Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1883-08-09
Travelling Manners.

Few are the travellers to whom a word Of
suggestion in regard to thoughtfulness for
others is superAuous. The wisest and the
calmest are apt to think only Of the prov
erbially selfish Number One" when caught
in the hurry and the crowd Of railway de-
pot. Yet there are not many places where
little unselish confederation goes farther
than in travelling. II the seniors Of q par
ty are Of q monopolizing spirit, the young
ones are sure to be graspinX and greedy.
The difference between well-bred and ill-bred
people il less conspicuous in drawing room
than on a railroad train.
There are two ways Of behaving when on
= journey, whether long or short, One in
accordance with the Golden Rule and the
other in opposition to il. The loyal sub
jects Of this ideal rule walk decentiy and in
order to the train. There is no pushing and
crowding for first places and shady sides.
If by chance they are among the early COM
ers, and the cool shade Of the cars falls by
natural right to them, they take possession
Of such seats with the delight that a benev-
olent person accepts a windfall of an inher-
itance, rejoicing in the ability and privilege
Of giving. He who secures the shady side
is glad that it will now be his privilege to
resign it TO the first weary woman, aged
late for such luxury. The Golden Rulers
if compelled to take the sunny side. do it
cheerfully, knowing that some one must sit
there, and that the exercise Of self-denial is
good for old and young. If the journey is
to be short, the sun will not hurt them and.
If it is TO be all day, they will be rewarded
by shade in the afternoon The Golden
Rule papa, if he be addicted to tobacco, for
alas some even Of the best Golden Rulers
have this weakness), will have smoked his
cigar in the solitude and quiet of his own
home, and will not therefore deny himself
the society Of his wife for the sake Of riding
in that vile den whose outside label warns
off all tidy persons-"Smoking car" II he
wishes TO open windows, he will first inquire
as to the desirability Of ii on the par, of his
neighbors. II the cinders hy. he will take
from his shawl strap two or three patent cin-
der Tenders. or, failing those. handful Of
shingles, which he will deftly fit into his own
and his neighbors' windows. so that fresh air
may be admitted without endangering ones
ewes BY showers Of cinders.
The omnipresent and omniprovsioned
traln-boy does not think much of the Col
den Ruler. His peanuts. prize candies. half
ripe and twice-hIgh bananas, green apples,
and popcorn are ignored. Mrs. Golden
Ruler has provided proper luncheon, which
is eaten al the proper time. decently and in
order, with bibs and napkins. followed BY
damp sponges and towels. Her children
are not allowed to eat al all hours, like sheep
grazing upon paddock. Neither does she
81. H.. 4 4.
Of health and manners by offering at all
times and seasons q "cookey" to the mic.
little girl" who sits in front of her, and
whose mamma has never allowed her to taste
. cookey in her life.
The Golden Rule family speak in such
subdued and pleasant voices that an English
man. were he present, would vow they
couldn't be Americans. But they are not
too reserved to give a pleasant smile and
. cordial word to their fellow travelling COM
panions. If occasion requires and they al
ways try 10 be accurate in what they say
There is great difference in people in this
respect. Some give emphatic opinions with
out any authority behind them Others
carefully avoid expressing an opinion unless
they k7.on. A mother was once travelling
with her little one. Unforeseen DELAY mad.
them late in reaching the breakfast halt.
The little one was hungry. The cars stop
ped at way station. Would there be time
to get glass Of milk for the baby? Sever
al Of the passengers sitting near heard the
question, and with deep regret assured her
II was quite impossible, although they took
no pains to ascertain. A Golden Ruler
among them-a complete stranger, but who
afterward proved to be a Harvard professor
quietly left the car. spoke ten words to
the conductor, and q moment later returned
with a brimming glass of delicious milk, and
the words, pray accept the glass also, and
the train moved on. The assurance from
the conductor that there was time enough
saved the baby four hungry hours and,
doubtless, the grateful mother still preserves
the ten cent tumbler as a memorial Of the
kindly deed,
IL is true that, to follow out this old COM
mand Of considering others, one has to re-
solve himself sometimes into baggage mas
ter, expressman, general agent, ETC., but. if
one learns 10 find comfort in that rather
than in seeking selfish enjoyment, it will
prove 10 bring the higher pleasure.
We all know the hordes Of opponents TO
the Golden Rule how they push and jostle
at the START how they fling portmanteaus
and bags into every available seat on the
pieasan,est side of the car, and. following
after, take each double seat to him or her
self, with the air Of utterly ignoring the
res, of the world; how they strew the seats
and floor with shells and fruit-skins, and
eraunch, craunch. on peanuts, till we are
ready to wish, like the old woman. that they
had been born without teeth; how they fill
the car with the babble of their talk how
they feed the children every half-hour with
indigestion in every form, and than disc-
pline them in public, when, sick and hot
and cinder covered, they cry from sheer ex-
haustion.
1t fairly makes one sick in anticipation to
think with what tribes Of such people one
is foreordained to travel these summer
months. But isn't it strange that, seeing
the contrast, any one can elect to initiate
the latter, when, plainly, the former both
give and receive so much more happiness