Year: 1867

been cleared ready for US I shall bring
an action


But sir said, How on earth
could they


"Might | request to know who spoke
to you, sir? | consider your remark
and interference excessively imperti-
uent"


This was little too bad, and turn
ed to Jack, and whispered that we would
devise some plan Of giving our friend a
lesson demoustrativc Of the evils attend
ing bad temper at Christmas time


We were fortunately stopped at dis
lance OF only two hundred yards from q
station; but a very poor station it WIS,
without any waiting room or refresh
mcnt rooms. ....


The station master, who was a pleas
ant SUIT OF Il fellow. said We should have
to wait but couple OF hours, and gave
US Il room, where We made the best of a
bad job, aa;l having sent for some beer
from the nearest 'pubic,' became, as
Edwards n.athenatically observed, ap-
pro2inIatcly happy. The Old gentleman
however, had not yet vented all his
wrath, but kept on anathcmizing the
snow aud the railway people at inter-
vals. After we had warmed ourselves
Strctcher proposed that we should have
some songs; but, as no one volunteered
| suggested that we should get On our
way sooner if we all went out and help
ed to clear away the snow from the line
TO this all agreed with the exception
Of cur amiable friend of cou!se.)


We had worked away merrily fer
about an hour, and were congratulating z
ourselves on being able to start again.
when Jack came running up with a
pleased expression of countenance, and
las he tapped me on the shoulder [ re-
mombered that he had not been with
me for the lat half hour


Erred" he said, ''lve an idea


keep it them l replied, "for it is
so rare d commodity with you that I
would not deprive you of it for the
world :"


''Don't chaf, and I'll tell you about
it. | went up in the room at the sta
ton just now, and found our friend, the
old boy, fast asleep in his chair, COM
pletely collapsed under the soporific eff
fects Of the fire and glass of brandy
and water, Immediately ran into the
village and ought these he said show
ing NE handful of screws, gimlet
and screw driver


''D0n't you see ? we shall be able to
start directly now that the line is clear;
We meanwhile run up stairs and screw
the cid gentleman tirml y into the room
the train goes on-we are revenged
for his surly behavior to US, and he will
learn that cid gentlemen should not be
i'll tempered at Christmas time


"Capital - I said, always ready to
fall in with Il practical joke, ''let US be
off at once"


We certainly found the cid gentle
man in as Morphaan a torpor as we
could wish. His feet we're propped up
on a chair, whilst his boots were drying
and he was breathing with his mouth
wide open in a rather apoplectic man
ner.


"Shall I put a SNOWFALL in each of his
boots ?" said.


"No; that would be too much of a
good thing, but III tell you what you
shall do; you're rather swell at dlaw-
ing, aren't you? III just burn the end
of that beer bottle cork, and you shall
artistically adorn his face


''Ihat is splendid" he whispered, as
[ finished off with giving him nous
tache, which turned up in ferocious
manner. "Just move that looking
glass aud put it 50 that he may admire
himself directly he awaEes and let US
be off


We walked on tiptoe to the door. The
hinges began to creak; and cold as the
weather was faint perspiration began
to develop itself on my forehead as |
noticed the old gentleman move in his
chair it was, however, only to turn his
head on the other shoulder, and we
closed the door ia safety.


"Give me the screws quick" I said,
"aud 90 to the bottom Of the stairs and
prevent any one coming up"
| bored hole after hole as noiselessly
as could, and having made the door
as fast as eight good screws would make
it, | ran down stairs and whispered "ail
right"


sis there a gentleman up stairs sir?"
said the station master, walking towards
US.


ooh, he won't like to be disturbed
till the last moment, you may be sure"
said Jack


"By the by, I wish to talk to you of
a plan by which | think your station
might be improved"


Now, architecture happened to be one
of the station masters hobbies, and they
were soon deep in discussion | beat a
hasty retreat to the guard and producing
sovereign, said:


"If you get US off in FIVE minutes
from now, waiting for no one, and ring
your bell at the very last minute, this is
yours"


"All right, sir. The luggage is all in
and most of the passengers. Take your
seats. Goirg on ?'' he shouted, whilst |
stood with my watch in my hand.


"One minute left. Ring the bell
now = | said fthey undo those screws
III one, Or even FIVE minutes. III eat
them.