Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-07-28
Spirit Of gefferson,
Jeferson COUNTY, We.t Ta.
TUESDAY MORNING. JULY 2S. 1S7t.
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
NEw YoRK. Julr 22. ISL

the Elevated Railroad. 1t takes a person of
extraordinary courage to trust his bones and
prospects of speedy funeral TO The officials
of this road. Men ride on it but women;
humph, you might as we'll try to crush out
that love which they have for the words 1.-THE
idea" as to persuade them to take trip on the
Elevated Road.
Perhaps you think I'm person of "extra>
ordinary courage" Not exactly. 1t required
the persuasion and united strength of six of
my companions to get me on that car.
The cars on this road are drawn by steam
engine on iron trestes raised sufficiently high
to enable passengers to observe young mothers
spank their ofsprings in the second stories of
all the houses in the street.
Oh how pleasant 1t is to ride on this road
in the cool hours of the morning, when the
wind plays. among your hair parted in the
middle or dives under your shirt collar, caus-
ing you to feel as Gcstatic as if you were eat
ing ice-creahi at another fellows expense
But above all; what unspeakable pleasure you
feel lollihg back In Sopr seat aud looking at
an anxious father as he steals upon the Sleep
ing forms of his sohs and belabors them with
the boot>jack for the purpose of making them
understand that it Is six 6'Elock. While l
saw that traditional chastisihE implement in
the hand of tho irate father, forgot that I
was in railroad car, SO "tears," rs the poet
says, "chased one another down my cheeks"
1t was sight of that boot>jack that reused
my sensibilities and caused me to ponder on
the happy, irrevocabe past, when 1 too had
father and our family boasted the possession
of an eighteen inch boot jack. Again, let us
say with the poet, but never mind, I'm en-
tirely too sensitive.
The passengers on the Elevated Road were
mi of roh1 IL.
self-made men, such as bankers, for they
emitted an oior from their clothing, which
some fastidious persons would term "an in
tollerable aud execrable odor" It's no use
Disgusting the fact that most of the passengers
perform the onerous duties incidental to third.
class livery stables.
am happy to say that our family are not
oristocratic in their views, though not one Of
us would refuse an invitation to dine with the
Prince of Wales if he'd have butter>milk and
potatoes for desert. The following incident
will show that Pm wonderfully democratic:
A man who sat next to me in the car-he
had triangular eye and quantity of his
breakfast on his whiskets, he had had eggs
at that mcal-commenced to bob his head and
finally rested that organ of understanding on
my clean shirt>bosom. In few seconds he
was sleeping as placidly as a baby that's dosed
with Mrs Winslow's Soothing Syrup. Not
gruut, not sguell, not kick. Reader,
can you understand my thoughts at that time?
If you say coroner's jury, verdict. circum-
stantial evidence, policeman, tombs, bar of
Justice, judge. lawyers fees, verdict again,
guilty, acquittal or hanging, you'd be right.
1t was pleasant, wasn't it?
thought of jumping out at the window,
l reflected upon the expediehcy Of shouting
fire." but had the courage to do neither
l simply quoted this beautiful couplet from
the poet, Tuckerman:
''Pd sooner recline upon a bosom responsive to
my own,
Than sit payrliOned gorgeOusIy upon royal
admit that my bosom was moro ruffled than
responsive. This is the thougbt that struck
nae, though it didn't stagger me. had q
darning needle which my mother in the kind.
ness of her heart had lent me to pick my
teeth $50 1 grasped the needle, said the
multiplication table and drove IL to the head
into my tormeptor's side.
You never saw bull Eight in; Spain, when
the bull looks angry. nor q dog chased ~
sixteen New York poIIh
closing Its ''squeezersy On
Well, then yen have no idea 16T
countenance appeared It vas study
Sol Smith Russell
thought he was going to bruise me into q
Virginia hoe>cake then cremate me. But he
didn't. The angry cloud disappeared from
his countenapce as be asked me to take drink
at the next station. 1 told hin that people
from Jefferson county never take anything
stronger than butter-milk he was satisfied.
I'm sorry didn't get his photograph.
was happy when 1 arrived at the term>
mus of the road. saw young lady there
with heavy leather belt around her waist,
which had two silver plates on it that re-
setnbIed old>fashioued door. knockers. A fan,
parasol and smelling bottle depended from
her side by little silver chains. That's the
style now. She can faint when necessary.
saw another specimen of the tender sex
down near Castle Garden. She wasn't very
tender though. She wore a coat of eleriS
cal cut, pantaloons and heavy boots, into which
those worn by our ancestors of Revolutionary
fame Was she pretty? Well, now that's
tender question TO put TO one SO bsshful as
am; but escheW moGesty for once by say
ing that her face looked as if half: dozen
medical students had been mutiIating it with
carving knives and had daubed il over with
oat meal Cruel to fill up the gashes. e.
In few minutes she was surrounded by .
crowd of those good little boys that are in
such numbers in New York
She addressed me perhaps looked the
most modest: "My friend, can you tell me
when the Eight avenue cars start 2" l said
could tell her. "Well, piR you tell me 7"
she replied with smile bordering on the
sweet. 1 answered "I .OiH tell you" She
grinDed and asked "When will you tell me ?"
1 told her. Now don't think that wanted
TO appear funny, because 1 can't, but wanted
to take look at her phiE.
l am sorry didn't answer as I should have
done, for several Ioafers gathered around me
and asked is she was fortune.tellsr and If