Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-02-26
ON A "MIxED" TRAIN.
IL Was So Slow the Boy Had outgroun
His Ticket.


The particular point of the following
l have heard in different ways, but the
incident / have in mind, coming under
my own observation, was too good to
pass, and we will consider it fresh and
new, for ! am very sure that the dis
gusted grandmother of my story had
not the remotest idea that she was lay
ing herself liable to the accusation of
plagiarism.
Dear reader, did you ever ride for
any considerable distance on mixed
railroad train--that is, train made up
of passenger coaches and freight carsf
If you never have, then you know not
how steam-power can be insulted; you
know not what weary, wretched wait
ing on railroad really means
Years ago, when the Western Della
ware and Reading railroad was first
opened to public travel, l purchased a
ticket at Wilmington, Del, for Read
ing, Pa, distance of somewhere about
sixty miles; and when l came to enter
my car, l found myself on board one
of those mixed trains. There was vast
ly more freight than there were passen.
gers.
For myself, however, did not par,
ticularly suffer. The road ran for its
whole distance through the beautiful
valley of the historic Brandywine, and
as was not driven for time, l found
plenty of enjoyment in the picturesque
scenery that was continually opening
to my view. Much of it was grandly
magnificent, and all of it interesting
and, what was very favorable to sight
seeing, lost no pictures Of the pano
rama through rapidity of transit
But it was not so with others. Many
were in a hurry, and the grumb bling and
growing was general At nearly every
stopping place there was freight to be
left, and freight 10 be taken on. The
regular hands of the train were moi
paid, they declared, to handle freight
and they worked charity; and, more
over, those stopping-places were many
and frequent You can, perhaps, inn
agine the speed of that train.
We left Wilmington at 1880 a. m. A
noon we had made not more than hal
the distance to the end of our route. A
4:3O p. m. we arrived at the junction
of the Philadelphia and Reading rail
road, about five miles distant from thu
latter city, nine mortal hours on thu
road thus far!
AS we approached this place, wher'
we were to strike on to the other road
our conductor came along to take VI
the tickets of the passengers. Yer.
near to me sat an elderly lady, accom-
panied by boy, who, during the lonI
and tedious trip, had called her grand
ma. When the conductor came to her
she gave him two tickets, one of whicl
had corner cut off, signifying onl.
half ticket. The official looked at tn
ticket, then at the strapping boy, ant
then he looked back upon the elderl,
lady.
Say, my good woman. dye call tina
boy of yours the kind of a boy to rid
on half-ticket?"
Never did human face express NOR
of disgust-more of bitter repugnanc
and dudgeon, than did the face of tina
woman-and the face had been so mil
and so benignant at times in pratt
with her grandson. She looked int
the mans face; and she answered him
in tones which you may imagine;
when bought that ticket it wa
all that was required for this boy.
he's outgrown it since, it isn't m
fault"
The conductor passed on withor
further remark; and, really, though
he enjoyed it; for evidently he was nc
fond of running that mixed train. IN
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