The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-02-23
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A RAILROAD CAR SCENE.

on the Boston and Albany railroad
which occurred not many weeks ago
ran across what first struck me q
a very singular genius on my roa(
from Springfield to Boston. Thi
was a stout, black Whiskered mar
who sat Immediately in front Of me
and who INDUCED from time to time
in the most strange and unaccount
able man4uvefs. Every now anC
thea he would get up and hurry
away to the narrow passage which
leads to the door in these drawing
room cars, and when he thought
himselfsecure from observation would
fall to laughing In the most violent
manner, and continue the healthful
exercise until be was as red In the
face as q lobster.
| As we neared Boston these demon.
STATIONS increased In violence, save
that the stranger no longer ran away
to laugh, but kept his seat and chuck.
led to himself, with his chin down
deep in his shirt collar. But the
changes that those portmNnteaus un-
derweut. He m0<ed them here,
there, he put them behind him. He
was evidently getting ready to leave,
but as we were twenty-five miles
from Boston, the idea OF such early
/ preparations, was ridiculous. If we
had entered the city then the mystery
would have remained unsolved, but
the stranger became 50 excited that
he could keep his seat no longer.
Some one must help him, and as I
was the nearest to him he selected me.
Suddenly turning as if / had asked a
question, he said, rocking himself to
and fro in the chair meantime, and
slapping his legs together and breath
ing hard: .tg |.r.a
..a Ssssa : q gone three years!" ..
"Yes been in Europe. Folks don't
expect me for three months yet, but
got through and started. I tele-
graphed them ut the last station;
they've got It by this time" a-- So
As he said this he rubbed his hands
and changed the portmanteau ON his
left to the right, and then one on the
| right to tho left again. Iaat .sG
SCOT wife ?" said I. L
"Yes, and three children" he re-
turned. sr.. ...,-.-,--.. .....-
He then got up and folded his over
coat anew, and hung it over the back
of the seat. .....-....- ...-..
"You are pretty nervous over the
matter, amt your I said, watching
his fidgety movements.
"Well, L should think so,n he re-
piled, ~ hain't slept soundly for q
week. And do you know" he went
on, glancing around at tho passengers
and speaking in q low tone, II am
almost certain this train will run off
the track and break my neck before I
get to Boston. Well, the fact is, /
have had ton much good luck for one
man lately. The thing can't last;
tain't natural that 1t should you know.
I've watched it. First it rains, then
it shines, then it rains again. 1t rains
so hard you think it's never going to
stop; then it shines 80 bright you
think it's always going to shine and
lust as you are settled In either belief,
you are knocked over by q change to
show that you know nothing about
it."
"Well, according to philosophy,"I /
said, "yOu will continue to have sun
shine, because you are expecting
Storm"
"It's curious he returned, but the
only thing which makes me think l
shall get through safe, is because !
think I WON'T"
"Well. this Is curious, said l."
"Lord, yes" he replied. II am a
machinist-made q discovery
body believed in it-spent all my
money trying to bring it out-mOrt-
gagged my home-all went. Every
body laughed at me-everybOdy but
my wife-spunky little women-said
she would work her fingers off before
should give it up. Went to Eng
land-nO better there-came within
an ace of jumping off London bridge.
Went into q workshop to earn money
enough to come home with-there /
met the man / wanted. To make a
long story short, I've brought ESQ, 600
home with me, and here am" -
"Good for you," I exclaimed.
"Yes,n said he, "f50, 900, and the
best of 1t Is she don't know anything
about it. I've fooled her 80 often and
disappointed her 80 much, that / just
concluded would say nothing about
this. When got my money, though,
you better believe 1 struck a bee line
for home" -..., .,----
"And now, I suppose, you will
make her happy.n .--
"Happy," he replied, "why, you
don't know anything about 1t. She's
worked like dog since I have been
gone, trying to support herself and
the children decently. They paid
her thirteen cents apiece for making
white shirts, and that II tho way
she'd live half the time. 1'e.''i sf'''
She'll come down there to the depot
to meet me In q gingham dress, and
q shawl . hundred years old, and
she'll think she's dressed up. Oh,
she won't have no clothes after this
oh, no, I guess not" ..--
And with these words, which inn
piled that his wife's wardrobe would
soon rival Queen Victoria's, the stran-
ger tore down the passage way again,
and getting in his old corner, where
he thought himself out Of sight, went
through the strangest pant0mime,
laughing, putting his mouth into the
drOllest shape, and then swinging
himself back and forth in the limited
space as if he were "walking down
broadway" full rugged Metropolitan
belle.
So on till we rolled into the depot,
and placed myself on the other car,
opposite the stranger, who, with .
pOrtmanteau in his hand, descended
and was standing on the lowest step,
ready to jump to the platform.
Hooked from his face 10 the faces
of the people before US, but saw no
sign of recognition. Suddenly he
cried. s..
"There they are!"
Then he laughed outright, but in .
hysterical sort of way, ~ he looked
over the crowd. I followed his eye,
and saw some distance back, as if
crowded out and shouldered away by
| the well dressed and elbOwing throng,
little women in . faded dress, and q
well worn hat, with q face almost
painful in its intense but hopeful ex-
preston, glancing rapidly from win
dow to window as the coaches glided
in.
She had not yet seen the stranger,
but In . moment after she caught his
eye, and in another instant he had
| jumped to the platform with his two
portmanteaus, and making . hole in
the crowd, pushing ono here and
there, and running one OF his bundles
plump into the we'll developed stom-
ach OF q venerable looking old gentle
man in spectacles, he rushed toward
| <bo nlooo nv ora ahe WAS atAndiuU