congratulated myself upon the lat
ter fact. and furtively opened my pa
per Of sandwiches.
My companion apparently slept
on soundly; he never moved a mus
Gle. He might have been wax fig
ure of good-looking man of about
forty, with short brown beard and
slight moustache. My impression is
that ] am somewhat of romantic
nature-my friends call it romantic,
my enemies hysterical-and / could
not avoid giving rein to my imagina-
, ton and thinking there was some
thing uncanny in the way in which