The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-03-08

ried down TO tue CABIN TO coll ect
more Of her property deposited there.
The landing WAS an awful business
for the poor little woman was almost
overwhelmed with parcels and bas
kets. As was but lightly laden. l
offered to relieve her OF the bird
cage; but she begged me to take
charge OF one Of the baodboxs in.
stead, as Jezebel would try 'to peck
the arm off me- IL l attempted to lift
the cage.
The bandbox did not contain o
cap or bonnet, as | soon learned to
my dismay, for, when lifted IL I'M
Sarily by tho string that bound IL,
the bottom gave way, and heap Of
most unsightly rubbish fell out.
Shall 1 ever forget the contents Of
that luckless baudbox, or tue state
Of my feelings; as stood in helpless
confusion while the gallant football
team, whom l wished at the other
side OF the world, chased reels OF cot
ton, bits of guttered candle ends;
half-squashed oranges, broken bot-
ties and loatbsome yellow exudaiions,
toothbrnshes, night lights, and PEN
ny illustrated papers smeared With
hair-oil aud vaseline all over the
deck, struggling for them under the
impatient feet Of the passengers, and
restoring them to me with a grave
sympathetic courtesy that even my
aant Catbarine wopld, / think, have
admitted was closely connected with
the purest form Of chivalry I
tried to get away, TO lose myself in
the crowd; but the block at the gang.
way stopped me, and / had to stand
wit burning face right under jet Of
electric light, the abominable band
box with the cover and reversed,
across my arms, ready to receive
Mrs. OToole's rescued property.
At last. when the fair boy with the
'depraved countenance' arrived with
a roughly-patched aud muddy high
low, which evidently belonged to
Mr.. OToole, desperation made me
cast proprieiy to the winds / seized
his hand, and whispered excitedly-
they don't belong to nee. Will
you tell the-the others, please
your frinds--that--that the band
box belongs to q woman, a perfect
stranger, who asked me to help her
with her parcels =
by jove = be exclaimed Indignant
ly, taking it from me quickly.
What beastly shame to give you
such thing TO carry Where is the
woman I'll give her piece of my
mind Keep close behind me, I'll
shoulder you passrge through the
crowd
when we reached the platform
the first thing I saw my cbaperon
blocking up the door Of second
class carriage and waving a hand
kerchiei energetically to attract my
attention.
There she is Will you hand her
the bandbox please p
'The whisper and the demeanor
and appearance Of my youthful es-
cort shocked Mrs. O'Toole severly,
aud for nearly an hour, while We
we're laundering through the dread
ful Welsh tunnels, had to listen to
a lecture on the danger Of making
promiscuous acquaintances in travs
cling, illustrated by personal expe.
rance OF thrilling. indeed almost
'penny-dreadfup nature that would
have delighted my aunt Catbarins.
However, / did not resent the
liberty, for l saw how simple and
how very much in earnest the little
woman was, aud, besides, she was 80
very kind and attentive to me when
che heard that was recovering
from o severe illness, and insisted on
my throwing aside light Maltese
lace scar! wore round my neck aud
mufiliug myself in q hideous red
aud yelIaw Shetland shawl Of hers,
which certainly made me as warm
as toast and put stop to slight
neuralgia twinge that was begin
ming to feel, for the night had grown
very cold and damp.
"Whsn we arrived ut Chester, I |
induced he,, after some difficulty, to
get out and have cup of tea with |
me. She seemed very reluctant to
leave her valuable property uppro-
tected. However, after thrustipg