Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-01-26
.neer, ..between second and a third

sneer. '.between a second and third
clAs carriage"
''Ah. Madame" said sophir, 81 am
an old traveller, and know all the class
distinctions. In the first-elass the pas
sengers are rude to the guard; in the
third the guard is rude to the passengers,
aud in the lecond''-bowing to his fair
antagonist-''the passengers are rude to
each other"
There are other differences.
In the third-class carriages the seats
are uncushioned, one brushes elbows with
people who smell of gin and stale to-
bacco. They talk loudly, and their
favorite phrase is that brutal, British
word "bloody." This word is the sign
manual of the third class. The word
is merely vulgarization of the Elizabe-
THAN oath, g BY Our Lady," but it gives
a gruesome, unpleasant tinge to the con-
versation one is doomed to overhear in a
third-class carriage.
A second-class compartment is much
better.
1t is cushioned, curtained and com.
Portable. One rubs against snug clerks
and small shopmen, gossiping women out
for days shopping, natty girls and
"genteel young men.
The second-c class has its draw backs as
well as the third. 1t is only in the first
class compartments that one can look fol
seclusion and unjostled comfort.
''Firstl"
The guard closes the door; the snap.
lock falls into place: the train glides out
as noiselossly as a drop of castor oil slips
down baby's throat.
Stone walls on either side-with tall
rows of houses or trim villas running
down to the railway cutting-but the
free sky above. In few moments, how.
ever, it dives into dark, underground
tunnel Here and there, at the inches,
there are few glimmering lights. The
train, however is brightly lighted, and
one can loll back and read his paper
without the slightest inconvenience. At
this point the way lies under we'll
travelled road, and the arches are of
great strength. In fact, one is much in
the position of an ant journeying in a
round hole cut through an apple. Above
and below and to either side is solid
brickwork. In no case are there less
than halfdozen rings of brick-work,
and over the outer one is bed of con-
crete, while the whole affair is wrapped
up in an asphalt overcoat that keeps out
even a suspicion of moisture. Instead of
being damp and muggy, as one would
expect, the underground passages are
warm and dry.
We have whisked past st. James,
Westminster and Charing Cross, if you
please, and find ourselves in the heart of
the old city Here we rise from the
slow level" to the "high level" This
is Mrs. Suds' garret window to the left,
and Mrs. Suds and the Misses Suds are
"doing up" the weekly washing. The
flying train gives one glimpse Of thin
seamstress at work on four penny shirt,
and in the next window a sackmaker is
stitching away, Toward Hackney the
railway slants down to the level ground
again, dives under Merrie Islington, and
hobbs up for a moment near the Caledo-
nian road In spite of all this up and
down motion, it is said that at no place
is the gradient sleeper than one in a
hundred.
NINETY nine changes to one, said my
cynical Amarican friend, 'that nothing
will happen"
One might as well get out The guard
unlocks the door; one strolls up the
stairs and at the top finds brass but.
toned, uniformed official He takes
your ticket. There are no conductors
on the Underground" One loafs in
his compartment undisturbed. In order
to enter the station one must show q