Year: 1869


DICK IN A RAILROAD SlEEPINGCAR.
a..II


A few days ago, newly-married man,
called North on pressing business, got aboard
the evening train at Nashville. On taking
the cars, be went to the conductor of the
sieeplngcoach, and after making express
sIpulations that he should be given one of
the best and widest berths for the night, made
ready 10 turn in. Swinging his eilded satchel
on the nearest hook, he soon dumped himself
beneath the cozy coseTlets, and settled him,
self tor a glorious snooze. The soothing
music of the swiftly roIliag trucks soon lullod
him into sound sleep, the souorous notes
from his nasal organ telling his iellow.pas>
sengers how deep we're his slumbers, Very
late in the night, be awoke sufficiently 70
notice the stopping Of the train at some sta,
ton, but before it started he was again fast
asleep. 1t has often been asserted that when
two persons are together in the same apart
ment, and neither knows the presence Of the
other, that there is yet with each an innate
consciousness of the preseBce of second
party which cannot be shaken off. Perhaps
it was this feeling that led the young Bene>
dick to turn over in his bed about an hour
after the train had left the station at which
he had been partially awakened. At all
events, he turned over, and he almost leaped
out of bed as be did so, for right there at
his side appeared the upturned face of
beautiful woman. She was sleeping sweetly,
and there was look of peace aud content
ment resting upon her fair features that would
have graced the face of shining angel.
Horri6ed, he sat half upright He could
not have cried out, had he dared to do so.
he ventured to peep down toward the foot
of the berth. The covering had been dis
placed just enough to reveal the prettiest
pair Of ankles he had ever seen, but in that
moment Of horror be had lost every feeling
Of his nature save that which told him Of
his imminent danger. What would his wife
say were this known? Surely he could not
be awake. Yet he was. Never before had
he been placed in such predicauent AL
ways bashful man, his terrible situation
nearly drove him to distraction. Evidently
the young woman was somebody else's wife,
and had mistaken our heros quarters for
those of her husband. The only resource
left for the unfortunate man was to lie per-
fectly still and pray for deliyerance. And
be did pray, as he had never prayed before
He shut his eyes tightly and repeated all the
prayers he had ever been taught, aud oom-
posed some himself more applicable TO the
occasion. At the height of his devotions, he
suddenly felt pair of arms encircle his neck.
He opened his ewes. Horror of horrors
The woman was fast asleep, and in her dreams
she was caressing him-little dreaming of
her mistake. The poor fellows blood was
at freezing-point. He prayed harder than
ever. As if in answer to his prayer, the fair
intruder at length fell into = deeper sleep,
and her arms relaxed. Instantly be crouched
back close up to the wall, trembling 10 every
limb. Every moment as he lay there seemed
to him an age. How soon would the enraged
husband pounce in upon him with brace Of
bristling revolvers How soon would the
fair one awake, and, discovering her mistake,
set up a bedlam of yells and screams for help,
and how would he ever explain it? He
would have given all he possessed in the
world, and lien on all he had ever hoped to
accumulate, to have been off that train. An
hour dragged wearily on, and the lapse of
Ilme gave him an opportunity for thought.
ne reVolVed the matter in his mind over aud
| 6"uj auu uudlly concluded to make
the best of it and die hard should he be
called upon that night Then he gradually
fell into doze, and when be awoke, the train
was about to enter the depot at Louisville.
His memory came back to him. Opening
bis eyes with shudder, he glanced around
To his infinite relief, his nocturnal visitor
had disappeared. And she hadn't velled
either, or he would have heard her She
had wakened, and discovering that she had
strayed into the wrong quarters, had like a
sensible woman, held her peace and quietly
retired, believing that her mistake was known
only to herself When be left the train to
take the bus for Jeffersonyille, be saw the
lady of his unpleasant adventure leaving the
sleeping coach supported by the arm of
gentleman he took to be her husband, and he
drew his hat far down over bis eyes. he
hurried on, and just as a sturdy Jehu shouts
ed, Here's your. bus for the JEFF. Railroad p
be disappeared, satchel and all, into the vehi-
Gle, again thanking bis stars for the lucky
escapc.-CTn. Times.