The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-07-08
A LITTLE mIsunDAnsrANDlNe.
cHucKER's PANTALooNs.

CHUCkER'S PANTALO0NS.
How far it is expedient to convert a
railway carriage into dressing room is
a question which would be quickly
solved IN the negative in continental coun-
tr1es where guards walk along the foot
boards and collect tickets while tile train
Is IN motion. But in England passen-
ger who likes to change his attire in q
tirst=class compartment is pretty secure
from interruption; at least so thought
Mr. Barnaby Chucker, as he aighted
nom hanson at Paddington and rushed
across the platform, holding railway
rug and o carpet-bag, which contained a
comPle letechange Ornament -towit, dress
clothes.
MIR. Chucker hadreceiyed an invitation
to dine at Windsor with some friends of
influential position, but being busy
man, he had not found time to dress at
hls. Office In the city, or at his chambers
IN the West End. Stepping into the
tram he slipped shilling into the hand
OF the guard, and said: 'sKeep me this
compartment, please, as want to dress. %
Al right sir" answered the guard;
and the next moment the train started.
Mr. Chucker then unlocked his CARPET
oag end drew out clean shirt, with
2tnert equipments necessary to his per-
feet adornment.
1t must not be supposed that he did
this without reluctance, for he was q
great stickler about all the proprieties of
life. He objected to seeing things out of
place or doing things out of season. If
he had caught his best friend changing
his pantaloons In a railway carriage he
would have thought meanly of him for
being OF disorderly habits, and SO now he
Judged himself with candid severity for
not having better regulated his own time.
III an accident occurred" mused he. as
he removed his coat and waistcoat, .sI
wonder what would be thought Of me for
being half undressed In tramp
This reflection made him redden. He
wassas shy, middle-aged man, with large
red ears and fat forid face. The effort
of pulling of his boots always suffnsed
his countenance with crimson, and it did
so now, insomuch that, what with the
color that came from physical exertion
and that which resulted from a troubled
conscience, Mr. -Barnaby Chucker looked
truly distressed Having removed his
boots, he denuded himself of his trousers.
This was trying moment, for If an ac-
cident had happened then. "Why, why.
dear me, CALCULATED Mr. Chucker, at
this stage of his cogitations, "I-think
the train is stopping
The train was stopping In effect. as
Mr.. Chucker might have foreseen that it
would do, since he was not travelling by
express, but he had been SO enwrapped
In, his seH-upbrading thoughts that he
~ -.
of the engines speed He now found
himself in a. very litter of clothes, and
withsno time to redress himself before
the train stopped He had to decide
hastily whetherhe would steam alongside
Ealing platform In his shirt-sleeves or
minus his pantaloons. He chose wisely
in huddling on his coat, which he but.
toned up, while he covered his lower
man with his railway rug. This done.
he collected as many Of his belongings as
he could into his bag, kicked his boots
undera seat, and tried to look dignifed.
The train had come to a stand-still now,
and guard opened the door of the car
r1age IN which our poor hero was sitting,
and cried: "There's room here, sir, for
you aIId this fatfy. ''
g HE, guardl" exclaimed Mr.. Chucker,
leaning out In horror, "you told me I
should have this compartment to my
self
Unfortunately for our modest friend,
the guard to whom he had given the
shilling was not the one appointed to
travel with the train. These little mis-
takes often occur. and lead to unpleasant
consequences. The present guard said
bluntly: 81 can't give you compart-
ment to yourself unless you pay for il,
sir. Its. against therules Here, madam,
step In, please"
"A lady who looked in very, delicate
health got into the carriage, and a, gen.
tleman with her. MIR. Barnaby Chucker
felt ready to swoon. Before he could in
form the guard of his readiness to pay
for q whole compartment sooner than
have his privacy intruded upon, the
train was off again, and Mr.. Chucker fell
to rejecting how he should effect his
change OF carriages at Slough now that
he@was in no fit state to step on to a
platform. The train in which he rav,
eled was not bound straight for Windsor
but for Birmingham, and Mr. Chucker
would have to change at Slough if he
wished to dine with his friends that
evening.
Alas! a more urgent difficulty than
that involved in a change of carriages
soon presented itself to him; for no
sooner had the train started than the
lady who had just stepped in began to
moan aud to shiver, saying that she felt
cold all over Her husband sought tc
quiet her, Ebut it was all of no use, for
she was really Ill. At last the poor man
looked in despair at Mr.. Chucker and
said:
Excuse me for taking great liberty,
sir; but would you be so kind as to lend
my wife your rug? We started in a
hurry, and forgot to bring one AS it is
not q cold day, perhaps you would not
mind obligiug us as far as Slough, where
I shall be able to buy rug?"
'tEh?" grunted Mr.. Chucker, stupefed.
The request completely staggered him,
and he could find no words in which tc
reply. ~
"TNWould you kindly lend this lady your
rug?' repeated the gentleman, rather
astonished.
"HooI'' growled Mr.. Chucker, in 9
voice like bears. It had just occurred
to him that the safest way to get out oi
his difficulties would be to sham being
mad A Frenchman would have quietly
beckoned the gentleman to the other side
of the carriage, and would have explained
the dilemma with a laugh. But English
men are persons full of niceness, and Mr.
Chucker dared not confess to stranger
tllnt he had no trousers on. He repeated
"Hool' two or three times over, and his
stratagem succeeded perfectly, for both
his fellow passengers became convinced
that they were travelling with lunatic.