New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-21

only got one cnecK Hlt thatS more an -.
orally carry. / most always don't take nothing
but gripsack Wal as you seem Impatient
Mister, here's your checks" -.
turned on my heel abruptly ana, as WIZ" Snc 20
the sleeping-car Office counted over the cheGks,
Eight; yes. they were all right, anu, !eeii III
sorry fer the momentary suspicion 'na , l,'a
prompted me TO do so, slipped them In'o % on
of the compartments of my pockctbook, and put IL
Cant have it," said the Pullman car clerk
through the window of his office. IN reply !. T my
request for "a whole section to myself lherc
amt whole section left in either OF the sieepefs
What was l to do? 1t was Monday a't Ter
noon. The train about TO leave was ,he
. through Atlantic express, timed to reach Zach
New-York on Tuesday night. The Albania was
10 sail with the early tide, at hall past o, on
Wednesday morning. There was no other tram
bv which could possibly reach New-York in
time. -, IL. =
There was some grumbling from the line OF
peorlc behind me at my blocking up the w1ndow
so long, and the clerk, with benign sarcasm re-
Think you'll make up your mind mind, about aD9hod it
before the cars pull out? There amt anybody
else wants to get berth, of course not" =, =,
Suppose you have only upper pertns leu ELL
suggested, the discomfort of the climbing process
necessary for their occupation standing ouc III
bold relief before my minds eye r,,
That's where you're wrong, sonny 1here 5
Just one lower-and lucky you are to get IL,
said the man, stamping the ticket and throwing
il down in front of me. Five dollars"
Clutching the square bit of p'stehoard wnicn
entitled me to E" Berth A. in car Wyoming l
vet about five minutes before the train started
and the car was filling rapidly. l looked out OF
the window a motley crowd was on the pat
FORM iostling and squeezing at the gateway,
where the ticket examiner stood One man,
with his back to me, was having his tcket
punched He turned. 1t was the fat man with h
so abruptly left him | had forgotten all ABOUT
him. fear came me that he had the
berth above mine. He made his way straight
for the Wyoming" and got in. TO my dismay,
the next moment he standing at my elbow,
scrutnizing his berth ticket. which he held be-
tween his fingers.
the letters along the top of the car: and dropping
into the seat opposite TO me. with pull, ne put
in brown paper and securely tied with stout
string Wal, now, if this here amt luck!o he
exclaimed as his eyes encountered mine 10
think that / should have just struck this section,
and you go; the other half of it!
And have you the upper berth ?' cried,
aghast as l surveyed his huge proportions. =,
That's about The size Of It,, ne h rephe;n a.
the whole caboodle. This was the last one ana,
you bet you, had TO rustic around some TO gee
it. There's cords o passengers amt got no
bcrths / should Judge
In no way pleased at the prospect of having
him suspended over my head all night hike the
sword of Damoces. | did not reply. But l
couldn't help wondering how his story about his
being the last berth could be true, if ! couldn't
get a whole section when | asked for one just
then the train started and looked out OF IN the
cago at last merged into the banks of Lake
Michigan. whose bright blue waters grew deeper
and seeper in tint, till the shadows of night OBJ,
scured the scene from my view. so ABSORBED
had been in the contemplation Of the panorama
passing before me that again had forgotten ths
fat man with the thin face. When l turned
around the lamps lit in the car, the negro
porter had begun 10 make up the berths for the
night, and the fat man with the thln race s't
with a newspaper in his hands. apparently 1aSt
asleep.
poor fo1Io,- bo Iool,od en- harmless and inoffen-
sive as he sat there with his chin on his breast,
and his eyes shut that felt sense OF remorse
at the thought that pcrhars my manner had Deen
more distant and unllnd than necessary
would endeavor TO treat him with more clvlty
/ said that the newspaper was IN his hands; n PIT
it was only. his right hand that clutched me
paper; the left was placed guardlngy over the
parcel on the seat beside him.
l made slight movement with my feet, ara
the noise awoly2 him lie opened his eyes ana
looked at me, then quickly down at the parcel
and then back at me again
Bin asleep. I guess he said stretching him
self, and yawning. Amt nothn else TO 40
aboard the cars is there? Not unless You smoke
or play cards. Readin's played out in this here
1t is rather dim," answered, remembering
:" You wouldn't care for game of euchre or
seven-up would you, just to fill in with p he
asked | can git deck o cards from the
porter. l guess Amt nc sort o use goin' to bed
yet awhle?7
felt glad of anything that would shorten the
period Of his stay in the berth above and would
willingly have sat up all night, sooner than trust
myself beneath him. But unfortunately knew
neither of the games he proposed and told him so
Poker was the only game played where had
been and at that had become quite proficient
Poker's prohibited" he said, when L sug-
gcsted it, Them two l mentioned is the only
card games they allows on this here. road. It's
too rlaguey bad you don't know EN-. Guess
I'll try a smoke. What You say"
/ excused myself, and he. won't away In
scarcely minute he returned huriedIy, and sat
down again.
"The smolnng-rocms chuck full o. fellers
on the floor, so l come back and he put out his
hand and drew the parcel toward him.
At that moment it occurred to me that ne had
left the parcel on the seat when he went away
and that his return was at a quicker pace than
"a mere desire to get back to his seat justified.
A suddcn idea came into my head ., =
:" / think I'll just go and wash my hands,
said carclcssly.
rot up and went to tho end Of the car to the
lavatory off which the smoking-room opened.
looked in There was no one in it, but one OF
the brakemen, half asleep What could have been
his motive, ] wondered Surely, he didn't rear
my making away with his parcel 1t couldn't
be that, yet what other reason mad ne ior ms
precipitate return and false explanation? just
then the train stopped ut u station. and, my curl
osity considerably excited, first washed my hands
TO keep my word good, and then went PACK 10
my seat as the train started on again. When
| got there the fat man with the thin face, was
gone. And-ccmplete demolisher Of all my short,
lived suSpicions-thcre the parcel on the seat.
Thinking he had gone 10 talk to somebody in the
car ! looked up and down the seats not yet
turned into berths. No. he was nowhere TO be
seen. Perhaps he had stepped into the next car
as is the frequent custom of passengers IL Ameri-
can trains? But my speculatiOnS as TO his whore
abouts We're suddenly brought TO stop The
negro porter came up and handed me folded
piece Of paper
De fat gcm'man, sal, tolc me-" he said, "to
give you dis yah note" | unfoldcd the note.
II was neatly written in blue indciblc pencil,
on half sheet of note paper evidently tom OIL
the back Of an old letter, and ran as follows:
Dear Friend: | have been called back to
Chicago important business by telegram just
received. l am compelled TO go, and must leave
the train at this station, as to catch the west
bound one that passes here in ten m inutcs. .lay
ask you. stranger, TO take charge of the
parcel which leave for YOU on the seat IT is
day night 1t is not addressed to any person as you
VIII but the party for whom II Is intended
- ..S.. LS.ai tr..a..... 1clnnl nj