Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-01-10
FROM WASHINGTON.
Lights and Shadows offs Journey from
Cleveland 10 the CapttaA-RersOns
and Incidents.
TLetter from a Cleveland Lady.l
n TraI 70

WASHINGTON, Dec 10th, 1865.
Leaving Cleveland in a. violent o
storm Thursday P. n, I anticipated any
thing but a pleasant journey over the B.
8 o. R. R. to this 'city of magnificent
distances" D~isagreeable visions of proba-
BILE detentions at Wellsville and Bellaire-
snow blockades on the mountains coupled
lingering "reminiscences of %marauding
guerrillas once the terror and the peril of
this beautiful route, led me to regret more
and more with each advancing step to the
depot, that 1 had not yielded to the urgent
solicitations that met me ere half way
there, to turn back and wait another day
for 'goodlie companie' by another route.
However, remembering an old time story
of a woman turned into a 'pillar of salt
for simply looking back towards the city
she was leaving, and not caring to be
another monument of womanly irresolu-
ton, 1 concluded to go ahead and travel
it out on that line, alone, if it took all win
ter, escaping thereby it might be the
risk of becoming either a CHASTITY braekish
pile, or a sweet morsel for some venomous
tongue, and SO at the very last moment
took a through check for baggage and a
seat in the car for Wellsville.
An hours ride toward the La Belle
Riviere left the SHOWS behind, and the low
ering clouds rolled themselves up in piles
of warm purple, lined with gold, as the
sun went down in q halo of atmospheric
glory. I could but wonder if the city on
the lake I had SO recently left in such
gloom ofhowling wind AMI whirling snow
was still SO darkly drear, or if the arrows
of the king of day had pierced the cur
tanned clouds to let his dying glories
through.
The c. & P. R. R. has greatly improved
since / last passed over it. The car l was
in was now clean and comfortable, and
was not constantly reminding me, as on
former occasions, of a lurching ship on q
billowy sea. Arriving at Wellsyille on
time vision number n was dispelled by
taking a seat in an elegant car for Bellaire,
where also we arrived on time and vision
number two vanished. Being the only
passenger for the B. & o. Il. r. and nc
transportation provided from one depot
to the other 1ess than a quarter of a mile
distantl I must make it on foot with the
kind conductor and his lante-nfor guide
Threading our way over rails, past cars
and seething engines, lodging in and out
we finally arrive at a most dismal laby-
rinthian passage leading down stairway
after stairway to the ferry boat when
bidding my gentlemanly guide goodnight
L pass up into the cabin, a long room with
a table running through the center filled
with dishes but not as yet grooming under
the weight of eatables, presided over by 0
slatternly looking nymph reading a vel
low covered story. Ipass to the far end
which is set apart for ladies, and whilst
waiting the arrival of the Western train
read her. Soon a whistle and a roar, then
Gathering feet announce the tide of hui
manity coming. Men bearing all sorts OF
bundles, bags and trappings, come filing
in al the door followed by a few women
some motherly and grave, some fippant
and gay, and all rejoicing in masculine
protectives, either legitimate or impro.
vised. There comes q middle aged
couple negatively good no doubt, followed
by another couple; the man looks kind
and intelligent but wonderfully subduedi
the woman has grey eyes, sharp nose, thin
lips and lines of face that will never, with
increasing ~ round to beauty's curve
Pass on, [ said mentally, Idon't want youl
velvet paws near me. There comes 8
merry well-dressed party, three young
women and a man they call John, an
ordinary specimen Of the genus homo
with a high humpy nose, low cheek
bones, small gray ayar, slePing forehead
~good-natured mouth, and shortish chin
covered with a light, struggling beard. The
girls are plump, fair and loud, each emu
lous of the undivided attention of the said
John, who, poor fellow, is kept in perpet-
ual motion doing their bidding. Measur-
ing this party I turn my eyes upon a fair
haired sweet faced woman in black, hold
ing a young babe in her arms. Beside
her stand two young men. deferentially at
tentive, and apparently anxious to antIci-
pate her every wish. One brings her
a cup of tea, which she sips, and a teal
rolls from under her dropping lids, and an
other, and another, and she hands back the
cup without looking up and bows her head
to look in baby's face, arrange the clothes
and stealthily wipe away the cOursing
tears. A thump and a bunch of the boat
bring all to their feet, and then with a
grasping of bags and bundles for a rush to
the waiting train, out they go, pell-meH,
and "such a getting up stairs" as from
that boat to the train, l did see. l
kept close to the woman and baby, resolv-
ing whittier she went 1 would go. One OF
the young men turning abruptly, asked
"would you like a berth in the sleeping
car near her 2" "Yes," 1 said, and he rushed
off to secure them. How should be know
what I was thinking2
The car was nearly filed with men on
our arrival, and we had to push our way
as best we could through the coatless boot
less disrobiAg throng. Our berths doubly
secured by greenbacks and "squatter SOW
ereignty," along comes John and his roll
licking companions, obliged to take such as
were left or none After much parlying
they decided to Ego in" and then Johns
executive abilities were fully tested. Cor
RE and her fxings were soon disposed Of,
but TommIe and Fornia had great Difficult
ty in suppressing their crinoline which
was immense, and John was SO often ap-
pealed to that this long, suffering, patient,
enduring individuals temper at last gave
way and an audible something like d-n
was clearly p%erceptible above the chatter of
the cars. Quiet was at gthrestored and as
one after another dropped off to sleep, such
a narsal chorus as sprang up from one end
of the car to the other was enough to drive
even the drowsy god crazy. Tired nature
succumbed at last, and I too fell asleep,
and dreamed, from which l was aroused in
the .wee sma' hours" by a sharp shrill
voice calling out: SIS there q man by the
name of Atwood in this car 2" Yes said
q voice at my feet, that's my name. And
that is mine said another. Its Bill At
wood 1 want, said the first. It's not
me, said number one, my name is Henry.
Nor me, said number two, mine is Ben
What, said a third, then l 'spose it's me
you want, my name is William and they
calls me.Bill for short. What doyou want
of me? 1 came to tell you that car num-
Der one filed with your hogs broke down
and was lefttwenty miles back. You don't
Hogs killed eh2 How many7 &c.
&c. By this time every body was awake
even to baby, some turning over, some
g~roaning, some laughing and some cursing
the hogs. Johns party, fully aroused, set
up a cackle; 1 say Fornia what would you
give to turn overP Oh, 1 shall die here
said the other. Johnl Oh, Johnl cried
an ,ther, no response, two voices Joined in
the call with no better success. Give him