Nevada County picayune., 1886-03-03
HAL'S BABY.

and the wind blew gale. Hal and I boarded the limited express for New York at Chicago, and were enjoying cigar in the smo- ker. He had fallen asleep and I was busily absorbed in my own re- flections. I glanced casually and with little interest at the scenes through which I was being rapidly whirled. It was only when twi. light shut out visible objects and the lowering clouds overhead grew black, that I awakened to the con- sciousness that it was night, and that Hal had been sleeping an hour.
 Come old fellow" I said, shak- ing him, "wake upw
 "Hellow he exclaimed. rousing himself and looking 8 little stupid.
 "Nice, sociable chap for . com paniSn, l must say"
 t"How long have I been asleep?" sitting upright and looking around him.
 About an hour I shonld judge"
 "Well between you and me, Will, 1 needed it. 1 didn't go to bed at all last night; so much to be done, all at the last moment"
 That's Q fine excuse for you to give," 1 said dryly. Hal laughed.
 He was tho best natnred chap in tho world. A big, strapping follow. standing six feet high, with merry blue eyes, clear cut features and fair almost to womanliness. He was a great swell and a univer- sal fsvOrite.
 "Abominable night" he nut tered, a little irritably for him, "and confoundedly cold, too. l had just about half enough sleep, Will, aud if you don't mind I'll get to bed"
 "That suits m-," l replied, II am with you"
 We crossed the platform and stepped into the other car. A gust of wind and snow whizzed past as we opened the door, which called forth another grumbling impreca- ton from Hal relative to the weath. CT. Decidedly he was sleepy.
 There were not many passengers on board and these the invariable travellers one is sure to encounter.
 First came garrvlOus old gen tleman, very thin, with white hair, who occupied four seats and essay ed to read by the uncertain light of the railway lamp which was of no more use than those lamps us- ually are, and quite as ornamental. Then came the commercial travel Ter who was disposed to take things as he found them, and wore an expression rather bland than otherwise.
  A portly old lady with bird cage and several bandboxes next attracted my attention. A spin ster who sat upright in most rig i'd position, and an inspired young miss of seventeen or whereabouts, travelling in care of the conductor, together with a short, stout, thick set man of uncertain age and Occu- patton, made up the list Of passen- gers. No, there was another; l had quite overlooked him. He came on tho train while we were in tue smOker-a tall, dark man o abont forty years, with pale, hag gard face and hollow sunken 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 l entered the car, A shrill little voice which echoed through the silent car caused ev- cry one to turn round in the direc- ton whence it came.
 By all that's unlucky," groansd Hal, "a baby"
 "Not a doubt of it, agreed.
 "And good lungs it has, tOO," he went on, pettishly. Il wish it would he quiet"
 But the baby hadn't the slightest notion of this. To speak the truth it had not yet begun. The shrill cry continued growing louder, the passengers commenced staring hard at the berth and harder at one another. The garrulous old gentleman laid aside his magazine and remarked sarcastically, "This is pleasant"
 The portly lady opened her wa