Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-12-14
CAR ETIQUETTE.


see how the " gentleman" and the "lady''
as well as the . hog" and the g bear. -
sf,ok out in the little indications which
people manifest in travelling, more than
under any other circumstances.
The following paragraph, taken from
an exchange, illustrates the great neces-
sity of such an oracle for the migratory
multitude:
"PRErTY AND GRACEFUL.-It is now-a-
days very com mon affair to see two Ia
dies (!) enter railroad car half an hour
before the time for the leaving of the train,
throw the back of one seat over so as to
sit viS-a-vis, lumber the spare room with
shawls, bundles and band boXes-and
then when the cars begin to be filled up,
take every precaution to prevent any one
from occupying either Of what should be
vacant seats, and in many instances COM
pelllng passengers to stand, when spirit
Of accommodation would allow them
comfOrtableposition. Such persons should
be informed by the conductor, that when
they buy ticket, the purchase of the car
is not included"
None of us but have had similar scenes
come under our notice. We are remind
ed, at this moment, of singular move
mcnt on the part of an individual in the
Central Railroad cars, which came under
observation iw weeks agO-a movement
which combined in striking degree at
once the ImtIClGL and the cTecutire in the
person of a single Selfappcinted Fighter
of human wrongs.
Two ladies fashionably dressed and ap-
parently intelligent, but Of the species
indicated above, had taken their seats
IN the cars, facing each other, and exc
ing out to the greatest possible extent
what they called their baggage" Though
the party themselves were far worthier
that name, the shawls, reticules and little
''liXcnS, so as to effectually exclude all
corners from the two vacant seats. The
ears soon became uncomfortably crowded,
sey eral were standing, and many were
the Intellectual applications made for the
unoccupiCd places referred to, but all to
no purpose. When, at last, an elderly
gentleman and his wife, coming in, meek
~ requested q place, the young lady who
sat with her brazen face toward the pas
scneers, consented TO allow the lodg of
the newcomer to sit opposite her, but
no mortal would she permit TO occupy
the scat by her side. Consequently, the
husband was compelled to find an asylum
III some remote part of the car. The in
dignation and contempt Of all the passen-
gers had by this time attained to about
the mumWlng pitch, but things went on
III this way a few stations further, when
a stalwart, hooSier-looking chap who sat
directly opposite the elderly lady, on the
opposite side Of the aisle, seeming to have
been visited by a sudden.inspiratlon, rose,
marched up to the seli-complacent young
pre-emptioner, and said in a tone that
would have made nor weSter nervous
"lIello. sa-ay-look o here, | bin
thinkin We can make a better range
ment than this. should like to hev that
old gentleman and his wife sit together, /
should. They'd ride a heap more COM
Portable. Now Spos n You and this other
gal turn over this seat. and sit together,
and III fetch the old gen Imam and set
him down along of his woman"
Witha superciliousness that was & beau
titul to sec, . her ladyship replied:
&" No, thank you, sir. want this
seat for my baggage. and shall not give
it up to anybody" and up goes her nose
mo an angle Of forty-tive degrees.
''Wa-all now, persisted llooshiorosus,
- that don't seem reasonable, that YOU
should littler up hull seat with them
are little traps, when places is so scace.
Hang EN- up onto nail stick 'em m-
der ye: set onto EN-; there's lots O.
ways 10 fix 1t"
Snap went the eyes again, and up
cooked the little nose, as she retorted:
L shall do no such thing, sir; and
moreover, III be obliged to you, if you'll
just mind your own business W
"Well now, you see, I've set my heart
onto fixing this, and it don't seems
though | could think o being disappoint-
ed, and I've about made up my mind,
that unless you fix it So, | shall be
obliged to give up my seat to the old
gen Imam, sos to bring him as nigh as
possible TO his wife, and L shall hev TO
come and set along b. you. dunno but
You d like that 'rangement: I'm consider
some among the girls where live"
A look OF determination began now to
gleam from the corrugated face of the
countryman, and the young lady, with
mingled alarm and Indignation, hastened
to reply:
YOU'D better take care what you
do, sir; I'm not to be insulted with i'm
punity."
20, I'm responsible, was his only an
swer. as he led the old gentleman to his
own seat, and Immediately commenced
crowding into place by the side of the
young lady. This movement she resist
ed strenuously, when, encircling her
waist with his brawny arm, he lifted her
up; as though she were child, planted
her down firmly at the further end of the
seat. and settled himself comfortably into
his place.
"There," said he " that's the dandy.
Now let's hev little turn O talk. You'll
find me one o the pleasantest fellows you
ever did see, in private conversation.
The reader may well suppose there were
screams and struggles, and eyes that
flashed through tears and threats of VEN
geance by the the quantity, while the
passengers on every side, staggered by |
the Cromwellian boldneSs Of this coup d
et1t. and more than doubtful of its pro- |