STRANGE ADVENTURE IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 6, 20 November 1863, Page 2 (Supplement)

STRANGE ADVENTURE IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE.

i -v< J ' ' (From the Caledonian tterctcry.) *-< , |"' ' f* Some time ago a'lady, while either way from Scotland to -'Dresden whir her two daughters. and lheir governess^me^wiih the following curious adventure^Vr A* few hours' before reaching the destination the train stopped to allow passengers to par- * take ot . refreshment3. J^-At JL this time the ladies, J ribt intending^ move, were po- * litely invited by a gentleman from another * alight,~butlJecTWS_fWdo s 9 (J 16 * ojFer L ej%^OjJ^in4f . refreshment room— The-. lady, not wishing 4o A be inds%tcd.jtpga-|stanger, and, besides, not liking his appearance, preferred that she and tttav-party should, Jike the other, travellers- .go*, by, themselves. Having cfrdered aii ettr_iscup^o|y^off(|^|n case any of "the 1 party y should wjgh fti stye was"a l|ttle"annoyed by granger coming to their stable .and -to oe , allowcd^tb take the" disengaged* cup. Of 'course the lady conld gnot refuse. "The < stranger !f walked a way, <* and drank tjie coffee at another tabled Iri the meantime the lady, forgetting all about bim, paid for ' what she had 1 ordaved.^ A few v minutes afteVwards he, again" came' Towfjardpand; 'thanking her, 1 laid down tbe price of^-his coffee. As they had still some little time i to wait before, the train started, the ladies i accompanied by this 'officious gentleman, I walked up and down the platform till the bell should rinjf. The lad es returning to .' their seats, and being sole occupants of a " firt.t-class> compartment; did not* well know ' how to get rid of their companion w ithput 1 appearing rude, _ especial' y as he seemed debirous of being invited to. take his seat

beside them. Fonuna.dy tlie ViucfaSlred^ the difficuJtyr^^slarami^ijl^aMir imme- "^ .diately cfr^theiCu being .seated, ;»nd they _%tt^ed.^tfem%tfeß:th4t \hes'jitofeA/ now "freed from* ty%~f attentio is At the next station, however^ he again tuned upland e^rneßtly t begge^,tq?be allowed to take his •' beat beside them,^as.r iti wai*now getting dark, and he- feT^-so ' lonely*. Mrs — courteously consented to his wish, knowing of eourie, tbat'she had ( no power.to /prevent his gettingrin.- The - train ; had ' no sooner moved off- than the qtrariger presented his card;" and immediately' began rattling.away at a complete hislory_of himself andhw travels 'mentioning -that he had had his eyes on all the ladits'-^party forra considerable time. We may mention that the guard had been very atten tire to Mrs / —~and her daughter during the fore part of the journey, and had freouentty inquired after\tfaetr ,cqmfort, . bat since being joined by the stranger jthey had. not again seen him.' To ttelf^tfismay the man. told them 1 that tl^ cause of the guard's* nonappearance 1 fbtgdtfie time was *his*lft^ing drugged him With Strong liquor to,ke<ep him. out of the *wayi JBlrs-*— *s suspicions-were now thoroughly aroused, while her daughters and their companions sat^rembling^and fervently wished they were at their journey's end. Still talking _ incessantly, and 'the^ darkness increasing, .he struck a <)ightj'/an's^stoopuig down,' took from his portmanteau^' six-barrelled revolver, whicli he informed the ladies wasjiis only luggage. 7 The v: were horiir fied 7 "; But TMrs^-r^, •"'with admirable presence bf minaf feijpfed curiosity, to examine "the 'dangerous ' weapon, 'blandly saying that she took -a great interest in the i mechanism' of. firearms;f and' wduld like I to look at jt more closely. -Unsuspectingly he handed it to her, when she,, finding it loaded, instantly Hthrust*. it „©ut_p£r the window, still holding it firmly in'heriight hand, indignantly telling thefellowjthathe was a villian to terriiy the ladies in such a manner, and that he deserved' the 'most severe 'punishment.' < Astonished 1 at^the unexpected intrepidity of. the lady, his former rattling loquacity completely forsook him, and he sat mute, until .they reached. the terminus, wlticli they weie now rapidly approaching. Unfortunately *the meagre with fthe slanguage of the country prevented thein doing more-than simply' making known the railway officials tbe imminent danger they had escaped. The cuJp'rit* had meantime vanished in the crowd, ''but 'faithful promises were given that immediate" steps shou d be taken to discover and apprehend him. " . • " ____■___*<■■_■