The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-12-09
Sleeninr.Car Adrentnres.

A new route has been established to
Switzerland. Leaving London at 10
q. m, you find yourself in the afternoon
at Calais there you take a train direct
to Bale. I had invested the sum OF
eighteen shillings IN n ticket Tor the
sleeping-car This car consists OF COM
partments containing either two or four
couches The couch to which my ticket
gave me a right was, | found, III one OF
the compartments licensed to carry four.
Three ladies already were there when
entered 1t. To say that L was received
cordially would be an eXaggerahOn. The
ladies felt that l was an intruder, and, to
say the truth, being myself somewhat
bashful man, 1 felt 50, too. | took my
seat. The ladies whispered TO each
other, and eyed me as did the nymphs
by the streams of Hellas when shep-
herd broke in upon their natatOry exer-
cises. / essayed a remark or two about
the weather and other common-places.
The responses were monOsyllabIc. In
the daytime these compartments have
only two touches facing each other. At
night two others are arranged over head,
like berths in a ship. We had passed
Amiens, when the attendant entered
with a number of sheets IN his hand.
The ladies looked aghast; so did l.
One-an elderly spinster-supposed that
l was not going to remain, and thus pre-
vent her and her companions from taking
the rest for which they had paid. A
blush sufused my cheek, but l plucked
up sufficient courage to hint that /, too,
had parted with coin of the realm IN
order to enjoy like repose. After
GLORIOUS of We'll, / never! 1t was tiu-
ally agreed that l should retire into the
passage until the ladies had got into
their beds, and drawn the curtains be-
fore each of their bowers. To this L
asseuted, and having paced the passage
for about half an hour returned. All
the curtains were drawn. " / hope you
are not undressing? proceeded from
behind the curtain of the elderly SPIN
ster "He won't have the impudence
to do any thing of the kind, toated
through the air from behind another
curtain. " Ladies'" / said, sleep IN
maiden meditation behind your curtains.
[ am clothed from head to foot. 1 pro
pose to divest myself of my coat and
boots | shall then climb up into my
berth, draw my curtain, and you viii
see nothing more of me until tomorrow
morning" - Mind, sir only your coat
and boots" said the elderly spinster,
and with this parting warning l turned
in. The train was timed to reach Bale
Mt a. m An hour before that time my
rest was disturbed by shrill cries from
behind the curtains. l was sternly or
dered to get up and go at once into the
corridor, in order that the nymphs might
also rise "No, ladies', 1 answered,
Il mean to remain IN bed until we ar
rive. Get up without fear, and trust to
the innate chivalry of the humble male
who now addresses You. He pledges his
word of honor not to peep through the
parting in his curtain. - So they got up,
and 1 did not look. My experiences Of
this night led me to suggest that In
sleeping-cars the sexes should be placed
apart, and that there should be n separ
ate compartment for men and another
+ Cor women, instead of the present eclec-
tic arrangement.-CO Correspondence Les1-
Ion D0iEu NetCs.