Year: 1865

1 So stared, and stared, until little smile began to twitch the corners of her mouth, and 1 she turGed to look out the window. Lord, sir, how I felt when 1t came acros me that stared the girl out of countenance. prom ised myself directly that wouldn't look at her again all night; in fact fairly turned my back, and looked out my window till my eye balls snapped. I was go afraid of doing 1t again.

 But what do you think happened next?- 1 Why, as 1 was staring away, and seeing noth- ing but great black hole outside the car, the soitest, sweetest little voice you ever heard said

 Don't you think it is dangerous for them to go fast in the night, Mir. Brewin ?

 Mir. Brewin She'd got my name and all, you see! just as pat as if she'd known me a dozen years. And all so natural ! No one would have thought it was the first word that ever passed between us, or that she felt it any any way strange to speak to me, only when l started qnick, and turned round, she backed a little scared, and smiled.

 told her I thought there was no danger, and asked if she felt frightened. She said not very, but she wasn't much used to travelling by night so I concluded she felt lonesome, and l told her she had better come over and sit with me, as I had plenty of room. Of course had to put my legs down when l first spoke, so there was reully very good chance if she wanted 1t i; but instead of taking it, she stared little then laughed little, and said, Oh no, thank you Sir

 Somehow l saw that I had made another blunder, and that kept me quiet for while, till the cars stopped somewhere, and found 1t was eleven clock. So thought it a good chance i to offer to take Miss Kitty to her berth in the the sleeping-ca as thought she must be tired. But when 1 leaned over and proposed it, she 1 said she had an objection to the sleeping car, and had not engaged any berth.

 But, bless my heart,' said l, you never are going to sit here all night!

 'Oh yes, shant mind it at all ; and if you are going to the sleeping car, you mustn't delay minute on my account says she smiling again.

 Well, but here was predcament. l sat back in my seat. and thought it over. It didn't seem the thing to me to go hulking of to my own berth, leaving this lonely little thing to sit bolt upright all night without soul to speak to her I glanced through the car. There were two or three disagreeable-looking fellows round the stove, and only one other woman to be seen. No, i. wasn't the thing at all to leave her.

 Then I wondered why she wouldn't have a sleeping berth. Perhaps it was the extra charge If that was aIl-but then how was l to find out It wouldn't do to ask outright, nor 1t wasn' likely she'd let me pay for her if she couldn' for herself. But 1 might get her to take my berth, and 1 could find another or, if couldn' it was better for me to stay up than for her. ! So l got up ans shout my proposition acros i n Marshrs reduced Commiss the car. l tried, too, 10 speak as carelessly as possible, 90 that she shouldn't feel it any great matter.

 I wouldn't sit up all night if was you, says !. :, sleeping-car, l promise you; and as don't cept my berth. I've no use for it myself, and you can have it better than bot.'

 She smiled again. Somehow every thing l said seemed to amuse her but this time the smile was prettier than ever.

 'Thank you very much, Sir, said she. But 1 really don't wish for berth. would have engaged one if had intended to use one.

 She saw right through me, and knew all my little plan. That was as plain as preaching but felt that she was more pleased than of tended that had tried to cheat her into taking my dollars worth of sleep and somehow didn't go back to my own seat, but sat down in the empty half of hers.

 She looked little surprised, but made no objection, only went On talking about the sleep. ing car, the bad air and the jolting, and the nightmare feeling of being so shut in, till be- gan to wonder how I could ever have thought of putting myself into one.

 From that we went on talking about other things, till all at once l found myself in the middle of the evening drive at Calcutta, though how ever got round to that l cant say. but when l stopped to wonder about 1t, Miss Kitty smiled, and nodded, and said,

 'Yes, See it all. Do go on, Mir. Brewin, un- less you are tired.'

 So went on, and told all the different sorts of people one sees there, and how oddly the syces look running after their masters carria- ges, and of how pretty the streets look when the carriages light their lamps and all go twink ling of in different directions.

 never saw any one so interested as that girl was in all had to say. Cad, Sir began to wonder why hadn't talked more about those since they were so we'll worth hearing. But just as we were going up the broad steps of Government House the cars stopped, and man at the door sang out that we were to aboard a ferry boat and change cars.

 So Miss Kitty took her bonnet, and my bag and coat, and we followed the rest out of the warm car into raw, drizzly November night with DO refuge except the crowed cabin of the ferry boat, so close and hot that didn t blame Kitty for preferring to stay outside put on my great coat, but shlvered under meath it, and the poor little girl. who had no extra wrap, must have been chilled to the bone.

 I give you my word, Sir, had no idea till that night how wide the Connecticut River is. Talk of the Mississippi! l don't believe you could get a boat to use one half the time Tn crossing the Mississippi that we spent that night upon the bosom of the Connecticut: mag niicent stream!

 At the other side we were bundled into a wretched old car with narrow lowbacked seats and no stove. This was miserable enough, and if the railway companies find it pleasant and profitable to smash up whole trains of cars lin cluding passengers) every few days, they should at least provide sufficient relay to take their place. Most of us don't mind the chance of be- : ing smashed, but I for one do mind the cer. tainty of being uncomfortable, and when I've once been made so in particular place. take very good care in future to avoid that place : A word to the wise,' etc.

 And then could see with half an eye tha. poor little Kitty was very nearly used up. Sh. didn't smile much now; and when came bacl after looking through the train fora better sea fourd her eurled m on the Wretched marrow