Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-11-16
A Girl OF the Periodicals She Appears
Ina the Horse-Car.


She stands upon the curb, with a little
springy up and down motion, as if she
had spiral springs in the soles of her
CATERS. As the car approaches she
sticks the point Of her closed parasol in
the direction Of the driver with small
jerk. The car stops. She gives one or
two more little springy movements be-
fore she leaves the pavement, and then
dancas to the car. As she ascends the
step the conductor seems to consider it
absolutely necessary to place one of his
hands on the small Of her back, while
he rings the bell with the other. She
enters the car with The spirsIs still bob
bing her up-and down; aud as all the
seats are full, she stands. holding her
hands il front Of her, and gazing OF in.
to illimitable space as if the one idea
which never entered her mind, and never
could enter it, under any possible circum-
stances, is, that some man will rise and
offer her hls seat. But young man in
the corner does rise, aud Immediately the
fellow next to him moves quickly INTO
the corner, as if the performance of that
maneuyer bad formed the subject of
anxious thought during many years of
his life. To get corner sea-, indeed.
would seem to be the chief end of man,
if we remark the avidity with which hu
man beings in street cars seek that OBJ
Ject. When the young man rises. the
young lady suddenly becomes conscious
that there is something nearer to her
than the horizon, and she gives two or
three more little bounces, and saws:
Keep you seatl" The young man is
embarrassed, and says he is going to get
out soon; whereupon the fair being
dances toward the seat, sinks into It, and
Pretends that the fact of the existence of
any young man who once occupied that
seat. and who is gong 10 get out, has
entirely faded out of her consciousness.
She smooths down her dress aud IFS sup 4
Elementary fr'ppery, flonnces and pen
nants, and again looks far beyond the
confines of the car into Emptiness. She
knows she is expected by the other women
of the car TO remain unconscious of their
presence while they study her clothes.-
They Immediately begin. They stare nj
her dress, her sacque, her hat, her black
hair. her gloves, her bows and ribbons,
and her miscellaneous millinery, until the
entire costume is photographed in their
memories, and the price estimated, aud
a critical opinion formed, " ilh resoIu
ton to have bonnet of the same kind,
or a ''body" cut upon the same pattern.
When the young lady thinks this exami-
nation is concluded, she becomes con-
scious again, and beginsto look around aud
see how all the other women are dressed.
She exa mines each one in detail, and in
few moments she is in possession of all
the usual facts. Presently young man
with whom she is acquainted, gets into
the car, and he stands clutching the strap
and trying in vain to keep himself in a
graceful attitude while he eonyerses with
her. All the women begin t. wonder
whether she cares particularly for him
aud as she knows their thoughts, she is
SO distant that the young man becomes
more embarrassed than ever, and makes
renewed struggles 10 maintain graceful
position. When she wishes to get out
she rises, smooths down her frippery
again, INDUCES in two or three springs,
and dances along to the platform The
conductor again considers it inperati'ely
necessary to press the small Of her back
She dances down the steps, dances to the
pavement, aud then dances along the
street, fully aware Of the fact that the
women in the car have all turned around
to look at her, and sereney confident in
the assurance that she has on good clothes,
which fit her splendldIy. As she disap
pears, the conductor turns TO the man
who is smoking cigar on the platform,
and remarks that she is ''crusher~