Los Angeles herald., 1893-01-09
OMNIA VINCIT AMOR.
HOW NELLIE GOT OFF THE TRAIN
AT LANCASTER.
A Story from Bakersfield About n Los
Angeles Man and q G:ri-Hs Tried to
Leave Nellie. but She umped
After Her Lover.

The traveller on the night trains fire.
auently witnesses some peculiar traits in
human nature, says the Californian of
Bakersfield.
Robert R. Taylor, the great grain
grower of Tehachepi, was last week
called to the deathbed of his sister in
Arizona. On returning by way Of Los
Angeles last Friday night, he was wit
ness OF an episode on train 10 which
took on the proportions of comedy in
three acts, and possibly eliminated in a
tragedy at Lancaster station.
party OF five elegantly dressed men
entered the train at the Angelic city and
were accompanied by a charming and
becomingly dressed young female as
compagnon de voyage. Their rather
boisterous behavior seemed to give the
impression that she belonged to either
one OF three things. Either she had
just entered the matrimonial state and
was on her wedding tour with one of
the party, or else she belonged to the
demi-monde and was out for ''lark" or
else she was non compos mentis and was
being deroyed to some asylum. That
some deep game was being played in
which she was the central figure, was
obvious to all of the passengers who sat
in the vicinity of the party. That all of
these conjectures were wide of the mark
was made apparent as the sequel will
show.
One of the men, as COON as they had
been ensconced in their seats, addressed
another, whom he called M, to pass one
of the bottles which he did, taking it
q in ho
from which they all took drink except
the one who was addressed as NJ, who
held the bottle for some seconds to
his lips but did not take drop, as Mr..
I Taylor, who was watching them closely,
could swear to. He removed the bottle
and told one of the others to pass an
other bottle as be did not care to have
his little wife drink from the same bottle
that they had been "slobbering into"
This was done and passed to the woman,
who peremptorily declined to touch it.
Interest began to increase among the
spectators and various speculations we're
rife that some game was up and that the
second bottle was drugged, as change
OF tactics Immediately ensued. The
male portion of the party became up
roariously drunk, apparently, drinking
every few minutes, always importuning
the woman to join them, who as per-
sistently refused, they dancing and sing
ing during the interlude between drinks.
At length M. became suddenly very in
toxicated and fell over, apparently limp
and helpless, against the woman, who
did not seem to be in the least discon-
certed thereby.
One of the party then lifted the ap-
parently helpless man to another seat,
where he played the part of intoxication
to perfection. Meantime the others
kept up their hilarity, singing, dancing
and drinking, while the woman kept q
dignified silence, looking on with per-
feet sang froid and keeping watchful
eye on the drunken man.
Finally the scene became so uproar-
ious that the conductor remarked to Mr.
Taylor that he would pnt stop to it if
anyone made complaint. He stated
that the woman had ticket through to
Chicago and that her escort had none.
She had also ticket for berth in the
Pullman and was constantly urged to
retire, promising that as soon as her os-
tensible husband became able they
would see that he followed her, which
proposition she likewise refused, but
still kept an eye on the sleeping man.
1t then began to dawn on the silent
spectators of the scene that the comedy
was approaching denouement. and so
it proved as the train approached Lam
caster, where No. 20 passes it, en- route
for Los Angeles and the east.
1t was evident that they were trying
to give the woman the "dead shake" for
some reason.
At this iuncture the sleeping man,
discovering that all of the ruses were
unsuccessful. suddenly became "beasuly