Year: 1870

number Of trains over the rails i'll the
course Of "a hours.


The daily trains were every hour,
but after nine in the evening there
was only one train until the steamboat
accommodation of half-past three in
the morning.


This Intervening train was tho Bel
port mail. 1t was made at Belport,
and ran as far ns Clinton, express oil
the way. 49, @


Belport was the large city of which
1 have spoken, and it was there my
Office was located, for the business OF
the road was all settled and arranged
ut the end of the line.


OF course, l give fictitious names,
and the reader need not expect to find
Belport on any railway map.


1870 train, or the midnight mail, as
it was more frequently designated,
was run by Earl Rogers, u young man
of seven or eight and twenty, who had
been employed ON the road for several
years.


He was the best engine driver on
the corporation, and for that reason
he had been elected for the train, be-
cause there was better lookout re-
quired by night.


Earl, taken all in all, was one of the
finest fellows ever saw; frank, hand
some, generous to fault, and very
well educated.


He had fallen into his vocation OF
an engineer more from his love of ex-
citement and danger than anything
else, perhaps and if there was anv
particularly perilous business to be
done, Earl Rogers was our man.


For some time he had been despe-
rately in love with Laura Domain, the
daughter of a rich old fellow just on
the other side of the Rocky river, u
half u dozen miles beyond Belport.


This love was fully returned, for
Laura was noble-hearted girl, and
did not care for wealth and ambition
when weighed in the balance with
love but old Domain and she werd
two, and there was no probability OF
ever getting his consent.


He had set his heart on her marry
ing Prince Carleton, young blood OF
the vicinity, feputed wealthy, and OF
an old family.


Demain's opposition naturally made
the lovers more determined, and they
only waited an increase of Earl's sala-
~ to be married, in spite of papa De-
main. Earl was faithful fellow, and
/ was doing my best with the compa-
ny to get an advance for him, with
every probability of success.


Somehow, / took u strong interest
in Earl's love affairs.


am an old codger, and love matters
are rather ont of Iny line, and my forte
being the calculating of amounts, the
regulation of freight rates, and the
management OF business SO as to Sc
cure the fattest dividends to the stock
holders.


Perhaps my interest in Earl's love
fer Laura might be because I most
cordially detested Prince Carleton
He was always blowing our road, -
finding fault with the rate of speed,
with the grade, with the carriages,
with the ventilation, with everything in
short, for nothing suited him.


Then, upon one occasion, he and I
had few words, neither very pleasant
nor very choice, and he called me an
old scoundrel, and / returned the
compliment with interest. After that
we were worse friends than ever.


One dark, rainy night in November,
just after the nine o'clock train had
been got off, and I was sitting in the
Office trying to balance IN account
that would not balance, the door
opened, and Earl Rogers walked in.-
He had on his waterproof suit, the
hood over his head, and the collar
buttoned closely, but I saw that his
face was very pale, and his eyes
cleaned with an unnatural fire.


What in the world has happened,
Rogers p said l. " You look as glum
as if you were going to your own fu-
neral"


Mr.. Woodbury." said he, earnest
ly, "do you you believe in present.
ments ?"


"No," said I :" certainly do not.
They are old women's whims r


Perhaps SO. I wish I'could think
SO" said he, sadly. !" have been
trying hard to-" go


.s What is it, Earl /? Anything gone
wrong with Laura? ?" for did not
know but the little jade had been
playing off with him after the manner
of women.


"No. You will laugh at me, Mr..
Woodbury., but I must tell somebody
or will go out of my wits" said he,
half laughing, " and before Heaven,
II tell you it is all truth. Thursday
afternoon I took hand cal. and went
over to Rocky River Bridge. I dc
not mind confessing that ! went on
purpose to get q glimpse of her home
perhaps of herself. I stood at ono
end of the bridge, looking across at the
house, enraptured at the sight of {
scarlet shawl, which I knew was hers,
fitting in an out through the shrub
berry Of the garden. N N


g And while I was looking at her
heard footsteps, and glancing up I say
myself coming up from the oIpositt
side of the bridge! was dressed il
this suit of waterproof, my face wa
as pale as death, and my wide-opei
ewes were blank and expressionless


g Sir, you think I am dazed, but
| am telling you only the truth Will
| I stood startling at the vision it dis
appeared, and. weak and trembling,
came back to town. BY the next da.
yesterday, I had reasoned mysel
lout of the belief in anything Of th