The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-03-18
A SLEEPING car EXPERIENCE

It was in n Pullman sleeping car on n
Western road. After that first plunge into un-
consciousness which the weary traveller takes
on getting into his berth. / awakened to the
dreadful revelation that had been asleep only
two hours. The greater pnrt NJ long winter
night was before me H. face with staring eyes.
Finding II impossible to sleep l lay there
wondering n number OF things: why. for in
s,oncc thc Pullman sleeping car blankets were
mike other blankets; why they were like
pounrcs cut out Of cold buckwheat cakes. and
why they chung TO you when you turned over.
and lay heavy on you without warmth why the
curtains before you could not have been made
Opaque. without being 80 thick and suTocating;
why 1t would not be as well to sit up all night
half asleep in m ordinary passenger car as to
lie awake all night in n Pullman. But the snor-
ing of my fellow passengers answered this
question In the negative.
With the recollection OF Inst nights dinner
Weighing on me rs heavily and colby ms the
blankets. began wondering why. over the
whole extent ofthc continent. there WIS no local
dish: why the bill OF fare at restaurant and
hotel was invariably only weak reflex Of the
metropolitan hostclrics why the entrees were
always the same, only more or less badly
cooked; why the travelling American always
was supposed 10 demand turkey and cold cram
berry sauce; why the pretty waiter girl mp
parcntly shufflcd your plates behind your back.
and then dealt them over your shoulder in
tcmicircle, as II they were n hand ut cards. and
not always n good onc2 Why. having done
this. she instantly retired 10 the nearest wall,
md gazed at you scorniully. as one who would
Bny. Fair sir. though lowy / am proud If
dost imagine that would permit undue famil-
farty Of speech. bewarel" And then 1 began 20
think OF and dread tho coming breakfast; to
wonder why the ham was always cut half an
inch thick and why the fried egg always re-
scmhlcd glass eye that visibly wnked at you
with dabolical dyspcptic suggestions; TO Won
der If the buckwheat cakes the eating OF which
requires certain degree Of artistic prepare
tlon and deliberaton, would be brought in rs
usual one minute before the train started. And
then | had a vivid recollection Of a feow-pa
Bcngor who. at n certain breakfast station in
Illinois. frantically enwrapped his portion of
this national pastry in his red bandanna hand
kcrchicf. took II into the smoking car. and
quietly dcvourcd it en- route.
Lying broad awake could not help making
tome observations which think are not noticed
By the day traveller. First. that the speed Of n
train Is not equal or continuous. That at GER
tain times the engine apparently sta ritz up, and
says to the baggage train behind II, Come.
rome. this won't dol Why. it's nearly half past
Two; how IN h-ll shall We get through Don't
you talk TO me. Pooh poohl" delivered in that
rythmical fashion which all meditation assumes
on a railway train. Erenpli grd'ia: One night.
having raised my window curtain to look over
moonlit snowy landscape as pulled II down
The lines Of popular comic song flashed across
me- Fatal errorl The train instantly took it
m. and during the rest Of the night | was
haunted by this awful refrain: "Pull down tho
behind. pull down the be-lind; somebody's
klink klink. don't be shoo-shoo" Naturally
this differs on the different railways. On the
Now York Central. where the read bed is quite
perfect and the steel rails continuous. | have
heard this irrcverent train give the words Of a
certain popular revival hymn after this fashion.
Hold the fort. for am Sankcy. Moody singers
still, wave the swish swosh back from klinky.
klinky klanky kill" On the New York ana New
Haven where there are many switches and the
engine whistles at every cross road. l have often
heard Tommy, make room for your whoopy.
that's a little clang. bumpity bumpity boopy
clikiuy. clikiuy. clang." Poetry. / fear.
fnred lttlo better. One starlit riSL,. ,VAiiIe
from Quebec. ns We slipped 10y virgin forest
the opening lines OF Evangelne flashed upon
upon me. But all | could make OF them was
Ibis: This is the forest prim-eval- cval; the
groves Of the pines and the hem ocks-locks-
locks -locks-loooock" Tho train was only
slowing" or "braking" up at a station Hence
The Jar in the metre.
had noticed peculiar Folan harp-like cry
that ran through tho whole trnin as ,ro set.
He'd TO rest Mt last after n long run--nn almost
slSh Of Infinite relief, a musical sigh that began
In Cand ran gradually up TO + natural which
mink most ohsorvnnt ,rnv,lIara have notio.d
dny md night. NJ railway ,lel Inns over
given mo n satisfaetorv exclamation o,it A.
The ear. in rnpil run. Is ALWAYS sli,.htlv nro-
iected forward Of its trucks. a practical friend
once suggested to me that il was the Urn lunl
rettling back Of the car body 70 n state Of inertn
which. Of course. every poetical traveller would
rejcct. Four oclock-tho sound II bootl,lack inr
by the porter family npparent from the toilet
room. Why not talk TO him? But. fortunately
Recommendation any attempt at extended con-
versation with conductor or porter was always
resented 10y them as implied disloyalty t. the
company they represented | rocalled that once
] had ondcayored TO impress upon n conductor
the ahsolut, folly Of a midnight inspection of
tickets. and had been treated by him rs nm
escaped Juuatic No there was no roli.f from
this sufocatiul, md insurnortnll. loneliness T.,
be gained then. I raised the window blind and