Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-30
THE TRAIN FEVER.
One of the Peculiar Diseases of Modern
Life

Lie.
Among the diseases OF modern life, and
one TO which DR.. Richardson has hitherto
paid hardly any attention, says the Lon
don Globe, is the train fever, an insidious
malady which if 1t is not altogether I'M
d%ermining the British constitution, helps
largely to make life more miserable to
many. Some people escape this disease
altogether, bat they are the select few.
The majority suffer from it in enc way
or another, frequently without their
knowledge. This fever seiZes some peo-
pie every day as soon Is their eyes are
opened. They have to be at the station at
$3.50, say, and life is a Zymotic ferment
till they get there. Every movement is
checked off by the watch. If the victim
is rather late in shaYing, he has to make
up time over his Embarrassing; and
should there be a debit balance at the hour
of breakfast. it has to be Gquidated over
the coffee. Then comes the race for the
train. There are sOmany minutes allowed,
calculated to such a nicely that if the pa
tient hears the whistle OF the approaching
train before he gets to the grOcer's shop,
or the elm tree in the lane, or some other
noted mark on his chart, he knows he
must run for it. And very often be has
! " LAha " ~ ~ - ~ AN0A AAA5
and he can not lay his hand on his UNI
brena; or his wife has some very import
ant commissions to give him, and can not
remember them sEif she is hurried So"
but will not let him 90 till she does; or
perhaps he must go back ever so many
yards to kiss the baby, who will cry all
day if it is done out of this mark OF re-
spect. So by the time he has reached the
station the fever has done its fell work for
the day, has upset his nerves and his
digestion, and set him gasping and pant
ing all the way up to town. To be sure,
he catches his train. OF course he might
have caught his train quite easily If he
had got up in good time and thought
nothing about it; but the fever will not
allow a man to do that. 1t is astonishing
how men will 90 on day after day, year
after year, repeating this sad experience.
They can no more shake off the fever by
taking time by the tOrelOck than they can
fly. 1t would be amusing, were 1t not
%grievOus, to stand outside a suburban
station and watch the race in for the
morning train. Up come the fever
sticken, with anxious cOuntenances, some
running outright; some, whose dignity
will not allow them to run, walking
double pace with set teeth and firmly
clenched umbrellas and bags; all hurry
ing and all falling back half exhausted
when they reach their carriage.
The fever, as it affects some ladies, is
really too awful to dwell upon. Many
ladies to whom railway travelling was a
youthful wonder, can not even now trust
Bradshaw, but are impelled to go to the
station to make personal inquiries as to
the times of starting. The day before the
intended journey is generally dedicated
to this preliminary satisfaction CT the
fever. But there is no peace either to the
patients or to their households for hours
before the time fixed. The fever always
impels them to the station a full half-hOur
before it is necessary, and sOmtimes ac-
tuates them to nook their umbrellas into
pOrters' neckcloths, or to seize guards as
emOtionally as if they were recognizing
in them lOng-lOSt Ons Upon other ladies,
however, the train fever has an opposite
effect. 1t fills them with o dull despair.
They know that they have always missed
the train they have fixed upon, and al
ways will. If the train they want to go
by starts at 8, and the rex is 1880, still
pursued by the relentless demon they will
start for the 8, and of course miss il, and
will sit IN the waiting-rOom for the next
hour and a half with lack-luster eye and
wan countenace. It is their fate, they
know, and it is useless to struggle against
fate.
This fever plays many other fantastic
tricks. III Its most acute stages 1t makes
its victim dread the very thought of
travelling by train. Gentlemen residing a
lille wav out of town have been actually
known, Instead OF guinss nome TO tea, as
is the dearest wish of their hearts, TO put
off their return till II or even II O'Clock
at night, all from sheer dread of this fear
full disease. When they have at last ar
rived at home some of them are quite
exhausted, and others in a state of excite
ment bordering on the delirious, but all
incOherent. The agoniZed wives of their
bosoms have hardly known what to do
with them except TO put them tenderly to
bed: and it is only the next morning, after
cOpious draughts of cold water to drown
the demon within, that they are able to
explain to their partners the dreadful
feelings which the thought of setting foot
in a train causes them. OF course, it is q
great want of moral courage Oh their part
not to TAX that return journey early,
which they must take sooner or later; but
human nature is weak, and naturally
puts off the disagreeable till the last mo-
ment. Another curious effect of the train
frequently comes under the notice of
ticket inspectors, and occasionally OF
police magistrates. 1t induces in certain
patients, all of undoubted respectability,
a remarkable absence of mind, so that
they are found to be travelling first-class
with third-class tickets, and sometimes
will even pass a barrier calling out "sea-
son." when they possess no season ticket
to warrant that familiarity.