Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-12-25

~ needed to conquer lne
damp fog which filed the arched expanse from
end to end The broad platform tcemed with
the motion and hustle attendant upon the de
parture of a train The newspaper boys alone
were having IL comparatively dull time of it,
ms the first act of every passenger, upon tax
inc his seat. was to pull up the window and
shut out as much fog as possible, declining to
let the sash down for any one, except other
travellers. who, having paid their fares claimed
their right to seats i'll the train-a proceeding
which. to the first installed passenger always
seems supremacy selfish The new conner, or
Corners, might choose some other Compart-
ment than his
The moving rack which bears the lamps
reached the extreme end of the train. The
strong-armcd official below hurled the last
crystal globe TO the nimblc official who runs
along the top of the carriages, and leaps so
reCkessly from one to another. l)eft as an
Indian iugglcr, he caught the cleaning mis-
silc slapped il into the last socket, and sprang
incontincntlv from the already moving train.
The guard shut the last door, which some
bodv's carulc,snoss had left open. jumped into
his van as it swept by him, and rnctual to
the minute. the five o'clocl, train left London
and began its race to Pen2ancc.
In one Of the firSt-claSs compartments were
three pnsScugcrs. although the railroad COM
Danv would only benefit TO the extent of two
fares one of these passengers being child
still Voung enough to be passed of rs child
in arms by all save perhaps, those tender
minded persons who send conscience money
to the chancellor of the exchcqucr. The two
travellers who augmented the company rev
enue were a man and woman,
That they were strangers was evident, and
it was also evident that the man was an old
traveller As soon as the train was III notion
and he felt insured for some time TO como
against disturbance, he arranged his wraps in
the most approved fashion, donncd soft cap,
lit lamp and buried himself in book. He
was a Young man: but as he appears in this
tale only to disappear, detailed DESCRIPTION
would I've superfluous. 1t is enough to know
he was a gentleman, well dressed, well-to-do
in appearance and looked quite i'll his place
in first-claSS carriage.
1t was a different matter with the woman.
There was no obvious reason why she should
not be able and willing to pay threepence-
halfpenny instead of penny mile for the
privilege of being whsked to her destination;
yet one could imagine Crusty old director,
who travels free himself, and is therefore
anxious to prevent the company from being
defrauded, calling to a guard and suggesting
that the wOman's ticket should be examined.
Or, from purely benevolent reasons, per-
son who knows what mistakes women make
in such matters, might with propricty have
remarked: How comfortable these FIRST
class carriages are For my part | should
most certainly have done so-not from be-
ncvolcnce, hut to save myself, who had paid
just fare from feeling swindled if, at the
journey, end, good-naturcd ticket collector
let OIL the victim of such a comfortable mis-
take.
Vet there was nothing remarkable in the
woman, appearance, except the utter absence
of individuality it displayed. For any guild
auce her looks gave, she might have been
rich CT poor, young or old, beautiful or ugly
noble or simple. Had her travelling com
panion been rs curious as he was at present
indifferent about the matter, he might have
sat opposite to her from London to the Land .,
End, yet not have known how to classify her
She was dressed in plain black-and black, like
charity and night, covcreth and hidcth much
No scrap of bright ribbon, no Vestigc OF
color. broke the sombre mOnOtony of hel
attire, and n thick black veil hid the upper
part of her face. She sat like one in
thoughtful frame of mind. Her head wa,
bent forward, and threw her mouth AM
chin into the shade. Her hands being glovcd
it was nnpo ssible to know whether she wore
wedding ring or not.