The Portland daily press., 1872-12-05
4 Train of Incidents.

me remarkable adventures which NAV be
encountered by ladies and gentlemen upon
Ehshsh railway carriages of the frst-class
compartment style, are newly and dra-
natlcaily eAempliiied by the recent experi-
euee VI ioIeiSh traveller named Bishenden.
Starting ON late Sunday evening. at ten
O'Clock, by an express train. from Leeds in
Yorkshire, for London, this gentleman's at
tachment for one of his retained bachelor
habits induced him to have early recourse 10
a smoking compartment, there to enjoy nico-
taic relaxation and retirement. AT Doncas-
ter his fellow-smokers all left the car and he
had the compartment to himself from thence
TO Peterborough, where there was pause of
ten minutes for refreshments. Awaiting him
self of the latter indulgence, the traveller
had re-entered his chosen privacy for the re-
mainder of the journey, when to his sur
prise and slight indignation, he found there
gentleman in light coat and a fur cap, in
sently studying that side of his portmanteau
upon which was painted his cognomen and
address. That name-Bishendenn ejacu-
lated the inluisitive stranger, starting up
wildly, as he relinqui.hed the bag and seated
himself opposite the owner. Then, as the
train resumed its journey, he swiftly drew
pistol from pocket of his coat, and delib-
erately presented it at the smokers forehead.
observing, In reply to the immediate remon-
STRANGE, that his weapon was loaded and his
intention murder! Imprisoned as he was in
his English compartment car, with no chance
to either escape or obtain outside help, the
Mortified Bishenden at first thought himself
lost. He might call until he was Dead with
out making his voice heard above the thun-
der of the train; the signal cord was discon-
nected from the forward cars, and the locked
door of the compartment led to no SAVING
platform. In an instant he realized all this,
ana IN the next he was graphing with his
mysterious enemy and madly wrestling for
the fall.
The struggle for life so quickly precipitated
was as quickly decided for the time. bv the
overthrow OF the would-be assassin. For the
time only, however. ''After having kept the
man down nearly ten minutes" writes Mr..
Bishenden to the Musical World, ssMy
strength began to give way under the excite
ment, and l thought that it would be impos-
slble for me to hold him thus until he reach
ed London. He had been quiet for some
minutes, and when, from sheer exhaustion,
L finally released him, made his way to a seat
and from thence stared at me in perfect ST.
lence as painted before him, BY the light
OF our lamp managed to hold his eye, and
thus kept him subjective until the train was
entering Holloway station, when with won
derful switness and force he suddenly hurled
himself against the door between US, broke it
open, and fell apparently headlong into the
outer world and darkness" At the station
named, and also at the Kings Cross termi-
nus, the astounded survivor of this extraordi-
nary oceurrance reported his experience to
the sleepy railway officials, and suggested a
search back along the road for the body of
his recent assailant. Most phlegmatically,
however, the said officials abstained from
evincing any emotion at the narrative, or tax
ing any visible measures for the search sug-
gessed. So, concluding that he had done his
own duty in the matter, the mystified travel
er betook himself at last to his hotel in Lon
don, and has yet to hear the name, celebral
rank and fate of a gentleman who, whether
insane or only mistaken in his man, could
not have secured more fayoring place of
ambush for any conceivable atrocity than ap-
pears to be presented always by an English
railway carriage of the first class.