FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160  
161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   >>   >|  
n, and children, young and old, high and low, rich and poor, are mixed in confusion on the platform, some insanely attempting to force their way into a train that is moving off, under the impression that it is _their_ train, and they are too late "after all!" Others are wildly searching for lost luggage. Many are endeavouring to calm their own spirits, some are attempting to calm the spirits of others. Timid old ladies, who _cannot_ get reconciled to railways at all, are convinced that "something is going to happen," and testy old gentlemen are stumping about in search of wives and daughters, wishing that railways had never been invented, while a good many self-possessed individuals of both sexes are regarding the scene with serene composure. When Miss Peppy made her appearance she was evidently not among the latter class. She was accompanied by Kenneth, and attended by Mrs Niven. Neither mistress nor maid had ever been in a railway station before. They belonged to that class of females who are not addicted to travelling, and who prefer stage-coaches of the olden times to railways. They entered the station, therefore, with some curiosity and much trepidation--for it chanced to be an excursion day, and several of the "trades" of Athenbury were besieging the ticket-windows. "It is very good of you to go with me, Kennie," said Miss Peppy, hugging her nephew's arm. "My dear aunt, it is a pleasure, I assure you," replied Kenneth; "I am quite anxious to make the acquaintance of Colonel Crusty and his pretty daughter." "O dear! what a shriek! Is anything wrong, Kennie?" "Nothing, dear aunt; it is only a train about to start." "What's the matter with you, Niven?" inquired Miss Peppy with some anxiety, on observing that the housekeeper's face was ashy pale. "Nothink, ma'am; only I feels assured that _everythink_ is a-goin' to bu'st, ma'am." She looked round hastily, as if in search of some way of escape, but no such way presented itself. "Look-out for your legs, ma'am," shouted a porter, as he tried to stop his truck of luggage. Mrs Niven of course did not hear him, and if she had heard him, she would not have believed it possible that he referred to _her_ legs, for she wore a very long dress, and was always scrupulously particular in the matter of concealing her ankles. Fortunately Kenneth observed her danger, and pulled her out of the way with unavoidable violence. "It can't 'old on much longer
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160  
161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
railways
 

Kenneth

 

station

 

search

 

luggage

 
spirits
 
Kennie
 

matter

 
attempting
 

pulled


danger

 

Nothing

 
shriek
 

acquaintance

 
pleasure
 

nephew

 
longer
 
hugging
 

violence

 

assure


inquired

 

Colonel

 

Crusty

 

pretty

 

anxious

 

replied

 

unavoidable

 

daughter

 

porter

 

shouted


scrupulously

 
presented
 

believed

 

referred

 

concealing

 
housekeeper
 

anxiety

 
Fortunately
 

observing

 
ankles

Nothink
 

hastily

 
escape
 
looked
 

assured

 

everythink

 
observed
 

prefer

 
reconciled
 

convinced