The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1884-11-15

slighter and dark, supporting between
them companion. The clothes and
features of the two and all that could
be seen of their stupefied comrade de-
clared them gentlemen. The three
slowly advanced up the aisle until they
were just opposite me, when the middle
one was assisted into a seat, his friends
taking the one Immediately behind.
As the tram moved on l was conscious
that my depression was leaving me,
but it was followed by drowsiness.
With the fitful sleep that followed was
connected in the oldest way the face
and figure Of my drunken fellow pas
senger across the car. 1t was while
watching, with 4 feeling of amusement,
his figure iostling with every jar Of the
train that | lost consciousness, and as
again and again l awoke from my I'M
easy slumbers his face and figure re-
manned constantly before my mind.
However ludicrous is the fact, seemed
to suffer real distress.
would awake to find my eyes fixed
upon the drunken man and my mind
possessed with a ridiculous anxiety lest
the jolting of the car should land him
upon the floor. As began to reason
against the fancy, drowsiness would
again overcome me. | believe the
story is told of a person who once
dropped asleep as a pitcher of water
fell over and having had dream which
it took him many minutes to relate,
woke to find that the water was not
yet all run out. In my case long
train of reflections, arguments and feel
ings together with intervening periods
of complete Inconsistencies were COM
pressed into a few minutes time.
Twenty times | started up (who can
tell at such time what it is that wakes
one) to begin at once Involuntary to
study the problem whether my fellow
passenger would lose his balance, to
find myself actually calculating the dis
lance his body moved at each jerk Of
the car. 1t would be hard to describe
the pain of mind this occupation gave
me. | would start up and open my
eyes. All he was almost over
Another Jar and he must fall. l was
not enough awake to attempt to catcl
him. Even while l came to this con-
clusion | would fall asleep. Again
would awake with a start. He wa:
tottering, he was falling. No, just il
time the hand of his taller companion
was put out. He was caught Will,
midway and restored to an uprigh
position. With such passing struggle:
of mind l slept and woke, slept anc
woke, until with another start | opened
my eyes to catch beyond the grotesqut
profile Of the drunken mans head thu
struggling light of one of the Jumps o
Germantown Station and to dawninI
Consciousness that the sound still ring
ing in my ears, which had seemed t.
me while awakening the snoring of thu
drunken reveler, was the painting 0
the locomotive as it stood in the sta
ton. The drowsiness which agar
crept over me as the train moved OF
from Germantown was mOmentarY. |
was dissipated by stir among my fel
low passengers across the car. As
opened my eyes the slighter man wa
pointing out of the window to the tai
man as | raised myself up they hao
both risen to leave the train. With ;
parting slap on the back of their sleep
irg companion and 'good-bye,
PEELED in his ear, they advanced to the
forward door and after few words tc
the conductor, an evident placing il
his charge their friend, they left the
train. As | was losing consciounes:
once more in sleep, the conductor
voice sounded in my ear. "a dreary
night, sir He had taken the sea
behind me. ! assented. As | glancet
over toward my companion, the con
ductor followed my gaze. 'That fel
lows drunk as lord he said. Tho
train, which had begun to move, stop
ped with a sudden jar and then agail
moved toward. As if in answer to the
words of the conductor, we saw the
figure of the drunken man sway toward.
us as he lost his balance. AS if by ;
common impulse, we both started tc
catch him. 1t was too late. He hal
turned in his seat as he felt. His bacl
struck the arm of the seat. his nerve
less neck let his head fall, and his face
with its protruding eyes, confronted u:
both--the face of corpse.
Although it happened twenty year:
ago, the scene returns to my mind a.
if it were but last night that it hac
taken plaCe--the desolateness anc
gloom of the night without, the sough
ing wind, the close air and dim light 0
the car, the awful transformation from
drunkenness to death.
OF the details of the murder little
was ever known. Those who at the
! time took an interest in the investiga
ton will remember that the efforts O
the authorities to find the criminal
were fruitless. The murdered man wa
identified, and that was all. He turnet
out to be the son of a prominent Phil
] adelphia merchant, member of fam