St. Cloud Democrat., 1865-11-30
LETTER FROM MRS. swIssHExt..
T.
by Rail--A Rcaut1fcl Part
OfPennsylvania- naezs CT ali soxts
Of fFeoplc-Rcbci Audacity, sc.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 1865.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 4, 1865.
To the Editor Of tAe Commercial!
Our British coislns-that class Of them
who have lately made fortunes by the con-
federate Loan-used to be troubled wit.
our lack of good breeding. They judged
that we were rather noisy and demonstra-
tive; that We dealt in adjectives and exple-
tives; in short, that we did MT habitually
meet all events, great and small, with that
sublime, quiet Indifference which they now
exhibit over their surprising luck in max
ing prospective purchases of cotton. It is
possible their opinion Of US was correct |!
And if SO, you will be glad of every evil
dence ofimprovement in q direction likely
to win us the concentrations Of our court
ly relatives across ''lhe big drink That
we are improving. haze recently had &
noteworthy proof. Going from Baltimore
to Harrisburg in one of the long night
trains, over the Northern Central Railway,
we came to stand still about two o'clock
The engine switched off, went back-slow-
ly, slowly, slowly-prcssed the train for
ward, then halted, then went on, halted,
went on, stopped! Some one said bridge
had been burned, but stranger might
havs supposed that each and every person
present had had a bridge burned every
morning for the past twenty years as a
means of making his or her coffee, so cool
ly was the remark received. Presently,
the order came to change cars. Each one
woke up, took his or her valise, baby, bun
die, umbrella, &c., and walked forward as
if changing cars were matter Of course
At the door the conductor politely remark
ed:
'Let me carry your basket Madam
this is unpleasant for ladies'" Of course
it was perfectly agreeable to conductors.
Once out we were on the edge of an en-
bankment or clip across a deep ravine,
and howt to get down the almost pcrpcndic-
ular bank at one side, and up on the other,
was the problem of the hour. In days gone
by had climbed and descended such slopes
in quest Of columbines, but had had day
light for it. Now, a great fire in the vale
tried to supply the place Of the sun, and
failed signally. Nevertheless, by its aid
and that Of many lanterns, the descent was
accomplished, and when at the bottom, 10 !
there was the bridge, not burned, but burn
ing, throwing out forked tongues of fame,
full sixty feet above The level upon which
We stood, and from abutmcnt to abutmcnt,
forming lurid span. Nature had retired
to dress for dinner; and had cast about
her her thickest robe de chamjre of fleecy
fog-while her maidens bathed her with
wasteful hands in purest diamond dew,
tipped her robes with crimson, gold, and
many hues, to sit queen at her Autumn
banquet, and, as if the old Fire King would
penetrate the mystery ola toilet which baf-
hes oil philosophy, he glared and Kissed
and cracked, and stared-shot his glances
in every direction, only to be quenched and
baffled in the voluminous folds of that
pcarly robe. 1t was sight worth going a
thousand miles to see, but our well-bred
company made no remarks. They had ev-
identity been taking lessons in etiquette
from our sclf-poised, never-to be-astonish-
ed neighbors, who used to rule the waves,
but have recently discontinued that busi-
ness, and gone into the neutrality line.
Up the other bank we clambered, as the
passengers from the train there waiting
rolled, scrambled, tumbled and slid down.
Soon all were comfortably ensconced on
the velvet cushions of tho other train. Not
baby, basket or bundle had come to harm
and indoors oil were as serene rs the cos
tuners who were outside preparing that
ever wonderful dinner dress in which
old mother Nature entertains her guests in
her autumn bounty. The fingers which