The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-05-02
EN- RAPPORT ON THE RAILS.
From the Galaxy,


,Prom the Galaxy,
as this seat engaged 2"
AS l am one OF that minority Of the
travelling public, which does moi put body
On one seat, feet otanOther, and bag on
third, replied, mo, SIR"
II the mo" was abrupt, the "sir" was
courteous, echoing the satisfaction with
which | Judged that my companion on
the railroad was a desirable one. In
moment more we heard the last OF that
sony with It's suggested accompaniment
of polite fraud, "Plen.n.n.ty Of room In
the palace car, gents" and dozen Of the
American public, who could not tiad the
seats they had paid for In the ordinary
cars, were trooplDg alter the smooth, fat,
yellow fe!low-h0St OF the palace car, to
pay fifty cents or one dollar more for the
transportation they had already purchaS.
ed, ave poor subjects Of an unlimited
monarchyl?" And my companion turn.
ed 10 me with the joint exclamation and
Interrogation set 10 satirical smile
supporting how many royal families,
V4nderbills, Fisks, Twcedsp Goulds, and
Pullmsns?" l added.
ayes, yes; but | introduced an unpleas'
aul subject; excuse me"
And my fellow passenger gravely bent
his head as one might ask blessing.
With long, hoaTse whistles and quick
sbrill blasts VIC curve into the avenue, and
rumbling through o mile Of bakeries, pro
duCe stores, soap factories, dirty children,
coal Yards, swill carts, and scores OF grog.
gerits, we quicken our pace past untitled
lots with green pools busy with the cheap
shipping Of many baIelegged young
merchants, past squatter settlements oil
crowded shanties. Faster, briCier, more
screaming whistles. We speed by half.
acre market gardens, green, orderly,
crowded, but not with weeds. BY masses
of rock.blast. By whitewashed, paling-
bound miniature hostelries, with ill.spell-
cd gigantic signs. Now some woods on
one side; small rocky Capes aud laps OF
water on the other. On the right a GENE.
terry, an asylum, an old country place Of
the Won Dorme or Van SkelkIns, d subur.
ban resort for diners out and plcnickers,
overhanging blulIs Of cedar and hemlock'
On the lett we leave hopeful fisherman,
his boat n rod from shore, his eyes follow
ing our dash.by; q group OF naked boyl
WHO plunged with shout into the river
Steamboats, strive 10 keep up with US,
sloops and schooners scud and tack, club
boat house and Its jaunty loungers wave
salutes; long wharf piled with coal
Ono Hundred aud FOrty.second street!
That left behind, VIC were fairly away
from New York. All those features oil
the outskirts panorama were too familiar
10 interest me, so | politely studied him
in the seat with mo-to the general OBJ
server only goOd.lOokiDg man Of society
gentleman OF fine size and build, simply
clothed In the fashion. returning appsr-
entity to his country scat for Sabbath's
restroom the suits he was conducting In
court, or from the duties OF counting
room, His manner and first words had
pleased mo. / have always prided myself
On an ability 10 read and place, with but
brief observation and study, those who
amuse or profit me in the occasional cur
rent Of travel, or in the continuous vast
stream that hurries and whirls us all
along, motley, jostling crowd, from the
cradle TO the grave. Immediately there
was that consciousness OF en- rapport that
one sometimes finds Introducing and unit
ing him 10 an utter stranger, no longer so
from the first flash or circuit Of invisible
sympathy, and suddenly conceived q
strange interest or curiosity In my near
neighbor.
After the lew words we had exchanged,
and he had arranged his few traps and
glanced over book in hand, he settled
himself TO a comfortable repoSe; not 10
sleep, but merely, suppose, to enjoy q
little rest and quiet OF mind, after hard
DAYS business and a July afternoons
walk. One hand rested in the bosom oil
his vest, the other lay holding the book
On his knees. His head fell forward a
little, and so he seemed very passive and
comfortable, as II the lie we whirled
through, the river course beside US, the
burr Of our sweep by bank, tunnel, and
building, the galloping time ratified BY
our wheels on the rails-as II all these
made q metro to lull and rest him. So Il
seemed, for there was satisfaction, almoS
smile, "a smile that was childlike ant
bland" as Truthful James expressed II
about his well shaped mouth aud chin
marked the breadth and uneVcnness o.
his forehead, how his chestnut hair and
tidc.whiskCrs had the beginning OF gray
in them, how large and curved were the
nosris Of a strong nose. discovered, al
thought, energy and enthusiasm in the
lines OF Jaw and side face, In the clear, san
guine, but dark complexion, traced will
veins and nerves. At the glance accom-
PAVING the first words to me, wa!
struck by the fiery nobleness, as | read it
Of bis eyes, q searching power aud strangI
beguiling tenderness In them. This dig
nifty and this passion Of the eyes was con
tirmed to me BY his low, firm, sweet voice
The opinion l formed in the fifteen O.
twenty minutes OF contemplation, and at
lerward from his conversation was
Here is u man Of and in the world and so
ciely, and yet rare, original, independ
ent being, above, perhaps, or at least q III
lie one side from them; at any rate, On In
ieresting creature, not the pOtter's clay
rather the potter 0fcourse, an ordinar!
Individuality could not have impressed
fellow traveller rs he did me in so short
time And was conscious Of q certain
e1altaiiou in this railroad chance Of max
Ing the acquaintance OF and being enrich
cd by such rich strong, character.
wondered whether he were an artist, poet
mechanlciaI, evangelist, actor, or mer
chant He has, IS | WTite--mOre thai