Year: 1867

| CS, III dil lSHG-SutUS " NOu,
old boy. Goodnight 7" a And Evans,
the station baggage master, after swing
ing his lantern to the conductor as the
signal that all was right forward, turned
into his snug baggage-room,g glad to es-
cape from the pitiless storm which was
raging outside ssl d. t...sat ( =,


l watched him as he passed into the
room. and l could not repress an invol


untary sigh, which arose in spite Of my
usual stoicism. The baggage master
at the station could pass tomorrow, OF
at least the best part of it, with his
wife and family, while must be trav-
cling onward, farther and farther away
from my own fireside. For moment
/ stood watching him, and theh.remem-
bering my work. / turned back, into
the haggage-car "a Trunks, satchels, va
Uses, carpet and leather bags, and ev-
cry thing and any thing that will hold
passengers baggage, were strewn about
abont the car in Wild confusion,, wait
ing to be sorted and piled away in diff
j ferent parts of the car according to
their respective destinations. Evans
and his men had been wondrous smart
with the baggage tonight, shying it in
more quickly than | was able to sort it,
and then hurrying off to their, holiday
enjoyments. We had got through
about five minutes before the time the
train started, as had also the express
agents in their cars-the latter, in fact,
had closed their doors before got all
my baggage in. Between my car, and
the passengers cars there were three
express-cars, and in front of the bass
engers' cars might be seen, as is usual
persons still struggling about, wishing
good night to their departing friends
and waiting to see them well off.
had been at my work of sorting only 8
few minutes, when, concluding that NO
more baggage would be brought down


/ turned to close the door of the car
was alone tonight, my assistant hav


ing obtained leave of absence to spend
New Y ears with his wife. Glancine
down the platform, saw that 1 was
mistaken about there being no more
baggage, for four men were coming out
OF the baggage room carrying some
heavy piece Of goods between them.
AS had no convenient place to stow
it away, the floor of my car being lit
orally strewn with divers sorts Of bag
gage, | Immediately hurried myself to
make room for it throwing trunks and
everything elese that came into my way
into the further end of the car. indis


criminately. By the time 1 had made
room for it the men were at the cal
door, and had lifted one end of theil


burden on to the sill of the door. Turn
ing to assist them, I saw for the frs


time. that they we're carrying coffin


inclosed in one of the plain pine cases


which are used to transport coffins in
We frequently carry the dead as the liv


ing; so was not much surprised at my
new piece of baggage, though thought
it somewhat strange that coffin should
be shipped on the last night of the
year by the very last train.
Before the bearers had time to push
in the coffin the train started, leaving
them apparently standing on the plat


form, while.I had to drag in the coffin
This had to do very hurriedly, fol


| knew if it protruded as we went


through the station gates, as it was


then doing, the gate post would make


an awful smash of it. Fortunately


got it pulled in just in time, and ia


tigued with my hurried exertions, ,.
closed the car door and sat down on


trunk to rest myself. a fr...,s


And now must explain my posi-
ton as [ thus rested. was baggag,


master on the N and E Rail
road Lightning Express, leaving New
F York at IL p NJ, and not stopping un
til we reached. IT,, fifty miles of
d which distance we ran in an hour anG
fifty five minutes. I always had an as
: sistant with. me, but on this occasion
as / have previously explained, he wa
absent on leave. The night, the last O
the year, was a most fearful one
Wind and snow, and then again slee
combined to make the worst sort O
weather. It does not require much ex
. aggeration to say that this last nigh
was worse than all the bad nights O


the year put together. -3


But / must go on with my work.


Half an hour saw my various char
ges in assorted piles about the ear, my
, way-bill was checked, and, with .ont
exception, it came out right. The ex
ception was the coffin and for it ther,
: was no entry on the way-bill, it having
been received after the regular time
In such cases as the present, that i:
, with 'shurried 6aggage,' as we call it,
|. or baggage received just as the train il


leaving, the station baggage-mastel


gives small extra way-bill which We
pin on to our regular bill L suppose
| Evans must have been in his room
F drawing up the extra! bill when the trair


so suddenly started; and on reflection
r / remembered that had not seen hin
+ on the platform as / took in the coffin


However, it did not make much differ
ence, for the coffin was checked No


92,327, and entered it on the way bill
/ in pencil as was customary. q. I also


made memorandum in my pocket
!, book. This done, i sat down to awai
our arrival at +, our first stopping
, place, and to grow moody in my lone


liness shut up in a close car with a cot
| ffin. Ugh! I was becoming very .un
! HAPPY and uncomfortable, when fel
I the train slacken speed. There wa
f no .whistling for brakes, nor was ther
E any brake applied, as / could perceiv
, from the smooth run of the train.


quickly drew back my door to lool


out. The train had almost .stoppe'
5 by this time and was barely moving
: AS opened tide door ] saw the fou