Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-09-18
HAL AND THE BABY.

| boarded the limited express for
/ New York at Chicago and we're
enloying a cigar in the smoker
/ Hal had fallen asleep and ! was
busly absorbed in my own reilec-
tions. | glanced casually and with
little interest at the scenes through
which | vas being rapidly whlrled.
1t was only when twilight shut out
visible objects and the lowering
clouds grew black | awakened to
the consciousness that it was night
and that Hal had been sleeping an
hour.
Come, old fellow said, shak-
ing him, wake up'
Hello he exclaimed, rOuSng
himself and looking a little stupid.
Nice sociable chap for a compan-
ion; | must say
1Iow long have | been asleep 2
sitting upright and looking around
him.
about an hour, | should judge
well, between you and me, VIII
needed 1t. | didn't go to bed at
all last night so much to be done
all at the last moment
That's fine excuse for You to
give said, dryly. Hal laughed.
| lie was the best natured chap in
the world. A big, strapping fel-
low, standing six feet high, with
merry blue eyes, clear cut features
and fair almost to womanliness.-
He was a great swell, too, and a
universal iavOurlte.
'Abominable night, he muttered,
a little irritably for him, 'and con-
foundedly cold, too. | had just
about half enough sleep, Will, and
ifyou don't mind, I'll get to bed
That suits me, replied, 4 am
with you
We crossed the platform and step
ped into the other car. y gust OF
wind and snow whiZzed past as we
opened the door, which called forth
another grumblng impreca Ion from
Hal relative to the weather. Decl-
dedly he was sleepy. There were
not many passengers on board, and
these, the invariable travellers, one
IA sure to encounter. First came a
garrulous old gentleman, very thin,
with white hair, who occupied four
seats and essayed to read by the
uncertain light of the railway lamp
which was of no more use than
those lamps usually are, and quite
as ornamental. Then came the
commercial traveller, who was dis
posed to take things as he found
them, and wore an expression rath-
cr bland than otherwise.
\ portly old lady with a bird
Gaze and several bandbOxes next
attracted my attention. a spinster
who sat upright in Il most rgId
position, and an insipid miss OF Il
or thercab0uts travelling in care OF
I the conductor, together with short
stout, thick set man OF uncertain
age and occupation, made up the
list of passengers. No, there was
another; ! had quite overlooked
him.-lIe came on the train while
we were in the smoker. a tall,
dark man of about 40 years, with
a pale, haggard face and hollow,
sunkcn eyes. His berth had been
made up and he was seated on one
side of it, his head resting on his
hand, when Hal and | entered the
car. A shrill little voice which
echoed through the silent car caus-
ed every one to turn around in the
direction whence it came.
'By all that's unlucky,' groaned
Hal, "a baby
'Not doubt of it, agreed.
And good lungs it has, too, he
went on pettshly. q wish itwould
be quiet
But the baby hadn't the slightest
notion of this. To speak the truth
| it had not begun yet. The shrlll
cry continued growing louder and
louder; the passengers commenced
staring hard at the berth and har-
der at one another. The garrulous
old gentleman laid aside his maga-
zine and remarked, sarcastically,
This is pleasant
The portly lady opened her wa
terry eyes as wide as she could and
exclaimed, Dear me
The spinster wore an air OF VIZ
tuous triumph and said nothing l
dare say she congratulated herself
upon her lucky escape. The COM
mercial traveller looked wicked,
Hal, am sorry to say, swore and
tumbled into bed in 10 very enyl-
able frame of mind.
Presently every one sought his or
her resting place. the lamps were
lowered, and the porter made HIM
selfas comfortable as the rules of
the company would permit. But
through it all that baby cried. The
storm raging without was mild IN
comparison with the storm raging
within. By Jover exclaimed Hal
'bed is mockery. Of all the nui-
sances | ever came in contact
with this takes the palm. What
do the parents mean by letting it
scream like that? Why don't they
attend properly to their business :?