Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1888-10-10
LET Us Kick"

entitled to the reverence due him. |
look upon him as a philosopher and a
philanthropist. He stands forth one
man out of ten thousand. He is act
uated by the most unselfsh motives.
He is the real reformer.
| am not kicker. | am simply
taking the preparatory lessons tc en-
able me to blossom out. The other
day when bought a ticket to go east
they told me at the ticket office:
while the train does not leave un-
til about II, the sleeper is open at 8,
and you can 60 right to bed and wake
up at Niagara Falls next morning"
l entered the sleeper at half-past .
and went to bed. That is, it is called
going to bed. You are boxed up.
boxed in, surrounded and smothered
and charged 81 for the misery. A
sleeping car is mockery, "a fraud
and deception. The avarice of the
companies result in misery for the
passengers. Four other persons had
gone to bed, and at 10 o'clock we were
all asleep. At that hour two men en-
tered with great clatter. They were
talking loudly, and they sat down and
continued it. / waited fifteen min
utes for one of the other sleepers to
kick. No one uttered a protest. Then
l rose up and asked:
"Do you men know that this is a
sleeping car :"
1--WE do" they answered.
"And do you propose to continue
this disturbance ?"
1--WE propose to talk as long and as
loud as we please
| called the conductor and inquired:
II have paid for berth in which
to sleep. can't sleep for this dis
turbance. Will you stop ="
Really, | can't" he answered.
"Are there no rules?"
eyes, but people in a sleeping car
must expect to be disturbed"
"Oh, they must. Very well-see
me later"
Four others came in with just as
much racket, and they kept their clat-
ter going until II o'clock. At 11:30
the lights were turned down and ev-
erybody was ready for sleep. / had
been patiently waiting for this. Ly-
ing ON my back, arms locked over my
head, and my palate down, l brought
a snore which went laundering over
that car in a way to open every eye.
After two more a man called out:
Thunder and blazes, but we've
got whale aboard ?"
After three more they began to yell
at me from every berth. / put in
two extra ones, and the porter came
down and shook my arm and said:
"Heah-you-stop dat"
"Colored man % l said, as | looked
up at him, "if you come here and do
that again l may fire upon you p
As soon as he had gone went back
to business. When a man sets out to
snore for revenge you'd be surprised
to know what success he can make
of it, In five minutes they were call
ing for the conductor. He came down
and parted the curtains and said
"Hey-you-wake up! You are
the car !"
Conductor, haven't | paid for this
berth ?" | asked.
"Yes."
"Is there any rule which prohibits
snoring?'
"No, but"
"Then you keep away from me.
have revolver, and | might take
you for a robber."
Then | returned to the main ques-
ton. l snored in every key of the
scale. / snored for blood. / had |
every person in the car swearing mad
and ready to fight. and they sent for
the passenger conductor. He refused
to interfere. Several volunteered to
"pull me out O. that" but when they
came close enough to see the muzzle
of a revolver they fell back. AT 2
o'clock in the morning they held a
and as result one Of
them asked
Stranger, can we buy you OFF,"
"No, sir"
"Is there any way on earth to stop
that bazoo of yours ?"
"There is. The four of you who
came in last were grossly selfish. You
had no care for the rights of others.
The four who were here before came
were disturbed but hadn't the grit to
kick. Now, then. promise me on your
solemn words that if you ever enter a
sleeping car again you will respect
the situation and / will let you Off"
Every soul in that car made the
promise, and half an hour later we
were all asleep.
When | reached Philadelphia
passed the baggage car just as my
~,,.I, IN ,,.o o,,t Tko ba.,uo,o.,a,