Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-10-14
SsltfttO S storp.
Glimpses Of Dixie.

THE BROKEN AALE AND THE SMOKING CAR
Travelling through Tennessee late in Au
tumn. an accident happened TO the cars
when We were within twenty miles of
Knoxville which caused a delay OF several
hours. 10 while away the time >aunter-
ed through the train until | reached the
smoking car where found knot OF hi
laiIou, fellow passengers gathered around
a comfortable wood stove, slowing clouds
from all imaginable kinds of pipes pipes
OF Cay. OF cOrn-cob. of brier-wood. aud of
meerschaum-aud enjoying themselves a.
II (to use their own phraseology) they
didn't care whether school kept or no"
Neither they nor the other passengers on
the train betrayed any OF the restiessness,
veNaIion. impatience and curiosity which
are often shown under the Gil cumstances
by travellers on the trains that pass TO and
fro between our Northern towns and cit
les. While their demeanor was ut the
farthest possible removed from apathy or
stolidty. they possessed their souls in pa
tience. unrufiied by the delay. and uudis-
turbed by the fret and worry of suffering
or postponed business. which, like "hope
deferred so commonly makes the heart
sick in commercial centres. Whether they
were ION time or "behnd time" seemed to
give them no concern, and they practically
acted on the fatalistic proverb that it would
be "all the same ih thousand years"
None OF them gathered around the broken
axle which had arrested our progress,
>peculaiing as IN the why or where
fore. or the Knight have BEEN" they vol
unteered no advice, INDUCED In no queru-
lous fault finding. pestered the conductor
with 10 troublesome questions, and recelv-
ed no short and freezing replies.
Attracted ~ tho nf
riment that proceeded from this group Of
travellers IN the smoking car. and also 10y
their manifest comradeship, was impell-
ed TO make one of their number; and rely
ing on the subtle freemasnuary OF weed"
which had never known TO fail me under
the most adverse circumstances, | APP
preached them. empty pipe in hand. and
asked for some tobacco. Instantly half
dozen hands went into as many different
pockets; Lone Jack" Durham :" and
"killikinick'' enough were proffered me 10
last twelve months. and | was invited to
take seat near the stove. Scarcely had
loaded and lighted my pipe when one OF
the party. fine-looking, brOnZe-iace man
of forty or Whereabouts, with wilderness
of dark hair mantling broad white fore
mead. pair OF merry eyes that CLEANED
krenly out of a tangle of beard and whisk-
ers, and a capacious and many.dented soft
hat slung carelessly upon his head, looked
at me inquiringly though not inquisitively,
and said:
From New York, Sir. | reckon2'
No" replied; II am a Jerseyman. ;"
Well said he, THE d-dest''-
then he added, apologetically, as he saw a
shadow OF disapproval pass over my face,
Il beg your pardon. stranger; maybe you
don't swear. But, howseever. the darndest
tight place that ever was in in nv life WAS
when one of your Jersey regiments made
charge on my regiment at Gaines Mill.
I've seen some pretty tall fighting in my
time, but I'm da-arned if ever | saw any
thing like that charge of your Jersey
Blues,"
Thanking him for his compliment to my
State. | begged him and his companions
not to let me break off the conversation
which had interrupted promising to be a
good listener and to laugh as loudly as the
best of them wherever the laugh should
come in. Taking me at my word with
careless good nature. he turned to one of
his companions, and said:
Now gineral. tell Us how the deuce YOU
managed to get away from me at Jones'
vile when you were up there to see your
folks"
The gentleman whom he addressed was
a stalwart, progressing man of about his
own age. who, as learned afterward, had