The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-01-11
Slceping.Car Adventures.

A new route has been established to
Switzerland. Leaving London at 10
a. M, you find yourself in the afternoon
at Calais there you take train direct
to Bale. / had invested the sum OF
eighteen shillings III ticket for the
sleeping-car. This car consists of COM
partments containing either two or four
couches. The couch to which my ticket
gave me Il right was, ] found, in one OF
the compartments licensed to carry four.
Three ladies already were there when |
entered it, To say that was received
cordially would be an eXaggeration. The
ladies felt that was an intruder, and, to
say the truth, being myself somewhat
bashful man, j felt so, 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-
clses. essayed n remark or two about
the weather and other common-places.
The response3 were monosyllabic. In
the daytime these compartments have
only two couchcs facing each other. At
night two Others are arranged over head,
like berths in Il ship. We had passed
Amiens, when the attendant entered
with n number of sheets i'll his hand.
The ladies looked aghast; 80 did 1.
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 suilused my cheek, but | plucked
up sufficient courage TO hint that |, too,
had parted with coin of the realm in
order to enjoy like repose. After
chorous of "Well, [ neverl it was fin
ally agreed that / 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 1
assented, and having paced the passage
for about half an hour returned. All
the curtains were drawn. II 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, foated
through the air from behind another
curtain. Ladies'" | said, "sleep in
maiden meditation behind your curtains.
am clothed from head to foot. pro-
pose TO diyest myself Of my coat and
boots shall then climb up into my
berth, draw my curtain, aud you will
see nothing more of me until to morrow
morning." "Mind, sir, only your cont
and boots" said the elderly spinster,
aud with this parting warning turned
In. The train was timed to reach Bale
at 4 a. IN. An hour before that time my
rest was disturbed by shrill cries from
behind the cuItains. | was sternly or
dcred to get up and 60 ut once into the
corridor, in order that the nymphs might
also rise. "No. ladies'" | answered,
81 mean to remain i'll bed until we ar
rive. Get up without fear, and trust to
the innate chiyalry of the humble male
who now addresses you. He pledges his
word of honor not to peep through the
! parting III his curtain. SO they got up,
and did not look. My experiences Of
This night led me to suggest that III
slccping-cars the sexes should he placed
apart, and that there should be separ'
ate compartment for men and another
for women, instead of the present eclec
tic arrangement Correspondence Lon
don Daity NeUs.