The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-05-15
UNDER THE SEAT.

Smoking-carriage sir ?" asked the
tip-expecting porter, as he bore my rugs
and minor packages along the platform
I said yes, and he made me comfortable,
and received his sixpence. Then the
guard came TO look after my well-being,
but got nothing moro than innocent
gratitude, which was, perhaps, all he
desired. have no doubt that | did him
injustice in attributing his efforts TO in
troduce fat old gentleman with II
cough, lean old gentleman who was
snutfy, and. middle-aged gentleman
who was enveloped in wraps, the lower
part Of whose face was covered up like
a female Turks, an evident window
shutter, to enter my carriage, in order
TO spite me.
Duty TO his employers alone made him
endeavor to fill up, but the British anx-
iety 10 get as much room as possible for
my money was strong within me, and
stirred uacharitable suspicious.
YOu may lead horse to the water, or
an anti-nicotinian old gentleman to a
smoking carriage, but you can't make
him get in and when each i'll turn put
his head into my compartment, he
iibbed, for some late occupants of it had
been cigar, not pipe, smokers, and it
was rather strong. So L was apparently
left alone-alone with the Times, and
all the comic weeklies, and Il modern
poem.
The doors were banged, the engine
7whistled, the train began to move. 1t
would not stop again till we got to Pc
terborough, so that L was safe to be un-
disturbed so far. There were six seats,
and / could occupy as many of them as
q limited number of members permitted.
I almost wished myself an Octopus, 20
take full advantage of the situation.
Calming down, hung up my hat, put
on gaudy piece OF needlework won in
a bazaar rattle, lit my pipe, cut my pa
per, and began TO enjoy myself.
I sat in the left-hand corner, with my
back to the engine, absorbed in big
lawsuit. 1t is great fun to read a cross
lawyer will make clever man periure
himself. "It reads almost like crime"
/ remarked aloud "but then it is q
lawful and beneficial crime. Soldiers
kill peoples bodies, lawyers kill peo-
pies regulations, all for the good of So
ciety in the long rum"
While / was uttering the word "run,"
my ankles were grasped suddenly and
firmly, then, before could recover from
the shock, they were jerked backward
under the seat with such force that /
was thrown forward, sprawling. 1 tried
TO rise, but my right wrist was seized
and the arm twisted till l was helpless.
and presently L found myself on the
floor of the carriage, face downward,
sharp knee being scientifically pressed
into the small of my back, and both
arms fixed behind me. My elbows were
tied together, and then the knee was re-
moved and my ankles We're secured
During this latter operation L kicked
and struggled.
Hum p saida deliberate voice, "that
will be awkward. Let's see all, these
will do.
These" were my sticks and UNI
brella, which some one proceeded TO APP
ply as splints to the back of my legs,
nsing the straps which had kept them in
n bundle to fix them at the ankle and
.cbove the knee. When he had done /
was as helpless rs dressed turkey.
Then | was turned over carefully and
tepderly, and for the first time saw my
assailant.
He was a gentlemanly-l looking man,
dressed i'm a black coat and waistcoat,
e,rav trowsers. and neck cloth. His hair
and whiskers were just turning grizzly,
his chin and upper lip were clean shaved.
His forehead was high, his eyes promi-
nent and fixed in their expression, his
nose aquilne, his mouth slit. bic was