Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-04-11
WHIST PLAYING ON TRAINS.
Commuters Who "ISin Titne'' Daily with
Cards and Have "a Special Car.

Commuters Who s'Kin Time' Daily will
Cards and Have "a Special Car.
Regular travellers to and from thei
homes in the suburban towns and some o
them far beyond the actual boundaries o
the suburbs of New York city, must oh
serve the rush and push OF the com muter,
who get on the railrond trains ut the vari
! GUS stations, each with u set purpose oi
passing the interval of time in what he
considers the most profitable way. Some
will make rush for full seat in the reg
ular coaches. and IL another person-espe-
cially woman with babe and three or
four bundles in her lap--drops in the seat
beside him his brow will roll itself into
deep corrugations.
These men will employ themselves read
Ing the morning newspaper, and perhaps n
few will sit and simply look vacant or drop
off into nap. Others will make dive for
the smoking car or the baggage ear, and it
may be ut once concluded that they have
no intention OF reading or conversing with
their neighhors, but are bent on whist
playing, custom that has become general
and is likely to become universal
The great corporations who provide
transportation for the commuters to and
from their various employments in the
metropolis have come to understand that
1t Is demanded of them that they furnish
facilities for recreation during the fifteen.
twenty or fifty miles Of travel each day, and
this recreation is card playing. But it is
rare, indeed, that a game is played for u
stake, great or small
An incidental observer of these card play
ing commuters might conclude that there
are threediiferent grades, forced upon them
by their financial circumstances. Yet this
matter OF finances is not what governs, for
the man who can afford to pay $50 or 800
year for his annual Communication to and
from his country home can hardly be said
to be victim OF poverty
The smoking ears, and there are two on
most OF the trains, are fitted with small
tables, and the struggle to lie first In the
seats rs the train draws up TO the station
suggests anything else than sober minded
and dignified men.
Other groups will rush for the baggage
car, where will be found lap boards and
camp chairs, provided and cared for by the
baggage master, to whom each quartet
gives "cumshaw" of dollar a week for
this courteous duty. And the baggage
master is careful to see that none Other
than the regular players have the use OF
these boards and chairs.
LUZ rtiis utilltHt OF seek more exclusive
and luxurious privileges by having car
solely to themselves. For instance, there
are about thirty Of the commuters on the
New York, New Haven and Hartford rail
road from Stamford to New York who pay
for and enjoy the luxury Of IA special car,
and Tor which each commuter pays the
company fifty dollars a year In addition TO
the regular fare.
This car Is attached to the train which
leaves Stamford ut 7:i5 o'clock each morn
Ing, arriving at the Grand Central station
Mt $50 o'clock, and returns at 5:02 O'Clock
In the afternoon. 1t is completely fur
nished with tables, seats, cards, wash
stands, towels, soap, etc. thus giving every
requisite desired and no person other
than the members of the whist club, ex
cept upon invitation of one of the mem
bers, is permitted to ride in the car, no
matter how many passengers there may be
on the train. IL is, for the time being, the
personal property OF the players. New
York Tribune.