Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-05-01
Miscellany.
IN RAPPORT ON THE RAILS.
Is TITS scat encared.,

rs THIS seat engaged:"
As | am one OF that minority of the
travelling public which does not put BODY
on one seat, feet on another and bag on
third | replica, NO sir"
If the no. was abrupt the sir" was
courteous, cchoinr the satisfaction with
which judged that my companion on the
railroad was a desirable one In mo-
mcnt more we heard the last of that song
with its suggested accompaniment Of
polite fraud, "Plen-n-n-ty of room in the
palace car, gents,' and a dozen of the
American public, who could not find the
seats they had paid for in the ordinary
cars, were trooping after the smooth, fat
yellow tcllow-bost of the DaIace eur, to
pay fifty cents or one dollar more for the
transportation they had already purchas-
ed. We poor subjects of an unlimited
monarchy.:" And my companion turned
to me with the joint exclamation and in
terrogation set to a satirical smile
supporting how many royal families
Nandcrbits Fisks, Tweeds, Goulds. and
Pullmans?" | added,
Yes, yes but introduced an unpleas-
ant subject; excuse me"
And my fellow passenger gravclv bent
his head as one might ask blessing.
With long. hoarse whistles and quick
rumhling through mile of bakeries, pro
ducc stores, soap factories. dirty children.
coal yards, swi'l carts, and scores of grog-
grric~, we quicken our pace past untitled
lots with green pools busy with the cheap
shipping OF many barcleggcd young mer-
chants, past Squatter settlements OF crowd
td ShanticS. Faster, bricfer, more scream
Ing whistles. We speed by halfacrc
marketgardens, green, orderly, crowded,
hut not with weeds BY masses of rock
blast. By whitcWashcd, paling-bound
miniature hoStericS. with ill-spclled gi-
gantIC signs. Now some woods on one
side; small rocky capcS and laps of water
on the other On the right a cemetery. an
asylum, an old country place of the
Won Dorms or Van Skelkins a suburban
resort for diners-out and picnickerS, over
hanging bluffs of cedar and hemlock
On the left we leave hopeful fisherman.
his boat rod from shore, his eyes follow
ing our dash-by a group of naked boys
who plunge with shout into the river.
Steamboats, strive to keep up with us.
sIoopS and Schooncrs scud and tack, "A
club hoat-house and its jaunty loungcrs
wave SaluteS; a long wharf piled with
c7al-Onc Hundred and Forty-seCond
street,
That left behind, we were fairly away
from New York All those features of
the outskirts panorama were too familiar
"a interest me, 80 | politely studied him
IN the seat with mc-tO the general OBJ
server only a goodlooking man of society
a gentleman of fine size and build, simply
clothed in the fashion, returning appar
entity 70 his country seat for Sabbath's
rest from the suits he was conducting i'm
court or from the duties of counting
room Ills manner and first words had
pleased me. have always pridcd myself
ON an ability To read and place with but
brief observation and study, those who
amuse or profit me in the occasional cur
rents Of travel, or in the continuous vast
stream that hurrics and whirls us all
along, a motley, jOStlinC crowd. from the
cradle To the grave. Immediately there
was that consciousness of e5j rapport that
enc sometimes finds introducing and uni
ing him to an utter stranger no longer 50
from the first flash or circuit OF invisible
sympathy, and | suddenly conceived a
strange interest or curiosity in my near
neiehhor
After the few words we had exchanged,
ana ne had arranged his few traps and
glanced over a book in hand, he settled
himself 10 comfortable repose: not To
sleep, but merely, l suppose, to enjoy a
llttic resi- ana quiet of mind, after hard
days business and q July afternoons
walk. One hand rested in the bosom of
his vest, the other lay holding the book
On his knees. His head fell forward
little and 50 he seemed very passive and
comfortable, as if the life 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 raiIs-as if all these
made a metre to lull and rest him. So it
seemed, for there was satisfaction, al
most smile, smile that was ehild-like
and bland, as Truthful James expressed
il about his well-shaped mouth and chin.
| marked the breadth and unevenness of
his forehead, how his chestnut hair and
Side-whiSkers had the beginning of gray
q them, how large and curved were the
92Suils OF a strong nose. l discovered. as
thought, energy an} enthusiasm in the
mes Of jaw and side face. in the clear.
@7ngulne, but dark complexion, traced