Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1874-06-06
Female Companions by Rail.
ARE THEY AGREEABLE ?


A gentleman who sometimes writes for the
Detroit Free Press, took charge Of lady
upon railroad car" His troubles are only
partially told in the following narrative;
Perhaps the man meant to 90 me favor
when he came up to mo at the depot, with a
spinster huggiug his arm, and wanted TO know
if wouldn't take charge CT her from Chicago
to Detroit. Many men think railroad jour
ney is rendered really pleasant by the compan-
ionship of an unprotected female She insist
ed on counting her bandbox aud travelling
bag as we got seated She counted There
were lust two. counted ana made no more
nor less. Then she wanted her parasol put
into the rack, her shawl folded, and her band
box counted again. ! counted it. There was
Just exactly one handbook of it. AS we got
started she wanted to know if was sure that
we were on the right road to Detroit. l was
sure. Then she wanted her travelling bag
counted. counted by this time she want
ed the window up, and asked me 4 it wasn't
hot day. said it was. Then she felt for her
money and found it was safe, thought she was
sure that She had lost it, While counting it
she related how Mrs. Graft in going East five
years ago lost her purse and SO. She wound
up tie story by asking me if it wasn't hot
day. I said it was. Then she wanted that
band-box counted, and counted him. lie
He was still one band-boS
There was a pause Of five minutes, and then
she wanted to know if we were on the right
road to Detroit. Iassured her that ! was posi-
tive of the fact. The brakemen here called
out the name Of station in such an indistinct
manner that the lady wanted me to 50 and see
what the name really was. went. 1t was
Calumet. She wanted to know If was sure
that it was Calumet, and | put my hand on
nv sacred heart and assured her that would
perish sooner than deceive her. by this time
she warted the trageling-bag counted, and
counted her. She figured up as before. had
lust finished counting whel she wanted t.
know if | didn't think it was hot Gay.
told her did. We got alohs very well for
the next half hoar, as got her to uarratins a
story Of how she 90. los! in the woods eighteen
years before but Gs soon as she finished it she
wanted 20 know If | was sure that we were on
the right road to Detroit. told her that
hoped to perish with the liars if we were not
and she was satisfied Then the parasol fell
down she wanted me TO change . teu-cent
piece aud the window had 20 go down.
When we got down to Marshall she wanted
to know if the place wasn't named after
cour,-marshall and whether it wasn't barely
possible that the station was Niles instead Of
Marshall. The band-box was counted, aud be
was Just one Then the window went up
and she asked me if, in my opinion, fis wasn't
hot day. replied that it was. Then she
related a story about her uncle, and another
about young lady who bad been dead for
several years During the day counted that
band-box three hundred times; raised the
window thirty times said that it was bot
day unti ny tongue was bIisiered arranged
that parasol twenty-one tines; got her sixteen
drinks Of water; and inquired tie names Ct
thirteen stations. She said it was so nice %
have a man in whom stranger could place
con dence, aDd dared not reply for fear Of
bringing out another story.
When we reached Datfoit counted !he
things three times over, helped her of The
cars. got her a hack, directed her to hotel aud
tod her the name Of the street. price, name Of
the landlord, head waiter, porter aud cook
assured heF that she was not robbed or murder
ed that it had been hot day; that Detroit
had population Of 100000; that the fall
term Of school had commenced; that all De-
troll. hack drivers we're honest and obliging
that it was quite warm. Poor woman !
hope the landlord didn't Get out Of pa;iepcs
with her artless ways.