The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-06 00:00:00

THE FRACAS IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE

(Front the Morning Post.)

Courtesy is an abstract qtTality, susceptible of
various interpretations. Like mercy, when
genuine, the giver and receiver partake equally
in its rewards. Courtesy to strangers is a pecu-
liarly amiable, and occasionally remunerative, de-
velopment of the civilising influence. Prince
Boothby inherited a large fortune from an old lady
of I..arathaical appearance whom, seeing alone, he
escorted tilt ough the crush-room of the opera. Mr.
Green was enriched by volunteering a seat in his
pew to the stranger Wilkinson. Mr. Way was
similarly rewarded for offering a segment of his
unit rella to an elderly gentleman in the streets.
Young ladies civilly treated by a stranger have re-
wardcd with their hands, hearts, and considerable
fortunes, the spontaneous • gallantry. In fact,
civility generally meets with some return, while it
costs nothing. It is never out of place, and secures
respect and popularity, often in spite of defects and
moral ebliquities.
But if civility is never out of place, it is never
more appropriate than at this festive season. As
hospitality, it assumes at this period its most attrac-
tive earn. Christians and Englishmen expand
under the influence of frosty weather. The rich
man gives the beggar a sixpence not so easily ob-
tainedie wilder v,-e ,ther ; and the individual man
contemplates his fellow-iudividual, even though
unkoewn, with genial effusion.
The se ison was unfortunately chosen, therefore,
for the fracas between Mrs. Frederick Lam-be-and
(2:let:tilt Frederick Patten, R.N., which on Monday
morning occupied the attention of Mr. Burcham,
the pol‘ce magistrate of Southwark. For our own
pa-t, our sympathy entirely lies on the side of tho
gallant •eann,n. Mr. Frederick Lambe does not
r,-sp,,md in his na'ure to the promises held nut by
hi. surname. Anything hut I.mb like doZ.B lie aTi;
pear ro have been on the occasion in question ; any-
thing hut modest in his requests ; anything but
ainneyft.,kb4iirhis re
anything
4ut
fsoerrvienigit at . a very slight
inhiis
feelings
offence
on ;
the
IllOrrow.

The complainant inhabits Frith. On Saturday,
in the society of three ladies and five children, he
proceeded to Sydenham, there to gambol under the.
shelter of the Crystal Palace. At ten minutes to
six—having returned to London-bridge-terminus
with his ladies and his lesser lambs— the complain-
ant entered a second class carriage on the North
Kent line, with the view of returning to his fold.
No sooner was the party seated than the other
Frederick, Captain Patten, R.N., bustles up in
hot haste, full of love for his neighbours, but
warned by the guard that there was not a mo-
ment to spare. Probably the Captain was bur-
, rying to a Christmas dinner, perhaps to a tree,
his pockets full of top, and his mouth watering
at the prospect of a turkey. Whatever his ob-
jects, the Captain was in a hurry to arrive at
Strood. A place was -vacant in Mr. Lambe's car-
riage, and, innocent of guile or of malice prepense,
he proceeded to ensconce himself in the carriage.
This measure, however, did not correspond , with
the views of Mr. Lambe, nor of the ladies, his corm
pan fon.. According to the Captain's own account;
on his entry one of the ladies suggested his finding
a seat in another carriage. To this be replied with
good-humour, "You had better allow me in rather
than a tante ;" and in his evidence be adds that
had he known he was intruding on a family party,
he would have walked the whole way to Chatham:
sooner than go in. Mr. Lambe, however, did not
regard with complacency either the incident or the
Captain. The Lambe charged the Sailor with being
very rude. The Sailor denied the soft impeachment.
On this the Lambe rejoined that the Sailor's state-
ment was false, and that he was no gentleman. On
this the Sailor pulled the Lambe's nose, and Mr.
Burcham, the magistrate, is called to adjudicate on
the assault.

Mr. Lambe's account of the matter was far more
serious. Denying his expressions of " false," and
"no gentleman,' and admitting only in cross-ex-
amination the epithet "rude," he charged the Cap-
tain with pushing his way in, and giving him a
blow with doubled fist on the nasal organ. Mr.
Burcham, however, took a very sensible view of the)
while ma. ter. Not wi hstanding the evidence of two
1 dies, who thought the Captain excessively rude
in "taking his seat after being told to go to another
carriage," Mr. Burcham considers Justice to be
fully vindicated by the infliction of a five-shilling
fine on the defendant. Mr. Lambe evidently wanted
the compartment for himself and hisparty, although
there was still room for another person. Captain
Patten, naturally enough, takes the remaining
place. ITneonscious of evil, he considers himself a
more eligible c impattion than an ordinary second-
clas,= pas-enger. Mr. Lambe, probably hungry for
his dinner, grumbles out a few offensive phrases.
The Captain, jealous of his honour, retorts. Mr.
Lambe becomes still mote audible. At length the
Captain, exasperated at this uncalled-for criticism,
forgets himself for a moment, and pulls the nose of
his assailant.
Never was there an incident more Pickwickian.
Mr. Burcham seems to have seized all tke ridiculous
points with exquisite humour. The punishment
inflicted shows his keen appreciation of the situa-
tion, while, like a man of the world, putting a
suitable finale to an affair that should never have
been submitted to his jurisdiction.
But reverting to our first position, let us imagine
what might have happened had Mr. Frederick
Lambe not exhibited symptoms of a churlish dispo-
sition. Taking Pickwick for our guide, let us
suppose that wwiethicoemxteidberthanet
stranger,benevolence
ndh he ha
ila de
d,
pleasurel-like,
the arrival of an extra passenger to
olkbw‘efVii
life,goat us
ur:
sdi °
seaol wyft hiaaienst wtamhdeeami
grcihyratapbwthlaaaeiyvntabo
social
gentleman
tErith.position,lteilme
arnelisiut
result
his pockets,
Heaven iotioke eronlyte
primes,
perhaps full of sweetmeats and toys, a little hasty,
but his heart, as is evident from his
evidence, placed
in the right place. A pinch of snuff might have
opened a conversation. A sugar plum to the chil-
dren might have improved the acquaintance. The
Captain might have rectunted his adventures by sea
and land. The young ladies might have listened
with pleasure to his exciting eloquence. Erith
might have arrived too soon. Mr. Lambe, inte-
rested with his travelling companion, might have
tendered his card, and trusted that the acquaintance
would not end there. The captain, equally pleased,

i
might have presented Mr. Lambe with a similar
document, and re-echoed the aspiration. On his
return from Strood he might have stopped at Erith.
Struck with the interesting appearance of the chil-

drew, he might have brought them the model of her
Majesty's ship Blunderbuss, or some other equally
attractive trophy. Smitten with the charms of one
y.uug lady, he might have offered himself in
original, and perhaps in time have been not unsuc-
cessful. The acquaintance of the moment might
have ripened into the friendship of a life. Mr.
Lambe might have added a respectable name to his

family connections, and ere long, perhaps, have
eaten his Christmas dinner the guest of Admiral
Sir Frederick Patten, K.C.8., and Lady Patten.
All this might have occurred but for the crustiness
of Mr. Lambe. If soft words butter no parsnips,
they at any rate break no noses.

THE POACHING AFFRAY AT ANNEELET-WOOD.--1"W"
OF THE GAMEKEEPER.—NOTTINGHAM, TuesdaYor the
unfortunate man Winfield, who was shot by
Dparnitictilars
poacher, in an affray at Anne.lBY-Wood, the
itgered until
of which were given on Tn.uraday ,
Monday night, th
wound he received in the encounter wi the poachers,
rehended
when he expired fromlasth. e effects of the
eight of whoin have been app ,