Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-07-14
TAKING A SLEEPER.
UNRUfFLED CONDUCTOR AND EAGER
PASSENGERS
Detroit Free Press. !

Detroit Free Press
Did you ever ponder Oh the fact that .
city fifty or sevsnty-ive miles away Is
harder to get at in the matter OF comfort
than a city 300 or 300 miles awayi The in
vention Of the sleeper is the cause OF this
anomaly. 1t is not worth while getting into
a sleeper for a 100 mile run. You either
have TO start too late or get up too early. or
both But on the long route you got to bed
in time and before you know it you arc
there. No time lost-no monotonous railway
journey. The Chicago sleeper train must be
a fine sight as it rushes on through the
night, with the moonlight shining on It
The sleeper is larger and more splen-
did than the ordinary day car, and each
sleeper has a fine sounding name as II it
were a steamship. The names alone would
make an imposing procession There IS
The kirkwooi," The Buckingham gen.
orally known as the buckingham
Palace" car. Tbs Observation-Disclosures
time, +" The Kinny bunk, The Scagerackac-
torbunk." and so on. Anything with 1bunk'
in is considered especially applicable to
sleepers. The companies have standing
contract with the state Of Maine, from
which place most Of the names are taken
from the stump. polished up at the shops
hppifcu 70
As the man with his valise passes the
ticket Inspector at the Michigan Central
station, he sees what would be- considered q
wonderful sight il it were not 50 common.
There is long line Of sleepers glistening in
glass and silvered-gorgeous but strong.
Away at the further end in the darkness
stands the Kissing and impatient engine,
a Ix-l svbS fhs
man opens the furnace doors. Mountains
Of baggage trundle past propelled by men
at the mountain bases, almost hid from
sight The man who has secured his slower
center" berth and has deposited his belong
ings thereon, and hanging his tall hat on
the polished brass, upright rod above the
berth, walks serenely up and down the
platform with silk travelling cap on his
head, smoking an after-supper cigar.
Around the sleeper conductor stand
breathless, eager men with small valises In
hand or slung with q strap from the shoul-
der. The conversation is about as follows:
Say, conductor, any lowers leftf'
"Have you got my name there anywhereT
Cant you do better than that!'
Upper berth, No, sir. Got to give me a
lower berth or I'll sue the company"
That ones too near the door
That the best you can dor
The conductor stands calm and unruffied.
He goes through a hurricane Of such queries
every night and he minds them no more
than the idle wind, which he regards not. In
his hand are cards with the plans Of the
sleepers. Hung from his elbow is his glitter
ing silver and glass lantern
"What name, please. Jones! l can give
you lower in The Sagantitus, Mr.. Jones +"
He crosses out the lower with his pencil
On the diagram.
No, haven't a lower left on The yell
lowstonicon.' Give you upper ~ Well, If
YOU take the Kirkwood can let you have
lower TO-"
Lower 10 is marked off.
All the while the porter Of the last car
stands and cries in a monotonous drawl, at
intervals, "Chi-ca-a-aw-o s,eepers." He APP
gears to have no interest in the matter and
nobody appears to heed him. He does it
as il wound up and set at q certain time and
tone
Suddenly the long line Of cars gives q
shudder and a subdued sound Of bump
bump bump comes down along the line. The
train backs few inches AMI stands still
again. The engins has hitched on
On the great white disc OF the tower clock
behind which quivers the intsr mittent arc
light of electricity, the black hands point at
one minute to o. The last load Of baggage
has struggled on to the front. Belated
travellers are hurrying through tho gate
The anxiety now is not whether they get
lower bunk, but whether they catch tho
train.
The hands now stand at O. The roar OF
escaping steam from the eager on
CINE ''rowni all sounds. Every
body is on board and the porters
have picked up tho little foot-stools
with carpet-covered tops that stood at the
car steps The swarthy face OF the engineer
CLEANS in the white light rs he leans out Of
the cab window and waits for the upliftel
hand of the coniu tor. The man has his
hand on the gate AMI the gate is halfway
closel An unseen electric bell rings out its
sharp piercing signal, and the deep-toned
bell on the engine an, wers it. The last man
plunges headlong through the closing gate,
which clicks after him. The conductor
swings himself ON the last car, and with
low, muffl d rumble the sleeper train begins
10 move