Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-04-10
UNDER THE SEAT.
AN UNEXPECTED RAILROAD ADVENTURE.

Sot uOGuluS more Inan my mnOce0
| gratitude, which was perhaps all h
desired. I have no doubt that I di
him injustice in attributing his effort
to induce fat old gentleman who wa
snuffy, and 4 middle-aged gentleman
enveloped in wraps, the lower part g
whose face was covered up like fe
male Turks, an evident window shut
ter-to enter my car in order to spite
me.
Duty to his employers alone mad,
him endeavor to fill up but the anSi
ely to get as much room for my money
as possible was strong within NE, an6
stirred uncharitable suspicious.
You may lead 4 horse to water or III
antinicotinian old gentleman to a smab
ing car, but you can't make him get in
! and when each in turn put his head
into my compartment, he jibbed, fol
some late occupants had been cigar,
not pipe smokers, and il was rather
strong. So [ was left apparently alone
-alone with all the comic wceElies
and q modern poem.
The doors were banged to, the en-
glne whistled, the train began to move.
1t would not stop again till We get to
Peterborough that L was safe to
| be undisturbcG so far There were
| several seats, and I could occupy as
many OF them as the limited number
OF my members permitted. [ almost
wished myself an Octopus, 10 take full
advantage Of the situation. Calming
| down, | hung up my hat, put on a
gaudy piece OF needle-work won III a
bazaar rattle, lit my pipe. cut my pa
pers, and began to enjoy myself.
L sat III the left-hand corner with my
back to the engine, absorbed III II big
lawsuit. 1t Is great fun to read q
cross examination, and watch how 81
clever lawyer will makean honest man
periure himself. "lt reads almost
like crime, I remarked aloud, s'but
then it is an honorable, lawful and be-
neficial crime. Soldiers kill peoples
repJtations-al for thc good Of socie-
ty in the long run.
While I WAS uttcripg the word
'srun," my ankles Were grasped sud
dcuiy and firmly; then, before [ could
recover from the shock. they were
ierked backward under the seat with
such force that l was thrown forward
sprawiing. [ tried 80 rise, but my
right wrist was seized, and the arm
twisted till was helpless, and present
ly found myself on the floor Of the
car, face downward a sharp knee be-
lag scientifically pressed into the small
Of my back, boti4 arms liked behind
me. My cibOys were together, and
then the knee was removed, and my
ankles Were sccHre,C. Daring tie lat
ter operation L kicked and struggled.
'Hum," said deliberate voice,
''that viii be awkward. Let .ne see,
all these viii do!'
These were my sticks anal umbrella,
which some one proceeded to apply rs
spiints to the backs Of by legs, using
the stra: which had kept them N Il
bundle to tiX thcm at the ankle and
above the knse. When he had done
this l was as helpless a5 tTussed
turkey.
Then l was tGrned over carcfaliy
and tenderly, and for the first time
saw nay asseilant.
He was gentlemanly-looLiDg man.
well dressed in black coat and waist
coat, gray trowsers ana necllcloth.
His hair aud wh!skers were inst tuEn-
ing grizzly, his elm and upper lip
were clean shaved. His forehead was
high, his eves prominent and fixed Ill
their cxpTessioH, hi; nose aquiine, his
mouth :. slit. Ec WAS OF middle
height, spare but why; indeed, his
muscles must have been exceptionally
elastic aud feline-icr yotl would never
have thought, to look 81 linn, that Lee
could stow himself away nudcr the seat
OF Il railway car SO completely.
lie contemplated ,:.e With his cIsin
in his hand, and his right elbow on
his left hand. and said thoUghtfulIy:
just sa. All for the good OF society
in the long run; an admirable sentl-
ment, my dear sir; let 1t be Il consoIa-
ton TO you if [ should cause You any
little annoyance
He took shagreen spectacle case
from his pocket. wiped tho glass care
fully with a silk handkerchief. and ad
iusted them on his nose. Then he
produced al obionS box, which lie un
locked and placed on one OF the se ats.
After which he sat down quickly IL
he place l had occupied few minutes
before, position which brought him
close to my head and chest, rs / layed
supine and helpless at his feet.
"Do you know anything Of anato-
my?" .Le asked. / WAS As completely
i'll his power as witness iii the cross
examining oonnsels, and prudence
dictated that [ should be equally ready
tc answer the most frivolous and i'm
pertinent questions with poI:toness. ]
said that l did not.
"Ah," said he, well, pt"haps you
have heard OF the sEieen?' Exactly.
Now, science has never as ye5 been
able to find ont the use OF that organ,
anil the man who bcqneatls that
knowledge to posteJity, would rank
with the discoyercr OF the circulation
of the blood, and confer au iEcstimab!e
benefit on humanity for The remainder
OF the worlds lease. ! propose to
dissect you
You will not get mych glory by
that" / sad, forcing myself 10 seem
to take this outrageous pr@c'icai joke
III good part. AN ur"ratcfnl genera
ton may or may not profit by your
discoveries, lou. it SILL iuf&l!::,ly hang
you.
Not 50, lc h'uDt'v replied i
am Il snrcann. who once haG consider
able practice, but had II stand rnv
| trial 10: - experiment, wiiicil proved
! fatal, on oue cf nay patients. Tie
| Jury. urah!e to understand the sacri-
| fees wi:icI :tn earnest enquirer IS ever
ready to offer Mt the shrine OF science,
declared me mad, and ] was placed IN
confinement. 50 y"I $50 ] can ;;et
| with ImpuBity.
and he opened The box. 7 broke
oct in cold sweat Was it al real:
! Could the man be III earnest?
''But," said /, ''surcly you can gel
dead bodies to dissect without having
recourse to crime? And again, il
! generations OF anatomist, have failed
in twenty thousand investigations, t.
discover the use of the splecn-lf yor
yourself have always failed hitherto
why should you suppose that this ont
attempt should be more successfu
than the others?
Because, my der sir, said Tia
man with II smile OF one who has
caught bright idea, 'aH former III
vestigations, including my own, have
been made on dead subjects, while
propose to examine your vital organs
with a powerful magnijying glass
while they are exercising their norma
functions.
What % 1 gasped. & Eou vi
never have the barbarity and her,
my voice choked.