Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1902-06-06
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.PUNCh'S EXAMPLE !
BY Arthur T. Quiller-Couch

. . .
The first class smoking carriage
WAS the emptiest in the whole train,
and even this was hot to sufoca-
ton, because my only companion
denied me more than an inch of
open window. His chest, he explain
ed CURLY, was susceptible"
At the other end of the compart-
ment my fellow passenger had pail
ed down all the blinds and hidden
his face behind The Western Morn
ing News. He was red faced, chol-
eric little man of about sixty, with
a 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 a black alpaca coat, a high
stock, white waistcoat and trousers
of shepherds plaid. On no definite
grounds i guessed him to be law
yer and unmarried.
Just before entering the station
at LoStwithiel our train passed be-
tween the white gates of a level
crossing. a moment before 1 had
caught sight of the George" droop-
ing 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 hopping the
back of his neck with the red hand
kerchief that had previously bound
the pan pipes to his chin. A crowd
hung around, and among it 1 noted
several men and women in black,
hideous blots in the pervading sun
shine.
The station platform was throng-
ed as we drew up, and it was clear
at once that all the carriages in the
train would be besieged without re-
gard to class. BY some chance,
however, we were disregarded, and
escape seemed likely till the very
last moment. The guards whistle
was between his lips when l heard
a shout, then one or two feminine
screams, and party of seven or
eight came tearing out of the book
ing 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
compartment opened and we were
invaded. They tumbled in over my
legs, painting, laughing, exclaiming,
calling TO each other to hurry-an
old man, two youths, four middle
aged women and little girl about
four years old. My cholerie fellow
passenger leaped up, choking with
wrath, and shouted to the guard.
But the door was slammed on his
indignation, and we moved off. He
sat back, purple above his stock,
rescued his Malacca walking stick
from under the coattails of sub
siding youth, stuck it upright be-
tween his knees and glared around
at the intruders. They were still
possessed with excitement over their
narrow escape and unconscious of
offense. One of the women drop
ped into the corner seat and took
the little girl on her Zap. The
child's dusty boots rubbed against
the old gentleman's trousers. He
shifted his position, grunted and
took snuff furiously.
"That was nibby jibby," the old
man of the party observed, while
his eye wandered around for seat.
81 thought | should ha' died, +"
said a robust woman with d wart
on her cheek and yard of Grape
hanging from her bonnet. Cant
ZEE find nowhere to sit, uncle %
Reckon ] must shift 'pon your
lap, Susannah." This was said with
a chuekle, and the woman Uttered.
| What newfangled game be this o.
the Great Westerns? Arms to the
seats, ! declared Wen have to sit
intimate, my dears."
"'Tis first class" another woman
announced in an awed whisper. 81
saw it 'pon the door,. You don't
think they'll fine us"
Tall comes of our stoppin' to
glare at that Punch an Judy" the
old fellow went on after | had
shown them how to turn back the
arm rests and they were settled in
something like comfort. "But
never could refrain from that antic,
though ] feels condemned, too, in
a way, an poor Thomas laid in
earth no later than this mornin'.
But in the midst of life we are in
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