American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-06-15

am quietly getting down to the enjoy
ment of my cigar when the door bur
riedly opens and have a companion
man about my own height and age,
altogether not very unlike me- q am
of that mediocre mold in which nature
has formed so many of my fellow-crea-
tures.)
l am to have companion after all
Well, so much the better. 1t will be
somebody to talk to and pass the time.
| wonder II he is as taciturn as my COM
panions at the outset of the journey.
Evidently not; he is recovering his
breath after the hurry, and is preparing
to address me.
"I'n trouble you to put that cigar
out, sir! 1 object to smoke"
but, sir
Here, guard! Tell this person to
put out his cigar at once. This is not a
smoking compartment"
"Plenty of room in the next carriage,
sir. Would you mind stepping in
there?"
Yes; l would mind. Bylaw No. Z
says, etc, etc." says my companion,
standing blocking up the doorway and
arguing with the guard.
Every sorry, siri but you must put
out your cigar
"Can't | go into the next carriage?'
"Two ladies' in there, sir-old la
diesP''
"Have you any empty compart-
mentsP"
"We're just off, SIR" says the guard,
slamming to the door, and the next
minute we are spinning on our way to
Peterborough.
Shall I put out my cigare have been
alluded to as a "pefson.'' / have been
addressed in 4 dictatorial manner, which
has the very reverse of soothing in
fuence on me. feel luflled and OBJ
stinate. Had 1 been asked politely, my
Havana had peen out of the window in
a twinklin9. Shall 1 put it out or in
fringe bylaw No. {, and be found forty
shillingsp 1 wtiI finish my cigar, and
abide by the consequences.
My companion is evidently as unac-
customed to opposition as to dicfation.
and for few minutes he stares at me
dumbfounded, then he lets fly his own
version of King James's Counterblast
against Tobacco. On my part pre-
serve an obstinate silence. My compan-
ion pulls up the window on his side; I
put up that on mine, which produces a
violent fit of coughing on his part, when
down go both windows in a hurry.
We have arrived at Peterborough,
and the guard is again called. L have
almost finished my cigar, and throw
the end away. My companion can not
let the matter rest, however, and when
we are started again he reads me anoth-
or lecture, couched in such unaccepta-
BILE terms that for reply light another
cigar.
''Sir; here is my card; and insist
upon knowing your name and address"
1 take his card, open my card-case,
put his card in, and return the case to
my pocket without giving him my card
in exchange. / finish my cigar amidst
q volley of threats Of getting my name
and address by force.
We are at Finsbury Park now, and
tickets are being collected. This is the
nearest station to my home, and here
I intend to leave the train. My COM
panion follows ME up the platform, and
calls the guard to take my name and
address. Being under the scrutiny of
the other passengers, who evidently
think l have got into trouble for card
sharping, and having made up my mind
to pay the penalty, L lose no time in
giving my card.
At home l am received with open
arms, and am hurried into the dining
room by my boys to inspect a device
over the sideboard for my especial ben
efit-'Welcome' in blue letters on a
white ground. My wife is full of in
quiries after all our friends in Edin-
burgh, and what sort of a journey have
had.
Having informed her that individually
and collectively all our friends are as
well as could be expected, considering
the wintry weather they have had, and
that all were as kind and hospitable as
cver,I briefly tell her of my smoking adj
venture.
"And who was your companion9"
asks my wife.
/" How should knowP"
Why, you have his card"
&C To be sure; quite forgot that"
says /, producing my card-case. 1
search it through carefully, but no card
other than my own, can find.
81 know put it here. Why, bless,
me! | must have given it to the guard
instead of my own. How odd!"
have almest dismissed the adven-
ture from my mind, when a few days |
later my wife, in Swimming over the |
paper at the breakfast-table, breaks out |
into a merry laugh. What on earth can
she find SO amusing in any other than
he Agony column, which l can see is
not the portion under perusal. 1t is the
police reports, and she hands me the
paper, pointing out the place for my at
Lention.
At the - Police Court, -sB+,
IF verandah House, Crouch Hill, was sum-
noned by the Great Northern Railway Com
oany for smoking in carriage not smok
ng carriage, to the annoyance OF other pas
engers. The guard having proved identity,
md the accused's card, given up by himself,
being put in as corroborative evidence, the
Magistrate asked the defendant if he had