Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-06-27
JOHN PHGKIxS JOURNEY TO NEW
ORLEANS


On the 9th Of January, at A. NJ, left
fremont House in a hackney carriage, the
wheels whereof had turned into runners
This method of progression, rendered necessa-
by the deep SHOWS, in considered great amuse-
ment in the North. Being particularly danger
Gus TO life and limb, and usually terminating in
pulmonary consumption, the pastime is very
properly called sleighing.
With a throughiicket for the great city of
Cain in my pocket, took seat in the cars al
the Worcester Railroad depot. After waiting
half-an-hour, during which time my sympa,hies
were deeply interested by the performance of
an unhappy young couple, one Of whom was
going somewhere and the other wasn't, and in
consequence were SOLDERING over each other
10 a terrible extent. sudden harsh bark was
! heard from the engine, grating jar, which
acted on my teeth like lemon-juice, followed
, and We were of. The motion Of a railroad
car is OF Two kinds, which may be called the
'heave and set, or whip-saw movement and
the mp and sitter, names sufficiently express
i've TO require no farther explanation. We
started on the heave 'and set, which gradually
merged into the tip and sitter as our velocity
increased. On entering railroad car the frs,
object Of the solitary traveller should be to Sc
cure an entire seat to himself This may gen.
orally be done successfully by taking the out
side seat and skilfulIy disposng small carpet
bag, grea;coat, umbrella, and cane, so as to
cover the inner one. As the passengers ihrong
into the car, many will gaze al the place thus
occupied, but will usually pcrfer to move on
/ h.. ,l,o,& l...
quite filed the question will undoubtedly oc
asked is that seat taken, sir . when you will
reply with an imperturbable counienance, 1t is
sill ~ and the inquirer, with perhaps look o
suspicion, will move on AS a mans ot jec
should be TO make himself as comfortable as
possible in this world, that his mind may be il
a proper frame 10 prepare for the next, a slight
deviation from the truth for the purpose OF Sc
curing this object, like the above, is pardonable
Having made my arrangements in accordance
with these views. and being as comfortable a:
circumstances would permit, the motion of the
cars being that of small boat in high sea
and their noise like unto steam saw mill
composed myself 10 the journey AT Fra
mlngham the usual nulsances of railroad car:
commenced. First appeared the small boy with
the Boston newspapers, which had been brough
10 him by our train, then the dirty boy will
the parched corn, who in the intervals of trade
dabbles among his merchandise with his sor,
hand, and deyours SO much of that dry com
modify, that you are fain 10 believe him to bt
his own best customer then the big bo,
with the fearful apples, " three for five cents :
and finally that well known and indefatigabl,
wretch with the " lozengers," who on this oc
casion actually sold roll of the description
called "checkerherry' TO an elderly individua
of the Mnggins family, sitting near me, VIII,
ate them, and to my joy, became wofllly dis
ordered in consequence. But the boy with tn
accordeon was not here-I think he has no
got so far North. II was but the week befor,
! that had seen him, however, on the Philadel
adelpha ears. 1t was after eleven o'clock
} the train had passed New Brunswick, and tn
passengers were trying 10 sleep [ha ha! whe
, the boy entered. He was a seedy youth, with
a sealskin cap, singulafly dirty face, gre
jacket of the ventiating order, and short br
remarkably broad pair Of "corduroy-cordul
oys." lie wore an enormous bag or haversac
5 about his neck, and bore in his hand that mos
internal and deteslable instrument, an accordeor
5 despise that instrument of music They pu
the music out of it, and it comes forth strug
: Cling and reluctant, like cat drawn by tn
tail from an ash-hole, or squirrel pulled shriel
ing from hollow log with a ramrod. Th
: unprincipled boy commenced pulling at hi
thing, and Mortified us with the most awful vel
d sion Of that wrelched " Dog Tray" that eve
listened to. Then he walked around the ca
h. and collected forty.two cents. Then he retutr
Q ed 10 the stove, which was red hot-he essaye
to pull out "Pop Goes the Weasel" whe
Q suddenly pop went the boy he dropped tn
accordion, burst into tears and clapping hi
hands behind him, executed frantic dance
0 accompanied by yells of the most agonisin
d character. saw all and felt grateful to a rt
e tributive Providence. He had stood too clos
g 10 the stove and his corduroys were in a ligl
: blaze; few inches below the termination
e his grey jacket was the seat of his wo ANt