Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-10-12
Selrttc0 storp.
GLNIPSES OF DIME.
The nroken AyIe aud the Smoking Car

Travelling through Tennessee late in
Autumn, an accident happened to the
cars. when we were within twenty miles
OF knoxville which caused delay OF
several hours. To while away the time
l szuntered through the train until
reached the smoking car" where found
lot of hilarious fellow passengers gath
cred around comfortable wood stove,
blowing clouds from all imaginable kinds
Of pjpes-pipcs OF clay, OF corn cob, OF
bricr- wood. and OF fmeerschaum-and en-
toying themselves as it TO use their own
pbraseology) they didn't care whether
school kept or no" Neither they nor the
other passengers on the train betrayed
any OF the restlessneSs, veNation. impa
tience. and curiosity which are often
shown under like circumstances by trav'
elcrs on the trains that pass to and lro
between uur Northern towns and cities
While their demeanor was at the iartheSt
possible remove from apathy or stolidity,
they possessed their souls in patience,
,urunled by the delay, and undisturted
bv the ire. and worry OF suffering or
posn,oned business, which, like 'hope
deferred. 81 commonly makes the heart
sick" in commercial centres. Whether
they were Ion time" OF behind time"
seemed to give them no concern, and
they practically acted on the Iaialistic
proverb that it would be al the same IN
a thousand years" None Of them gath
cred around the broken axle which had
arrested our progress, Specializing s' 10
the "why" ur wherefore, or the might
have been;" they volunteered no advice
INDUCED in no querulous iault-nndlng'
pestered the conductor with no trouble
some questions. and received no short and
freezing replies.
Attracted by the frequent bursts oil
me.riment that proceeded from this group
of travellers in the smoking car. and also
by their manifest comradeship, l was lm'
oelled 10 make one OF their number; and
relyiug on the subtle fIeemasonry OF the
"weed. - which had never known to iaii
me even under the most adverse circum'
stances. l approached them, empty pipe
Il, hand. and asked for some tobacco
Instantly half a dozen hands went INTO a'
many different pockets; Lone JACK
..D,,l am" and "Killikinick" enough
,ver, yrcffered me TO last twelvemonth
and | was invited to take seat near the
stove. Scarcely had loaded and Lighted
nv pipe when one of the party nne
looking. brouze-iaee man OF forty o'
,beraabop,s. with wilderness OF dsf!
hair mantling a broad white forehead
pair OF merry eyes that cleaned kee2ly
ON, of ,angle of beard and wniskei ;
and q capacious and many .dented soft ha'
slung carelessly upon his he sd looked a
me iuquiringly though not in Haislt'VelY'
aud said,
Prom New York, sir, recko
mo, replied; Il am jersey man.
"Weu," said he. "the d-dest" and
N. u he added, alphabetically. as he ga"
= sbs dow of disapproval pass over my
face e. beg your pardon. stranger; may
he vou q ont swear. But, hOwsoeyer'the
hardest light place that ever was In In
nv life W ,s when one OF your jersey
-eciments II ade a charge on my regiment
!, Gaines Mil. I've seen some pretty
all lighting in my time, but I'm da--arneo
+ ever sa, = anything like that charge o
-FOUR Jersey Blnes!"
Thanking him for his compliment =
ny State, l beggec, him and his cowp"n w
ons not to let me break of the con'et'"
ion which had interrupted. prom'Si"'
o be a :ood lis tener aud 10 iauHn :
oudly as The best of them whete'ei
augh sho' I'D come in. Taxing me a. 80 =
word vii h careless good nalnre' no
ID to on of his co mpanions' anu '"'u'
"Noy ? oineral tell US how tne oe"'