Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-07-09
An Easy Chair.

ing himself comfortable, but it is only
within the present eeHtury that his eff
forts has been crowned with success.
Take the matter of chairs for instance.
1t was long time before the descend
ants of Adam and Eye could devise any
thing better for a seat than log or a
boulder. And even when chairs were
invented, they were reserved for Kings.
Emperors. Priests and high personages.
Among some so-called civilized nations
of the present day, sitting eross-legged
on mat is the only method recognized
as the correct thing, even in Japan,
whose people are styled the Yankees
of the Orient.
OF all the people of the world, the
American is the leader in that which
conducts to comfort, and it is in our
own country improvements are eagerly
adopted. The inhabitant of the cottage,
as well as the dweller in the palace, in
sists that his furniture shall be easy and
luxurious. Accustomed to his cushion
ed chair and slippers at home, the
American when he travels requires the
same attention paid to his comfort. he
will journey not only swiftly but softly
and easily. Every effort is made to
satisfy the demand, and hence the evo-
luton of the sleeping, parlor and din
ing cars for railroad travel. These,
however, were so far luXuries that their
enjoyment involved expense beyond the
cost OF a railroad ticket, and thus many
worthy people were debarred from the
enjoyment of the rich. The question
confronted the railroads, Must thou
sands of independent American sover-
eigns be made to feel that they are only
just common peopleP Perish this
thought! We will provide them better
than even the Injuries coaches now IN
use, and this accommodation shall be
! free" The result of this determination
was the reclining chair car. To be
sure, the traveller bound for ST. Paul,
Minneapolis or the bright bustling cit
les that dot the shores of the majestic
Mississippi could enjoy the Pullman
sleeper or the parlor car, but uniform
ed guard stood at the portal aud exacted
round fee for entrance. The Bur-
liugton has been quick to discern and
prompt to supply what would add to
the comfort of the travelling public, and
now places in its day trians a service of
reclining chair cars, free of all charges,
fees or exactions of any sort, Its day
trains, laundering along the east bank
of the Mississippi for full three hundred
and fifty miles, unroll before the travel
er's eye such panorama of scenery,
grand, beautiful and charming, that it
has gained the title of the "Scenic Mis-
sissippl River Route" To these trains,
leaving Minneapolis and ST. Paul every
morning. except Sunday, and Chicago
every evening. except Saturday, are
now attached the chair cars, No. $50,
No. 553 or No. $50 Let us board one
of these for trip southwark. Entering
tie vestibule we are in a short aisle, on
one side of which, neatly enclosed, is a
Baker heater, which maintains an agree
able temperature by circulation of hot
water III pipes running the whole longth
of the car. On the opposite side is the
ladies lavatory. Enter the body of the
car. From the floor, composed of mar
row strips of dark and light woods alter.
mating, to the richly polished dark pan
cling of the sides, ana the lighter and
more brightly decorated ceiling, from
which depend double lamps or crystal
glass and glistening nickel, we find
nothing but what is pleasing to the eye.
speaking of comfort and ease. Passing
through, in the other extremity is a
commodious smoking room and lava
tory for the use of gentlemen, the size
of which is a surprise to those who are
familiar with the narrow limits of other
cars. Now that we have had our
smoke, let us set down with our
fellow passengers. The seat is roomy
no crowding from your fat nelghbor
let the side arms back couple of not
ches and you could not be more delight
fully ensconced in your easy chair at
home. To your left is the placid and
beautiful Lake st. Croix. The lofty
bluffs and the magnificent sweep OF the
river are wonderful in their loveliness.
And now we swing around the towering
heights of ssMaiden's Rock" and the
broad blue expanse of Lake Pepin comes
into view. There is flutter of ribbons
among the ladies on the right, cram
ing of necks out the windows, ana ex