Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-05-11
PUNCH'S EXAMPLE.

luo urbt CLASS oxuOx1u$ C0kI1880 wa
the emptiest in the whole train, and
even this was hot to suffocation, because
my only companion denied me more
than inch Of open window. His chest,
he explained curtly, was susceptible.
As we crawled westward through the
glaring country, the suns rays beat on
the carriage roof till i seemed to be
crushed under an anvil. counting the
strokes. had dropped my book and
was staring listlessly out Of the window.
At the other end Of the compartment
my fellow passenger had pulled down
all the blinds and hidden his face be-
hind The Western Morning News He
was q red faced, choleric little man of
about sixty. with q salient stomach, a
prodigiods nose, to which he carried
snuff about once in two minutes, and a
marked deformity of the shoulders. For
comfort, and also perhaps to hide this
hump, he rested his back in the angle
by the window. He wore black al
paca coat, q high stock, white waistcoat
and trousers Of shepherds plaid. On no
definite grounds, ! guessed him to be a
lawyer and unmarried.
Just before entering the station at
Lostwithiel, our train passed between
the white gates of level crossing. A
moment before had caught sight Of the
George" dropping from the church
spire, and at the crossing saw Il was
regatta day in the little town. The road
was full Of people and lined with sweet
standings, and by the near end of the
bridge Punch and Judy show was Just
closing a performance. The orchestra
had unloosed his drum and fallen to
mopping the back of his neck with the
red handkerchief that had previously
bound the pan pipes to his chin. A
crowd hung around, and among 1t
noted several men and women in black,
hideous blots in the pervading sunshine.
The station platform was thronged a.
we drew up. and it was clear ut once
that all the carriages in the train would
be besieged without regard to class. By
some chance, however, we were disre-
garded and escape seemed likely till the
very last moment. The guards whistle
was between his lips, when ! heard o
shout, then one or two feminine screams
and party Of seven or eight came tear
ing out of the booking Office. Every one
of them was dressed in complete black.
They were, in fact, the people I had seen
staring at the Punch and Judy show.
A moment later the door Of our COM
partment opened and we were invaded
They tumbled in over my legs, painting,
laughing, exclaiming, calling to each
other to hurry-an old man, two youths,
four middle aged women and little
girl about four years old. My choleric
fellow passenger leaped up, choking
with wrath, and shouted to the guard.
But the door was slammed on his indig-
nation, and we moved of. He sat back,
purple above his stock, rescued his
malacca walking stick from under the
coat tails of subsiding youth, stuck 1t
upright between his knees and glared
around at the intruders. They were still
possessed with excitement over their
narrow escape and unconscious Of Of
fense. One Of the women dropped into
the corner seat and took the little girl
ON her lap. The child's dusty boots
rubbed against the old gentleman's trou-
sers. He shifted his position, grunted,
and took snuff furiously.
THAT was nibby jibby," the old man
Of the party observed, while his eye wan
dered around for seat.
~ thought l should ha' died." said q
robust woman, with a wart on her cheek
and yard Of Grape hanging from her
bonnet. Cant zee find nowhere to sit,
uncley
Reckon | must shift pom your lap,
Sussnnah. This was said with q
chuckle, and the woman Uttered.
"What nsw tangled game be this O. the
Great Westerns. Arms to the seats,
declare. Well have to sit intimate, my
dears."
"'Tis first class" another woman an
nounced in an awed whisper. ~ saw II
pom the door. You don't think they'll
fine us"
"'T all comes Of our stoppin to glare
1t that Punch an Judy" the old fellow
went on, after 1 had shown them how
to turn back the arm rests and they were
settled In something like comfort. "But
never could refrain from that antic--
tho feels condemned, too, in q way
an poor Thomas laid in earth no Later
than IL this mornin. But in the mids1
Of life we are in DEATH"
81 don't remember more successful.
buryin," said the woman with the wart
"That was part luck, you sect beiI
regatta day an the fun O. the fair no
properly begun. l saw lot at th'
cemetery l didn't know by face, an
reckon they was mostly excursionist
that caught sight of funeral an FOL
Lowell it, to fill up the time"
swell, 1t all added"
"Oh. aye; Thomas was beautiful.
inferred"
Tho heat in the carriage by this tim
was hardly more overpowering than tn
smell of Grape. broadcloth and camphor
The youth who had wedged himsel
next to me carried large packet o
"failing." which he had bought at on
Of the sweet stalls. He began to inser
it into his side pocket, and in his strus
giles drove an elbow sharply into m
ribs. shifted my position little.
Toms wife would ha' felt it sourc
| o. pride, had she lived"
But ceased to listen; for In movin
had happened to glance at the farthe
end Of the carriage, and there my s'
tention was arrested by curious littl
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