The Osceola times., 1883-12-08
SLEEPING-CAR ADVENTURE.
The Perils Of Making Pilgrimages In Dark
and Silent sleeper,

I am not very self-reliant woman,
WI ties la ly in the San Francisco Wasp.
In, fact, am rather tialid and retiring,
from which it may be imagined that the
following circumstance, painful and en-
barrassing as it would have been to any
one, was doubly distressing to me-
was in a sleeping-car, about which l
had read 50 many extravagant and, as |
formerly imagined, impossible episodes.
On the night in question l had retired to
my berth, as indeed had all the other
occupants of our car, and the subdued
whispering, mingled with an occasional
gigYle from .neighboring curtains, had
gradually subsidized until silence reigned.
except for the monotonous rumbling of
the wheels and the interjectional snoring
of a bald headed passenger, whose berth
was about the center of cur cosmopolitan
dormitory.
Before going TO sleer began to realize
that ! was thirsty, and determined TO
procure glass of water from the cooler,
which was unfortunately at the opposite
end of the now dark and silent sleeper.
So, throwing shawl around me,
marched up the aisle toward the water
jar, reached il in safety, and after quench-
ing my thirst started on the return trip.
Ioosening my grasp on my shawl, it ac-
cidentally slipped from my shoulders
just as lpassed the section occupied by
the snoring passenger, who emphasized
the fact by prodigious snort.
Somewhat startled by this l stopped
and hurredly picked up the shawl, which
seemed to be considerably heavier than
before and more cumbersome Making
an attempt to replace it on my shoulders,
something fell on the fioer with a thump
very much as if it were a pocket knife,
and then, to my horror and amazement,
found that in rescuing my shawl had
laid hold of the stout gentleman's pan
falcons, and was engaged in futile eff
fort to wrap them gently around me. Had
it not been for the fatal pocket knife |
might have escaped, but the clatter il
made in falling awoke its owner, who
opened the curtains and gruffly inquired
"Who's there2"
lmpulsively and without stopping to
think of the dreadful suspicious appear
ance of the affair. said desperately,
Here's your pa lts." -.
1 IT.. I.t,at :, .t,.,,... T.,.oI,
first TO tie your pants around her neck
and then magnanimously offering them
10 you IN the dead Of night, when you
don't want them, is rather startling i,
must be confessed, and the stout passeng-
er growled, "Pm much obliged to you,
madam, for your kindness in returning
them; they didn't fit, l suppose"
was ready to sink with shame and
modification, when things took a more
serious and utterably horrible turn, for,
after ransocking the pockets of the gar
ment in question, the stout gentleman
declared ihe missed fve-dolar gold
piece, and shouted to the sleepy porter.
Bring light; there's a thief in the
CARP e.
His demand being complied with, re-
vsaled halfhysterical woman, very
much EN- dishabille, her teeth chattering
with fear and indignation a cynosure
for every inquisitive eye in the car, as
each and every passenger thrust his or
her head out of the curtains and glared
at the culprit. In vain protested my in
nocence and threatened dire vengeance
on the stout passenger for his insulting
suspicion.
The circumstantial evidence wa &
strong. and had not my irascible fellow
passenger discovered the missing gold
pieco in bis vest pocket upon wliic b he
promptly and profusely apologized), ]
shudder to think of the consequences.
As il is, my friends here at the Palace
are making my life burden with stupid
remarks about pants. and ] am determ-
ined never again to make sleeping car
pilgtimages after dark, or to trust stout
gentlemen who make practice Of hang
ing mp their abominable garments on the
door.
l. 1. 4 Il