The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-04-16
PUNCHS EXAMPLE.


even this was hot to suffocation, because
my only companion denied me more
than inch of open window, His chest,
he explained curtly, was susceptible"
As we crawled westward through the
glaring country, the suns rays beat on
the carriage roof till | seemed to be
crushed under an anvil, counting the
strokes. had dropped my book and
was staring listlessly out Of the window.
At the other end of the compartment
my fellow passenger had pulled down
all the blinds and hidden his face be-
hind The Western Morning News, He
was a red faced cholerio little man Of
about sixty, with salient stomach, a
prodigious nose, TO which he carried
snuff about once in two minutes, and a
marked deformity of the shoulders. For
comfort, and also perhaps TO hide this
hump, he rested his back in the angle
by the window. He wore o black al
paca coat, high stock, white waistcoat
and trousers of shepherds plaid On no
definite grounds, guessed him to be
| lawyer and unmarried.
Just before entering the station at
Lostwithiel, our train passed between
the white gates of level crossing, A
moment before had caught sight of the
George" dropping from the church
spire, and at the crossing saw it was
regatta day in the little town. The road
was full of people and lined with sweet
standings, and by the near end OF the
bridge Punch and Judy show was just
closing a performance. The orchestra
had unloosed his drum and fallen to
mopping the back of his neck with the
red handkerchief that had previously
bound the pan pipes to his chin. A
crowd hung around, and among it
noted several men and women in black,
hideous blots in the pervading sunshine,
The station platform was thronged as
we drew up, and it was clear at once
that all the carriages in the train would
be besieged without regard to class. By
some chance, however, we were disre-
garded and escape seemed likely till the
very last moment. The guards whistle
was between his lips, when | heard a
shout, then one or two feminine screams
and party of seven or eight came tear
ing out of the booking Office. Every one
of them was dressed in complete black.
They were, in fact, the people had seen
staring at the Punch and Judy show,
A moment later the door Of our com
partment opened and we were invaded.
They tumbled in over my legs, painting,
laughing, exclaiming, calling to each
other to hurry-ap old man, two youths,
four middle aged women and q little
girl about four years old. My choleriC
fellow passenger leaped up, choking
with wrath, and shouted to the guard
But the door was slammed on his indig
nation, and we moved Off He sat back
purple above his stock, rescued hi:
malacca walking stick from under the
coat tails Of subsiding youth, stuck il
upright between his knees and glareC
around at the intruders. They were still
possessed with excitement over theil
narrow escape and unconscious Of of
Tense One of the women dropped int
the corner seat and took the little gir
a on her lap. The child's dusty boot
rubbed against the old gentleman's trou
sers. He shifted his position, grunted
1. and took snuff furiously.
y THAT was nibby jibby," the old MAJ
e of the party observed, while his eye wan
dered around for a seat.
~ thought | should ha' died." said
robust woman, with a wart on her cheel
= and a yard of Grape hanging from he
bonnet, Cant ZEE find nowhere to sii
- uncle?"
Reckon / must shift pom your Lar
Susannah." This was said with
chuckle, and the woman Uttered
"What new tangled game be this O. tn
Great Westerns. Arms to the seats,
: declare Well have to sit intimate, m
= dears."
"'Tis first class" another woman al
nounced in an awed whisper, 81 saw
'pon the door You don't think they
fine us"
ct all comes of our stoppin 70 glaI
b, at that Punch an Judy" the old fellol
went on, after / had shown them ho'
to turn back the arm rests and they wei
settled in something like comfort. "By
IL never could refrain from that antic-
'S tho l feels condemned, too, in way
an poor Thomas laid in earth no lat
than II this mornin. But in the mid
of life we are in death.
n don't remember a more successfI
buryin," said the woman with the war
y THAT was part luck, you see-it be-
regatta day an the fun O. the fair n
properly begun. saw a lot at Il
cemetery didn't know by face, an
reckon they was mostly excursions
that caught sight Of funeral an fC
= lowed it, to fill up the time"
well, it all added
"Oh, aye; Thomas was beautiful
- inferred"
The heat in the carriage by this tiI
was hardly more overpowering than I
smell Of Grape, broadcloth and camphC
The youth who had wedged hims'
next to me carried a large packet
"fairing," which he had bought at o
Of the sweet stalls he began to ms
it into his side pocket, and in his stru
giles drove an elbow sharply into !
ribs / shifted my position little.
Toms wife would ha' felt It a souI
O. pride, had she lived"
But ! ceased TO listeni for in movi
had happt aed TO glance at the fartt
end Of tho rarriage, and there my
teotinn VIVA arrested bv a curioua lit