Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1872-07-20
Changing Shirts In a Tunnel.


land train on Monday night. A moDg
the passengers was young man pos
sessed with u judicious share of econo
my and a pardonable share of vanity.
The judicious economy was manifest to
the other occupants of the car by the
fact that the young man wore plnin
clothing and a single Cheivot shirt all
the way from Chicago; !; and for the par
donable vanity-well, how that became
apparent is where the joke comes in
He had only been 10 the East on visit,
and the glrl he left behind him had
been notified in advance ofhis approach,
and in company with a.few other'tricnds,
was to meet him at Niles station.
Visions of rapture foated through
his brain. and seated himself in a Sc
cludcd part Of the car, he poured forth
his spirits gladaess of melody some
what as thus
"Home again. home again,
From a fob hob reign shore;
And oh it fills my 500 ul with joy,
To me eat meat my friends once more
Suddenly he hushed his notes Of JOY
and reached for his carpet-bag.
The appalling idea flashed across his
mind thai the shirt which had done him
80 much good ssrvice-which had clung
to him during his two thousand miles
of mountain, plain, and desert - was
not exactly the thing to appear in when
one wished to intensity an already good
impression. 1t certainly wouldni't be
the clean thing, he said to himself
it wouldn't be justice to the shirt. So
he resolved to change it, But how !?
The car contained several lady pas$en-
gers, and they watched everything that
was going on around them with an as
siduity that did honor to the sex. 9'Ah
ha STIR ratagy, my boy - said this
resolute young man TO himself The
tunnel--we are approaching the tunnel.
With good management | can do the
deed in the long tunnel just beyond
Sunol !" and with heavenly smile
upon his manly face he gracefully lifted
his carpet bag from the floor unlocked it
and drew forth Il snowy shirt, with nice
friled bosom. From another recess he
drew little packet, containing a pair
OF handsome sleeve buttons and SGT of
studs, which were quickly adjusted in
their proper places Casting careful
glance from the window, be saw that
the train was not FAR from the tun mel.
where the metamorphosis was to tax &c
place, so he turned bis back upon the
other passengers, and began to loosen
sundry buttous-in short, prepared to
shuck himself Presently the even tful
moment came, The iron horse plunged
into the deep recesses Of the tunnel,
and the car was surrounded in impena
trabIe darkness. Presently q ray of
light CLEANED in fantastic shapes along
the ragged wall of tho tunnel and bv
It's faint ghmmer a struggling figure
was discernable in tho direction of the
young mans seat. As the light became
stronger It's gyrations grew more fri,n-
tic. It's great long arms, incased 10
white, thrashed wildly about, as though
in the agony of despair, and finally
when, with shrek of JOY the engine
dashed into the dazzling sunlight, it
sank into its seat apparently crushed
with modification and chargin.
The ladies screamed with terror, and
hid their bushes at the unusual appa-
ration. Strong men crushed their
handkerchief iuto their mouths, and
nearly choked with emotion. The fig
ure reclined motionless on the soft
cushion, uutil some one with more cour-
age than the rest, advanced to ascertain
who and what it was. Finally, the
terrible truth was revealed. The white
covering was lifted, and from beneath
the features of our young
friend, clothed with carn&tion's richest
hue. The mystery was soon explained
He had gottea the Chepiot of, but,
alas in his bury and excitement, he
had forgotten Go undo the collar fasten-
lag Of the elegant white. .frilled front.
Horror! 1t woald not go over his head !
San Francisco Chronicle.
Motherhood.