The National tribune., 1893-05-18

| line to Addison Junction saw her aboard
| the right train, told her to change cars for
| the Addison branch at Leicester Junction,
and also spoke to the Central Vermont con-
| ductor about her. Lena had secured some
| luncheon and felt in better spirits as the
| Central Vermont train pulled out. But her
| anxiety soon returned. She asked the con-
ductor if she could get through TO her
destination that night. He replied that he
did not know; it would depend upon the
connections between the Addison branch
and the Delaware & Hudson Road at Addison
Junction; but he had the impression she
would have to stop over night at Addison
| Junction.
"Oh, horrorsi" thought Lena "To have
to spend the night at country railroad
| Junction." Still, there was no other way
now but to take her chances She might
| have stopped over night at Rutland, but it
| was too late TO think of that now.
| 1t was dark by the time the train reached
| Leicester Junction, where Lena was to
! change to the Addison branch The lonely
| station stood near the border of wood, with
| a swamp on the opposite side of the track.
| From the center of the wood CLEANED great
| eye of fire. This was the headlight of the
| train on the branch which was waiting for
| the express to pass before running out on
the main track to take the passengers at
| the junction. 1t was very leisurely about
| performing this service, however, and the
| headlight continued to glare from the wood
| for nearly five minutes after the express had
| Numbered on its way. Then, with great
deal of putting and consequential fuss, the
| branch train ran out on the main line and
| drew up to the station. 1t consisted of
| eight freight-cars, with a single passenger
| coach at the rear. If Lena had not been so
| tired and Disguised she would have been
| greatly amused at her new travelling accom-
| modations. The passenger-cOach was of the
model of 1850. The windows were small
| and high, the seats were small and hard, and
| the car was partltioned across it's width,
| little below the center, to make room for
| baggage and express in the forward end. It
seated only about 20 passengers, but was not
so crowded even with these limitations, that
| Lena could not find q seat which she might
| have all to herself
| Al last the train started. 1t bumped
along in the most curious fashion, running
alternately fast and slow every few rods,
and whenever it slowed down the passenger
coach would crash into the freight-cars with
a shock that made everybody cling to their
| seats. At first Lena laughed, and then she
| grumbled inwardly at this convulsive
method of progression.
| But the most trying feature of the trip
was the long stop at every crossroads sta
| ton to take on and discharge freight. This
was simply exasperating. Think of railroad
| passengers having to wait 30 minutes at
| little she'd depot for the train-haDds to load
| freight-car with hidesl If ever dis
gusted passenger traversed the billowing
rOadbed of the Addison branch of the Cen
| trail Vermont Railroad between it's two
| terminal junctions-25 miles in three hours
that passenger was pretty Lena Capen.
She was In such q towering and wholly
| justifable rage with the fat little conductor
before they reached Addison Junction that
/ her brown eyes fairly snapped at him every
time he came waddlipg out of the baggage
| section.
But finally they did cross the long bridge
over the lake and come to standstill in
/ front of the station at Addison Junction.
| Lena would ask no favors of the conductor,
| so she went to the station-master and begged
| to know if it were possible to make connec-
tions for Plattsburg that night. Il am
| sorry, Miss" said the station-master, "but
| the last train passed only 20 minutes ago.
Dan'l usually manages to catch it, bat 1
| s'pose he had an uncommon lot of freight
i tonight"
| "Well, / should say he did," exclaimed
Lena, so Indignantly and bitterly that the
tears fairly rose in her eyes. please, will
| you tell me If there is q hotel anywhere
near, where I can spend the night?" she
asked The station-master led the way TO
| the rear of the station and pointed across
the street. There said he, sis all the
| hotel we've got" It was a small, two-stOry
structure, with sign over the door bearing
| the familiar nscription-in New York State
| milwaukee Beer
ooh, what shall l dol" cried Lena con-
| tempIating this advertisement under the
| glare Of the entrance lamp. can't go to
such place as that"
"Oh, it's not bad place. Miss; not at
ALL" cried the station-master. There's
only little beer sold over the bar day.
! times-no drinking at night. The man and
his wife are nice, respectable, good
peoples the rooms are pleasant and the beds
clean. pll go with you, Miss, if you want
me to, and see you well taken care of"
"Oh, thank you'll" cried Lena. "If you
only will, | shall feel much safer"
This unconscious tribute to the station
masters trustworthiness evidently touched
the mans heart. Certainly / WILL" he re-
piled, taking the girls traveling-bag with
| honest gallantry and leading the way across
the road. Lena found the little hotel neater
and more homeiike than she had expected.
The landlady got her a nice warm supper,
and then showed her to plain but neat
room on the side of the hotel away from the
railroad track.
"What time can take the first train for
Plattsburg in the morning ?" asked Lena.
AT 7 O'clock" replied the landlady.
"Shall / call you?"
Thank you, but l think / shall be up
long before that time," replied the girl.
She closed her door, and, finding it without
a lock, piled all the furniture in the room
against it. Then she threw herself upon the
bed, merely taking off her outer clothing
and fell into the heavy sleep of exhaustion.
1t was just beginning to grow light when
she awoke next morning. She rose, dressed,
made hasty toilet, and slipped down
stairs and out into the open air. Nobody
was astir at that early hour. Il will take
little walk up the lake Shore" thought
Lena. cit is so lovely by the water in the
early morning" She strobe thoughtfully
onward along the quiet country road that
skirted the beach. Presently, ON a high
promontory off to tho left she saw, dimly,
the ruins of an old fort. Why, it must be
old Fort Tconderoga!" she exclaimed. It
looks exactly like the pictures. / have read
about it so often in American history and
longed to see it, and now | have a chance,