Daily Republican., 1885-04-21

A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
bought my ticket through to Venice
Of Blank & Son, in London. You
will see our agent In every station and
he will save you all trouble with your
luggage, finding your train and SO on, I"
nd, with bland smile, the head man
Of Blank & Son, rs he handed me my
little book Of coupons and bowed me
out into the chill fog OF tho November
day. l went next day to Paris and
spent the day after in the gay shops and
streets of that needless, happy, care for.
getting town. was TO leave for Turin
from the Care de Lyon, at 715 In the
evening. When the dusk fell the
clouds gathered, and 1 drove alone
through the pouring rain to the station.
NY friends had brought me flowers and
fruits, and they would have gone to see
me off, but l refused. They were
women-why could not do az well as
they? And then there was the agent
Of Blank g. Son. He was the first to be
there. What could want more?
l reached the station. The rain beat
on my unsheltered head as I paid the
driver twice his fee for the truly femi-
nine reason that he demanded 1t. 1
went In. No agent of Blank & Son was
TO be seen. had my ticket dated, my
trunk registered and then followed q
porter laden with my hand luggage to
tho train. All the length OF the train
for Turin we wandered-there was but
one first class carriage to be found. l
had my first class ticket in my hand
and i Wanf N IN fhtu nna ri o I'm onA
would fain have entered 1t. A stolid.
looking old priest sat there in solitary
state, and as I was about to climb up
he said erimly that 1t was all taken.
pleaded for Ont little corner, but in vain.
l said
But, Monsieur, my ticket Is first
class and here is no first-c!ass carriage
but this"
" 1t is all taken, madame" came bis
reply, inexorable as late. turned
awny in despair. Clearly i must
either 60 second-class or give up my
journey for that night. could not do
the latter, for the friend of my heart
was waiting for me in Venice, and her
plans depended on mine. At that
caught sight fof the first
time Of . limp man wearing tho livery
Of Blank & Son. He was the most
knock-kneed, weak looking creature
you could imagine-stilrh he was Messrs.
Blanks agent. Expiring hope gwas
rekindled In my breast. cried out to
him. showed him my little book
with my hrstclAsa ticket. Slowly, o.
II he were going to execution, he went
up 10 the surly priest in the single first
class carriage and slowly he came back
TO me.
/" He says it's all taken MAMA"
Yes, but can't you speak TO the
chief of the station ?"
There's NO time" and he pointed
to the clock, just on the quarter PAST
seven. He was 90 utterly elpless, 80
pitiably weak, l turned from him
desperately. Even the second class
carriages had been filling fast. 1 saw
vacancy in only one. l plunged in
and the porter handed in my baggage.
l glanced then at my comprehensive
beetle proved, black-looking men,
evidently Italians, smoking fiercely.
Terror took hold on me. I uttered q
last cry of despair and q kindly voice,
speaking English with French accent,
said:
Madame. can DO Of any service ?''
and at the moment the speaker spranR
into the carriage, took HIS seat in the
corner opposite me, the door was shut
with bang and The train moved away.
told my tale, and the young French.
man-who was, after all, more English
than French, since he had lived In
England almost from his boy hood
tried to comfort me. At that moment
realized that l had drawn off my
gloves, the more readily to get out my
ftel aud thu avail oh 20
porter, and that on one hand q ruby
ring was catching the lampllght, and
on the othor duller glitter betrayed a
large sapphire. / bad worn the rings
for safe keeping, but my mind misgave
me as saw how earnestly the smokir z
Italians were regarding them. / settled
back In my corner and drew on my
gloves, but now some evil attraction
compelled me to look steadfastly at my
companions ard try to take their
measure.
1t was a task beyond me. L hal new
er seen such men. The head and face
OF the youngest were exactly the image
of the murderer in Nine. TEssand's
chamber of horrors. Happily for the
world that murderer had been hung
but could it be that his uneasy ghoa,
was reincarnated in this man, and had
come to torment the world again?
had just read "Esotcric Buddhism
and this idea seemed mes. reasonable
There was sort of evil fascination fol-
me in tho study of these ruffians. /
seemed to me they looked behind thei
tobacco smoke like demons seer
through the sulphurocss clouds Of thu
Inferno. Suddenly my French En
srl'shman leaned forward and spok,
to me.
i" Madame, I have fear of those
Italians. think their looks ye--J i'll,
al agree with you," eaid. Tha
younger one looks exactly like one O
Mime. Tussapd's murderers.
He makes me less cfter-or than til
other. He Is perhaps too young +
contrive plans for harrr but the other!
He drew long breath. 1.-THE othe
has in his eyes lcok so terrible, s
wicked, 1t gives me fear. And behol
them ! They are 80 shabby Why
they pay second class fare? Would the
not be third but for some mischief the
plan?"
"What shall we do ?" 1 whisper.
back.
al hope to defend madame while "
wake. They will wait for us to slee]
| We must not Sleep"
| Then we settled ourselves hack In
| our corners and watched the tv
Italians In silence. After awhile the
stopped smoking and the Oldest OIL
pulled something black out Of b
pocket. 1 shuddered. thought 1t W
a pistol I; but 70, 1t was q small, bla'
bottle. The man drank from it ar
then handed it to his COMPANION.
thought they were rousing their cOurs
thus and 1 grew cold with terrc
Nextthe big man took out q ella