The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-05-28


ly as when people are travelling. /, who
had just been hoping for a whole com
partment for my party, was highly in
dignant to find that two other unknown
persons had been actuated by the same
selfish desire. The rugs, valises and
handbags were bundled into this com
part1nent, my folks got in after them and
I stayed ON the platform to head off, If
it was possible, anybody else.
Two men, who were on the platform
smoking, looked at this invasion with
undisguised anguish. They consulted
together for a moment. and then one Of
them approached me.
do you speak Englishf" he asked.
This was iattering. There was evident
~ nothing in my appearance to denote
that could speak anything else, and SO /
admitted that generally could make my
self understood in that language.
SIS that your party in that compart-
ment?' was the next question.
"Well. / pay for them"
"Ahl Well, you see, my friend and
myself have our things in there-and-
you see-we were wondering-you know
If the lady would object to u srnok-
ing"
Speaking off-hand | should imagine
she would-most decidedly"
"Ah, then you are not a smoker your
self"
ut is a vile habit-if you will excuse
me for saying So"
Eyes, / suppose it is-stil if you Will
allow me to make the remark, / would
like to say that when a man who doesn't
smoke condemns the haEit he simply
does not know what he'a talking about
Possibly that is So"
His friend, who seemed to think that
he was not taking a sufficiently diplo-
matte tone, at this point hauled him off
and they consulted together again for a
moment. The hand of the clock was
within a minute and a half Of starting
time. They evidently felt that what
ever was to be done had to be done
quickly. The speaker approached again.
II suppose you wouldn't mind our
smoking if you were alone in the car
riage?"
sob, / could stand it all right, / <
pect."
"Do you think the lady and children
would object to going into the ladies'
compartments
"You may ask her if you like. I
haven't the courage TO make suGA a re-
quest myself. The ladies' compartment
is pretty crowded"
The man apparently thought it best
not to make the request, and withdrew
again for comfort and consultation with
his friend.
What does that man want?s asked
the lady in question as ! approached the
compartment door.
He wanted to know if you would OBJ
ject to going into the ladies' compare
ment with the children"
"The ideal So that they could have
the compartment to themselvesl Well,
for downright selfishness that
ooh, not SO selfish as that. They
want to snaoke-thatss all"
"Then why didn't you tell them to go
into the smoking Compartments sup
pose there is one.n
81 never thought of that. That's a
good idea"
I approached the two, who were still
debating the matter.
"It has been suggested to me that if a
move has to be madea-
"Oh, ! assure you," interrupted the
previous speaker, gratefully, ''that it is
very comfortable in the ladies' compart-
ment, and we viii move the luggage
with pleasure"
81 was about to say that if a move is
made, why don't you gentlemen move to
the smoking compartments
The blank look that came into the two
faces was u sight to see.
"There are only two places in the
smoking compartment, andv-
"NNell, there are only two of you"
"And they are all smoking vile French
tobacco"
SIS it worse than English tobacco?!'
Worse? Well l should say So"
"Fhen Lord pity the French"
'En ~voiture, messieurs. sivooplay,"
shouted the guards, as they beganto slam
the doors shut. / turned and got into
our compartment. The two men looked
at the clock, then, rushing for the COM
partment, picked up their belongings and
made q break for the smoking carriage.
We had the compartment all to our
selves until we got to Lyons that even
ing. Only once We're we i'll any danger
of ~intruders, but it was SO late then that
| suppose they thought it was not worth
while. At one of the stops the man who
did most of the talking to me in the
morning happened to come past our open
door. He seemed paralyzed as he saw
nae sitting there pulling away at a corn
cob pipe. When he caught his breath
he said:
English or French tobacco you're
smoking"
American. Don't you like itg'
Il like American tobacco a good deal
better than / like American cheek
| rather think he had me there 4 a.
a EEfn rf = o1ss< 10 - H.. rA.-x-.