The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-12-25

next carriage and voices shouting in
quiries-
The line was blocked, and we were
stuck fast in a gigantic drift.
Here was a cheerful outlook dash
ed down the window and put my head
out. As far as I could see was a vast
field Of snow The air was alive with
swiftly descending flakes Not a house
was in sight The light from the car
rage windows alone Illuminated the
all surrounding whiteness. The blast
howIed like a very bad tempered evil
spirit 1t was a scene Of unmitigated
desOlatiOn.
No chance of reaching Glasgow at
the appointed timel And very little
chance Of eating my Christmas dinner
in Argyleshire.
surely we are not in Glasgow yet2''
said voice at my elbow.
I turned and confronted my fellow
traveller Yes, was right the brute
had gray eyes Ny fancy had not run
away with me The fellow had the i'm
pernnence TO resemble me to certain
extent but, I may add that he rather
than 1 had reason to be hatrered by the
resemblance.
AT Glasgow, ret0rted irritably
mo such luck we are showed up some
where in the wilds Of Dumfriesshire, I
don't exactly know where. But nobody
in this train is likely to set eyes on
Glasgow for hours 2
Showed up-gOod gracious me, you
done say sol'' rejoined che fellow brisk
~ ''That won t suit my book.
fsNor mine either. = I grunted Il
don t suppose any one IN this train wants
to spend Christmas IN a showed up rail
way carriage I'm hungry already, y I
added, with a retrospective thought of
the hasty dinner / had made six or sew
en- hours ago and a prospective longing
for the splendid breakfast I had intend
ed to make at Greenock- There was not
even a biscuit or a sandwich among
my traps.
Dear me, how unfOrtunater' re
marked the other placidly- s.Well I
mean to get out Of this anyhow, n he
added, with sudden resolve. He seized
the Gladstone bag lying nearest him
and bundled out of the carriage as sud
denly a. ne had entered it and vanish
ed into the whirling whiteness outside.
heaved q sigh Of relief.
The man must be made to face such
a storm, but that was his affair, not
mine and / saw him depart without
the smallest regret
Well. not unduly to lengthen my
story, the upshot of this provoking in
cident was that for IL mortal hours we
were shut Mp in the Embedded train.
The stOlzer and one Of the guards made
their way with infinite difficulty to the
nearest signal mans hut, only to find
that the telegraph lines up and down
were snapped by the furious wind.
Some OF the passengers had tea and wine
packed in their luggage, and one Christ
mas hamper was ransacked and the con-
tents cooked on a fire kindled on the
snow. But what was one fat turkey
and a ham among so manys Of course
we fed the ladies and children first, and
we did our best to keep them warm
with all the rugs we could muster.
But we spent a wretched Christmas
day. The snow still fell at intervals.
Fortunately the wind dropped late in
the afternoon. We had made out that
we were 10 miles from the village Of
Whitecross and some 20 miles from the
nearest station.
The thought of spending another
night penned up IN that cOmfortless !
filed rs with dismay. The
rumOr of our plight had reached White
cross, for about 4 o clock in the after
noon a couple Of stalwart lads, with a
rough pony laden with provisions, APP
peared upon the scene l asked if there
was any decent accommodation to be
had IN the village. and receiving an
answer negotiated with the
party for the transport of my
thither. The snow reached
our knees, but with the pleasant pros
pect before me Of sleeping in bed and
getting something decent to eat / trudg
ed, pr rather waded, ON in the wake of
the lads. My Gladstone bag and bundle
Of rags We're hoisted on the pony S back.
After three or four hours walking we
got to Whitecross, and my guides de-
posted me at the door of a very small
village public house, where they told
me I could put up for the night My
clothes We're soaked through with snow,
but the contents of my Gladstone would
afford me a change of attire, and my
spirits rose as L entered the +
Rose and Crown.
lit was a queer looking little place, +
but the sight Of a blazing fire in the par
Tor behind the bar made me forget the
bare, sanded floor and the smell of +
-