Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-04-30
A NARROW ESCAPE.

The last time had seen Charlie
r. ldge was years ago, when l bade
him good bye on the platform o.
,he station of the little town where
We both lived, and he had shouted
A. the tralu moved away that he
would write in the course OF a day
or TWO. 7 remembered him we'll a
seedy locking figure IN a well
worn brown over coat, a lalneI
dirty coi ar round his throat, and
an old topper that bad done dnty
for many !ainy day; AID was past
ironlug. \ merry hearted, good
natur,d fellow WAS Rudae; ever
empty Of pocket ana open ot heart;
rath,I weak. .miuded, aud easily 'm
posed 'pon.
He never kept his promise 'l
NIi,lng. and for eight years / had
heard nothing of bim, when, Dol
lopg AGO, rap came at my door
IN came Charne Rudge, excialm-
ing
Halo, old chap. how are youV
'Rudgel Why, who on earth
would haye thought of seeing
louP
Didn't know y0n were lii town,
0 d 10y, or Ia have come before
saw your name in some plper the
other day and your address. SO
here I am
As we talked over OLD times
observed hun cuIi'uSly. Just The
same old Ridge, with the addition
of a heavy mOustache His hat
was exactly like the same olC
time topper, very napless; his col
lar might have been the idenlica
one he had on when l last saw HIN
while his shirt front and troct
coat were rlvaling each other in de
crept old age. l asked him t.
lunch. AT first he could not stay
having a Il Ost important engage
ment in the city, where he wa'
about, it appeared, to preside Oyrl
board of directors. The SANE
old ,iarl AfttrwaTd he relented an'
did stay, saying the meetlug
c,nld wait.
We talked of many things. H'
had apparently tried most occu
nations and mastered none. No'
| he was on certain company pr
noting schemes, which, be said
was risky work; as he had L
chance losing large sums OF money
glanced at bis shabby coal
Where was he livlngg AT BnXtou
aud ] must go over and diue wit
him Oh Thursday evening. l rea
ly must. Got bachelor digging
don't you know, old chap, and We
have rare uld time OF It,
So | accepted. Then be told N
he was engaged to i fine gill, oil
chap. AwfulIy lucky fellow t
get her. When am | gong to l
q marritdy Not quite sure, but b'
Ween YOU and me, | fancy l sha
make a SiTUkr of luck soon, an
(. thru-oh, l say, you shall he 'uei
mAu' you must. AmS'Il be d
lighted. Sues a splendid glI
On. she's "a bit down on her iuC
now. Cever giIl, though. Do'
typeWriliug-well, must 81
good bye now Don't forget Tnur
dal, old chap
s On Thursday | went over
BdxtOn, and after cOnslderaO
wandering Ieached a small ba'
street aud knocked at a dlnl
u door, which WAS opened by
|" slatternly locking woman, wi
~ showed me into a room where mil
I host awaited me. A curtain hui
y across this room, barely conce'
u ing a bel and wasLstand.
How, are yon. old chapP Ho
n YOU don't mind small digging
ID but they're awfulIy comfortab
just one room, you see; l find
handler than having a separa
j" bedroom-no fag going from o
u room to the other. Wen ha
supper in a trice. Hope sou do
mind cold collation.
- The 'cold collation. shortly
veaIed itself apOn a grimy tai
70 cloth, and consisted of Sun
mesger slices Of cold beef, bot
'p of mixed pickles, some bread al
about three ounces of cheese.