The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-11-05

|NIIyW w llO HIS lldNl tN pc
rience of similar oft-repeated journeys
knows how Wearisome the treadmil
monotony of the same route soon be
comes, and | myself have a strong
sympathy with those professional OF
business men who cOntrive-by ingen-
ious ringing the changes between rail
end 'bus-to vary the daily journey
from their suburban homes to their of
fees or chambers. But | had no choice
OF routes: | could only reach my hi
weekly destination via the Great United
railway; but | contrived to extract
some slight amusement from one part
of my journey.
At one point, my train passed through
an abUnrmaIly long tunnel, which was
usually probably for the convenience
Of some of the cOmpanys workmen)
lighted by lanterns on its wall in Ger
tain places. AS the train slowly passed
(the Great United seldom puts on a very
brealneck speed, shadows of the pas
sengers by the carriage windows are
often projected upon the whitewasheI
tunnel wall, and are visible by the light
of +haeo lanterns
| made this discovery one day, when a
young lady and gentleman had taken
their seats in an empty carriage next to
mine. As | passed by, had noted the
pair sitting opposite to each other-the
lady gazing abstractedly out of the
window, the gentleman almost ostenta-
tiously engrossed in a newspaper. Put
when their tell-tale shadows appeared
on the tunnel wall, behold the two fig
ures leant across and exchanged an af-
fectionate embrace; starting apart
again as the train emerged into day
light, and sinking back, each into their
respective corners, with an air of we'll
affected Indifference; little conscious OF
the amusement their stolen kiss had
afforded to the quiet old maid in the
heXt carriage.
All, well, am lonely, middle-aged
woman now q fear many OF my pupils
call me IAN old frump'O, but | was
young myself once, and-many years
ago-a hand which has long been cold
had pressed mine in like manner. and
kisses as loving have been showered
on my lips. We were troth-plighted:
hut he, my young lover died a month
before our bridal day; and well, The
died, and she remained faithful" sums
up the life history of many an "old
maid"
] do not, of course, talk about this
lOng-paSt romance now. but | have still
very soft corner in my heart for all
youthful lovers; remembering the days
when |, too, dwelt in Arcadia" So
used to keep a lookout for the chance
revelations on the tunnel wall. and
often extracted much amusement
therefrom, though these silhouettes
were not always of a romantic charac-
ter.
Once I beheld a very grave and de-
Inure-looking old lady imbibing
draughts from what looked suspicious
ly like one of those travellers bottles
in which spirits are sold at railway
station; another time | detected
schoolboy presumably alone in the car
liage) heavily 'sampling" basket of
strawberries, which | had overheard
his old aunt, who saw him off enjoining
him to deliver to his mother intact:
"for you have eaten more than
are really good for you already. you
know, Tom" the old lady had re-
marked, plaintiveIy.
l had begun to look upon this tun-
mel transit as the most amusing portion
of my journey. | do not know if any
of my fellow passengers observed what
! did; bat | doubt if they noted the
shadows; for few persons save myself
ever seemed to peer out upon the tun-
mel walls. | never called anyone's at
tention 10 the silhouettes, not being
much given to talk with strangers:
and the Great United being neither
much-frequented nor popular line,
often, indeed usually, was the solitary
occupant of the carriage on the midday
trains by which | journeyed. | little
thought how important my casual
glances into that tunnel would one day
prove.
One dark autumn afternoon was re-