St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-04
A NIGHTS ADVENTURE.


home for any length of time. what more
pleasant than the news that he may re-
turn earlier than he had planned?
Ere Boylst had been in Auckland for
three years, being the New Zealand
agent for New York firm. He had
been expecting to return at the end of
the third year. October came. and
though three months yet remained, he
was both surprised and pleased to re-
ceive an order from the firm for him
to return at once.
Up to this time the novelty Of being
in a strange land. the Importance he
felt in the work being done, and the
pleasantness of the social life, prevented
even shadow Of homesickneSs from
disturbing him.
But on the sudden realization of an
early return, little village in the Yer
mont hills seemed to show itself with
surprising distinctness, and snug little
house seemed to stand out more plainly
than any other. 1t was the scene of his
childhood. He had never left it more
than month at a time until when, three
years before, he had babe goodby to his
parents to start OH what then seemed a
journey of indefinite length.
With these thoughts now presenting
themselves so wildly, the few days that
remained at New Zealand seemed more
agoniZing and interminable than any he
had ever spent.
The time was more than filed with
little odds and ends Of business and a
host of goodby calls.
Soon Fred found himself On the broad
Pacific, journeying toward San Fran
cisco. Owing to the suddenness of his
departure. it had been useless to write
home of the change of plan; and, in
place of cabling, Fred thought it would
be good joke to surprise them all by
arriving Unexpectedly.
The steamer, however, did not hasten
across the Pacific. Some of the ma
ehinery was disabled by heavy storm
that drove the vessel out of its course.
This necessitated stop at the Sand
witch islands to do some repairing, and
two weeks later than was expected the
Golden Gate was entered. Six days
more were used in crossing the CONT
nent, and ON cool morning late in De-
cember Fred arrived in New York.
A thousand times during this long,
wearisome journey had he pictured to
lCtQln IIC
thought he would arrive in the early
morning, and suddenly drop in upon
the family at breakfast. Again and
again he pictured to himself the happy
but astonished expressions on the faces
of his father, mother and little sisters.
Sometimes it was at noon that he would
arrive, and uncermOniously walk in
while the family were at dinner. This
plan did not suit very we'll. In going
through the village street many old
friends would be met. who would delay
him when he was fastening to see his
mother once more, and also possibly the
news might go before him.
On the whole, the evening seemed
the best. In the darkness he could
pass unrecognized through the village
and reach the house undelayed. Ar
rived there, he could enter the family
circle around the pleasant fireplace in
the sitting room and spend the rest of
the evening quietly at home. If he ar
rived during the day the house would
soon be crowded with friends eager to
see him, and the first few moments with
his parents could not be enjoyed alone.
On arriving at New York, Fred went
immediately to the firm to report. Mr..
ClairvOy, the senior partner, was out of
town, and would not return until later
in the day. Fred must wait. The trip
had seemed long enough, but now to sit
down and walt, no one knewfor how
nothing to do, so he sat down and alter
nately consulted his watch and looked
at the door through which Mr.. Clairvoy
must come to enter his private Office.
Every time the outer door was opened
he could not help going to see if the alb
sent senior partner was entering. Each
time for four hours he was disappoint-
ed. At last Mr.. Clairvoy returned, and,
after the business at hand had been
transacted, Fred fastened to the Grand
Central station.
In planning his return, Fred had paid
little attention to the time of arrival of
trains. On reaching the station he
found that the first train that he could
take would reach the much-thought-of
village at IL that night. Several hours
delay would be caused by waiting for
the train that arrived in the morning.
This delay would surely be the last
straw, and could not be endured.
He therefore took the first train. This
would really be much more of q sur
prise than any of the others. He knew
that his parents were sound sleepers
He knew also how the house could be
entered at night. II will crawl in
quietly. spend the remainder of the
night in my room and come down to.
breakfast wife the rest"
Slowly the afternoon passed away.
The beastly supper, typical of all New
England restaurants, was served in
dirty little station. The evening passed
more slowly than the afternoon. At
10 ~ u,hnn cInnn fhrnnfnnnI en-
master OF the situation, he ordered his
berth made up, and soon turned in,
strictly charging the porter to wake
him at IL AS.
In the midstof pleasant dream Of an
indescribable mixture Of things, far for
eiffn to the thoughts that were upper
most in his mind when awake. he was
rudely aroused. A dark: woolly head
with two bright, shining eyes, peered
in between the curtains, and a voice
said:
s'Quarter of twelb, sab! Bleeb you
wanted to be woke at quarter OBJ twelb,
sah.''
A week of sleeping car life prepares
one for anything, and without taking
an extra dOZe, Fred Immediately
dressed, neither humping his head nor
putting his right foot into the left shoe.
AS usual, the train was late, and it
was 1890 before it stopped by the small
station of the slumbering village. A
very sleepy railroad official, surprised
that any one should leave the train at
that unreasonable hour. stood waiting
upon the platform. Fred left his trunk
in the care of this man, and with his
valise in his hand, started to walk to
the heuse. A good mile lay between
this and the station.
The night was beautiful. The moon.
slightly on the wane, REINFORCED by
countless stars, made the snow-coyered
ground resplendent for miles around.
A good path had been trampled In the
road, rendering walking comparatively
easy.
Three years had made no difference
in the quiet village. All the old land
marks remained undlsturbed. The
houses with which he had been familiar
all his life, were in their accustomed
places, unchanged. In one field, for