News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-06-17
A RAILWAY FREE PASS.

Mr.. Adolphus Pettigrew was an eld
erly bachelor of thrifty turn of mind
He was very comfortably off indeed
but he never spent a shilling when six
pence would do, and he acted on the
principle that charity, in a pecuniary
sense, begins and ends-at home. But
| his meanness was not conspicuous, fol
he was always atfable and obliging when
| it cost him nothing, and he lived sc
| quietly that he was not suspected of be
ing rich. He was a timid, fussy little
man. who was extremely correct in his
notions, and prided himself above every
thing on being a law-abiding citizen.
Mr.. Pettigrew passed the greater part
of his time at the club, where he had the
satisfaction of feeling that he obtained
full value for the amount of his annual
subscription. Among his club acquaint-
ances was a certain Captain Falconer,
with whom he had been for some years
on friendly terms. For long time Mr..
Pettigrew had been very shy of this gen
tleman, who was generally regarded as
rather mysterious parsonage. Nobody
knew how he contrived on his half-pay
to array himself in the height of fashion,
to live in sumptuous style, and to keep
I'D the appearance of a man of means.
It was rumored that the Captain OBJ.
tanned a handsome commission on the
business he introduced to a well-knOwn
West End money lender, and 1t is GER
tain that he could always, be relied upon
to put Young scapegraces IN the way OF
obtaining the wherewith to meet press.
ino obligations. But there was no proof
that CAPTAIN Falconer derived any bene,
fit from these acts of good nature. He
was a iovial, loud-voiced, rolllcking,
boisterous person, who was hale-fellow
well-met with everyone, and possessed
the happy knack of being able to accom-
modate himself to every kind of so
ciety.
Mr.. Pettigrew, whose worldly expo.
rience was strictly limited, had only
mistrusted the Captain because he seemed
the sort of man who would borrow
twenty pounds without the slightest
compunction. He never, indeed, alto
gether conquered the misgiving, but in
course of time-as Captain Falconer
made no attempt to impose upon him
Mr.. Pettigrew ended by responding
readily enough to his friendly advances.
The fact was that the Captain won his
regard by the occasional gift of theatre
ticket, a seat az the opera, or a card of
admission to some privileged entertain
ment. 1t was a popularity of the Cap
tain's that he was always able to bestow
favOrs of this kind. Mr.. Pettigrew was
by no means a recluse, and to 90 any
y-b or oIrth hinrr fny 81
real zest to his enjoyment. He therefore
accepted these little tokens of friendship
from the Captain in a grateful and ap-
preciative spirit, the more particularly
as he f1attered himself that the Captain
really had a regard for him. This idea,
whether correct, or not, was certainly ex-
cusable, seeing that Mr.. Pettigrew had
never offered to make the slightest re-
turn for services rendered in any shape
or form.
1t cha ced at length that Mr.. Petit
grew had occasion to take a journey to
the west of England, owing to the Sc
rious illness of a rich aunt, from whom
he cherished expectations. He had
known Captain Falconer to procure a
free pass for an acquaintance upon the
very line that he had wished to travel
by, and he therefore ventured to ask
him to do the same thing for him. The
Captain, whose good nature seemed in
exhaustible, readily acceded to his re-
quest, so far at least as might lay in his
power. He explained that it was not al
ways easy to obtain free pass on the
line in question, but promised to use his
influence, and seemed hopeful of the re-
suit. He was better than his word, for
when he met Mr.. Pettigrew by appoint
ment on the platform of the London
terminus on the day of his departure he
pressed into his hand pass to Ply
mouth and back.
''My dear Captain Falconer," ex-
claimed Mr. Pettigrew, lingering the doc
ument delightedly, 81 am really ex-
tremely obliged to you"
$50 you ought to be-" said the Cap
tain, in his jovial way: 81 had no end
of trouble to get it, l can tell you. Put
it in your pocket" he added, rather
mysteriously. "Ta! ia! old fellow. Sor-
ry | can't wait to see you off"
Mr.. Pettigrew wrung his friends hand
and took quite an affectionate farewell
of him. The pass was really substan-
tial favor, for the frst-class fare to Ply
mouth and back-for Mr.. Pettigrew,
like many other people, never stinted
himself of luxury and comfort at pinch
amounted to a very considerable mum
Der of shillings. He seated himself with
great alacrity in the vacant first-class
compartment, called for a four-armer,
wrapped himself in his traveling-ruo,
and prepared for a comfortable Jour
uey.
He was beginning to believe he would
have the compartment to himself, when,
at the last moment, a gentleman, who
had before looked in at the window and
passed on, now presented himself again,
and took possession of the corner seat
by the door. AS he did so, the ticket
collector appeared, and Mr.. Pettigrew
presented his pass for inspection.
1t struck Mr.. Pettigrew that the
official scrutinized his pass somewhat
suspiciously, and, upon returning it.,
looked at him with very searching
glance. 1t is probable that the man
merely desired to assure himself of the
validity Of the document and Of the re-