Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-01-06
4. WHITRTORE,
Publisher and Proprietor.
TRAVELLING PLAQUES.
From the Liberal Review ]

1t is related that two men were once
travelling together, one of whom had q
wish to be sociable, while the other had
not. After fruitlsssly broaching several
topics, the talkative individual told his
companion, with much apparent con-
cern, that the sparks from the pipe
which he was smoking we're falling on to
his clothes, and would, perhaps, do him
injury. This statement was made so
many times that the taciturn wayfarer
at last became exasperated, and testify
remarked: why the deuce cant you
let man alone2 Your coat tail has
been on fire for the last ten minutes. but
| don't bother you about it" This anec-
dote very aptly illustrates the idiosyn-
crasies Of two Of the varieties OF that
large class of people who may be placed
under the head Of Travelling Plaques.
The one represents the journeyer who
never will leave his fellows alone, the
other represents the traveller whom it is
almost impossible to approach. The
public are unpleasantly familiar with
both members Of the tribe. You can
scarcely enter railway carriage without
encountering either the one or the other.
Perhaps the talkative plague is the most
productive of discomfort, as he waits not
to be attacked, and never will give you
rest unless you are rude enough to ten
der him downright insult. Not even the
noise created by the onward rush OF the
iron horse can silence him. Above the
whirr and the grind he makes his voice
heard. He has entered the carriage in
which YOU are with the full intention Of
proying how amiable and what an ex-
iraordinarily agreeable companion he
is. so it is not likely that he will allow
tns slight obstacle that you can only
hear what be says after a great deal OF
painfuI effort 10 induce him to pause.
II is a matter Of no importance to him
that you put your inter;ectiqps IN the
wrong place; when you say no when
a YES would he more appropriate, be
takes the will for tho intention, and
masses over your denseness of under
Standing With a condescension which is
extremely edifying. He nearly always
opens his attack with aD original ooser-
90 ion on the state of the weather. lie
w;Ii in, /, 'orm tbe occupants of q carriage
accompanying the statement WITH : 9e-
n;onant sm;ierthait Il is wet, dry, windy,
cold or what not. Then, SS.@vlDg set tae
ball rolling, he goes at it with perpss
ual ding-dong. He remembered just
such another day five-and-twenty years
ago, when his Royal Highness Prince
Tinsel was married to her Royal
Highness Princess Silver He is kind
enough 10 describe the events of that
occasion, and the part he
PLAYED, with a minuteness and volu-
bility which prove one thing, if they
prove nothing else, viz. that you
are not the first being whom he
has gone to so much trouble to
enlighten. The great marriage reminds
him of other important events, and an
extended account of which. he seems to
imagine, should be welcome to every
one. The principal point of his remarks
seems to be that his grandfather, or his
brother, or his cousin, or his wife 8
brothers son, or some other OF his many
relatives, has been mixed up with all
that is important that has happened, and
that it is entirely owing to an untortu
nate combination of circumstances that
he is not found in a more exalted posi-
tion than the one he occupies, which,
however, be leads you to understand, is
by 70 means to be despised. He is ready
to describe all the objects which you
pass on your journey, and tavsr you with
some historical fact--which, by the way,
turns out to partake more OF
the character Of 6ction-in oonneotioH
with each. 1t is quite futile to attempt
TO shield yourself behind a newspaper.
The only result Of your doing so is that
he inquiries as to your opinions upon the
various questions which are agitSting
the public mind, and forthwith proceeds
10 favor you with his own. Not only
this. but be tells yon he has heard this,
been told that and before he came
round to his present state Of mind,
thought the other. Yea are informed,
too, what his most aristocratic
friends think, and it is explained
to you, with a csndor which is little
short of delicious, where each OF the |
big-wigs is at fault, and where the worthy |
who is going 10 such pains TO enlighten |
Won is right. The talkative travelling !
nlapue is immensely charitable. Have |
Won a eold-he will prescribe remedy |
which be has never known to fail are
YOU in doubt as to something which you |
ought to do or to leave undOne-he will
suggest SO many courses, all OF which
might be available il it were not Tor
some trihing drawback, that your con-
fusion ends in positive bewilderment
To cap all, he is so rich in protestation
that he hopes an acquaintance 50 suspl-
ciously begun may be ripened into some
thing like a warm friendship. You are
told that IL ever you are IN certain
place-Which, by-ihe-by, you are never