The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-07-20

SKETCH EQUAL TO ANYTHING IN DICK
EMS.


this of an incident of the Boston and
Albany Railroad short time ago:
ct ran across what first struck me as a
very singular genius on my road from
Springfield to Boston. This was a stout,
bfack-whiskered man, who INDUCED, from
time to time, in the most strange and
unaccountable maneuyers. Every now
and then he could get up and hurry away
to the narrow passage which leads to the
door in these draWing-room cars, and
when he thought himself secure from
observation, would fall to laughing in
the most violent manner and continue the
healthtul exercise until he was as red in
the face as lobster AS we neared
Boston these demonstrations increased In
violence, save that the stranger no longer
ran away to laugh, but kept his seat
and chuckled to himself with his chin
deep down in his shirt collar. But the
changes that those portmanteaus under
wents! He moved them here, there,
everywhere he put them behind him, in
front Of him, on each side of him. He
was evidently getting ready to leave, but
as we were yet twenty miles from Boston,
the idea of such early preparations was
ridiculous.
If he had entered the city then the
mystery would have remained unsolved,
but the stranger at last became so much
excited that he could not keep his seat
no longer Some one must help him, and
as I was the nearest he selected me.
Suddenly turning, as if I had asked a
question, he said, rocking himself to and
fro in his chair the meantime, and slap
ping bis legs and breathing hard Been
gone three years? abr Yes, been in
Europe Folks don't expect me for six
months yet, but got through and start
ed. telegraphed them at the last sta
ton they've got it by this time AS he
said this he rubbed his hands and chang
ed che portmanteau on his left to the
right, and the one on the right to the left
again. Got a wife said T. Yes, and
three children, he returned, and he got
up and folded his ovcrcoat anew, and
hung it over the back of the seat You
are pretty nervous over the matter, amt
you?' | said watching his fdgitylmovc-
ments. Well, should think [ was
he replied L haint slept soundly FOR
week And do you know, he went on,
glancing around at the passengers and
speaking in a low tone, L am almost
certain this train will run off the track
and break my neck before | get to
Boston We'll the fact is have had too
much good luck for one man lately The
thing can't last faint natural that it
should, you know I've watched it. First
it rains, than it shines, then it rains
again it rains SO hard you think it's
never going to stop; then it shines so
brigh! you think it's always going to
shine and just as you are settled in
either belief, you are knocked over by a
change, to show you that you know moth
ing about it. Well, according to the
philosophy, says I, you will continue to
have sunshine because you are expecting
q storm It's curious" he returned after
pause, but the only thing which makes
me think I'll get through safe, is because
think won't We'll, that is curious
said |. Lord, yes, he replied. I'm a
machinist-made a discoyery-nobody
believed ii :; spent all my money trying
to bring it acknowledged my houe-all
went. Everybody but my wife-spunky
little wcman-sald she would work her
fingers Oft before should give it up.
Went to England-no better there came
within an ace of jumping off London
Bridge. Went into shop to earn money
enough to come home with there met
the man / wanted. To make long story
shortly brought thirty thousand pounds
home with me-. Good for YOU | ex-
clalmen. Yes, said he, thirty thousand
pounds and the best of it is she doesn't
know any thing about it. I've fooled
her so often, and disappointed her so
much that [ concluded l would say
nothing about this. When l got my
money,though you better believe I struck
a beeiine for home And now YOU will
make her happy, said l. Happy! he
replied. why you don't know aryytb;ng
about it. She's worked like dog while
have been gone, trying to support her
self and the children decentIy. They
paid her thirteen cents apiece for making
coarse shirts and that's the way abe
lived half the time. She'll come down
there TO the depot to meet me in q
gingham dress and shawl hundred
years old, and she IL think she's dressed
up. Oh, she won't have no clothes after
this--oh, no, guess not 7 and with these
words heimplied that his wife's wardrobe
should soon rival that of Queen Victoria's
the stranger tore down the passage way
again,and getting in his old corner, where
he thought himself out of sight went
throughthe strangest pantomime, laughing
putting his mouth into the drollest shapes.
and then swinging himself backward and
forward in the limited space, as if ha were
walking down Broadway full rugged
metropolitan swell. And so on until we
rolled into the depot, and placed my.
salt on the other car,opposite the stranger
who, with portmaRteau in each hand,
had descended, and was standing on the
lower step, ready to jump to the platform