The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-03-31
Scene in a Railway Car.

Among the passengers in the overland
Train was young man possessed of judi
cious spirit of economy aud a pardonable
share OF vanity. Tie judicions economy was
made manifest to the other occupants Of the
car by the fact that the young men wore
plain clothing and single cheviot shirt all
the way from Chicago; and for the pardona-
Bile vanity well how that became apparent
is where the joke comes in. He had only
been to the East on a visit, and the girl he
left behind him had been notified in advance
OF his approach, and, in company with few
other friends, was TO meet him at Niles sta
tion. Visions of rapture floated through his
brain, and, seating himself in secudt d cor
ner of the car, he poured forth his spirits
gladness in gush OF melody, somewhat as
thus
"Home again, home again,
From for-hor-Ieign shore;
And, oh, IL fills my heart with Joy
To mt -he-et my ftiends once more"
Suddenly he hushed bis notes of joy and
reached for his carpet bag.
The appalling idea flashed across his mind
that the shirt which had done him such lgood
service-whch had clang to him during the
toilsome journey across two thousand miles
OF mountain, plain and desert-was not ex-
a"tly the thing to appear in when one wished
to intensity an already good impression. 1t
certainly wouldn't lie the clean thing, he
sad to himself; it wouldn t be justice to the
shirt. So he resolved to change it. but
how? The car contained several lady pas
sengers, and they watched everything that
was going on around them wieh an assiduity
that did honor to the sex.
"Ah, ha! str-r-rategy, my boyH said this
resolute young man to himself. "This tun-
nel-we are approaching the tunnel can
do the deed in the long tunnel just beyond
Sunol; and with smile on his manly fea'
lures, he gracefully lifted his carpet bag from
the floor, unlocked it, and drew forth
snowy shirt with nice frilled bosom. Then
fiom another recess he drew little package
containing pail OF handsome sleeve buttons
and a set of studs, which were quickly ad
justed in their proper places. Casting CAFE
ful glance from the window, he saw the
train was not far from the tunnel where the
metamoIphosis was to take place, and so he
turned his back on the other passengers, and
began to loosen sundry buttons-In short,
prepared TO shuck himself.
Presently the eventful moment came. The
iron horse plunged INTO the dark recesses OF
the tunnel, and the car was shrouded with
impenetrable darkness. Soon a ray OF light
cleaned in fantastical shapes along the rug
ged wall of the tunnel, and by the faint Sim-
mer struggling figure was discernable in
the direction of the young mans seat. As
| the light became stronger, its gyrations grew
more frantic. Its great long arms, encased
in 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 shrank into its seat ap-
| parently crushed with modification and cha
| grin.
The ladies screamed with terror and hid
their bushes at the unusual apparifion.
Strong men crushed their handkerchiefs into
their mouths, and yearly choked with emo
tion. The figure recined motioniess on the
sofa cushion until some one, with more cour-
age than the rest advanced to ascertain who
and what he was. Finally, the terrible truth
was revealed. The white covering was
lifted, and from beneath appeared the fea-
lures Of our young friend, clothed with car
nations richest hue. The mystery Was soon
explained. He had got the cheviot off, but,
also in his hurry and excitement he had for
gotten to undo the collar fastening of the
elegant white frilled shirt front. Horrorl 1t
would not go over his head San Francisco
Chronicle