The sun., 1894-03-11
SLEEPING CAR ODDITIES.
Bsdroom Car. Are the " west Of the Might
Coaches.

| A thought that doubtless occurs to many
who travel frequently on our railways 10 that
| the leading trunk lines are consciously or un-
| consciously making long R-distance railway
| travel very like steamship travel. Tut only TOR
! the men. One OF the great roads throws a SOD
to the women In the form OF ladies' or wait
ing maid who is n nxod part OF the crew Of
each train, but it is the men who appreciate
| the growing similarity to steamship travel.
| They can move to and fro between their
| Rtaterooms and the smoking room. where
! they may smoke. play cards drink. or chat.
| The three meals a day in the dining cars
! bring as many more breaks in the routine but
these visits to the diner" are the only ro-
! freshing changes for the women. who grow
| more and more numerous in the cars.
The newest thing In railroading takes the
| form OF bedroom sleeping cars OF great
magniicence but uncertain promise that one
company now runs between New York and
| Chicago on the fastest flyers These cars
| carry a strong suggestion OF being English.
and still stronger resemblance to the old
Mann boudoir plan OF car building. They df-
fer from the Mann patent In having the rooms
on one side as far as the middle Of the cnr.
where the hallway turns across the car. aud
the rest OF the bedrooms are on the other side
OF the car. Tho bedrooms are comparatively
largo. and each one contains an upper
anu lower berth. wushstand with
running water. aud the main appurtenances
of the retiring room that are found
In the cars Of older style. The beds are
bigger-that is. wider than the old sleepers.
and IL two friends or married coupie secure
one OF these rooms they are certain TO enjoy .
better nights rest and more comfort generally
than ever came to them in the old style opens
saloon sleepers. Women can undress In their
rooms with the doors shut. without fear of
intrusion. and with plenty OF room for the
operation. and so can men. Once iu bed there
Is no danger OF any ones falling in upon the
sleepers as a curve is turned and some luck-
less pedestrian Is flung through the curtains.
Each room can be ventilated as desired. and
the snores and baby's cries and bedroom odors
Of tho old style cars are all shut out OF these
private rooms
But In all probability the average traveller
will never know. until he gets In one OF these
new cars. how much he liked the chance the
old style cars gave for looking at the other pas
sengers. The other passengers lightened the
journeys. They were interesting and anus
ing. and enduring friendships were often
made between men and men and women and
women in the open saloon sleepers. Now the
traveller gets into one Of these new flying beds
chambers and understands at once that he
may only see out OF one side Of the car. and
may only look at whoever has the other
berth In the same room. He the other
mans bag and umbrella OH the other seat
and wonders what sort OF a man lie will prove
to he. for whatever sort he is TINT man and he
must sit knee to knee oil the time they are IN
their stateroom.
Suppose" said one OF four passengers who
met In the smoking car OF such train going
out the other night. suppose your roommate
happened to be u maniac. like the fellow met
in Pullman car in Virginia few weeks ago.
what then :"
"Oh. Lordr RaspeG numb two
But suppose" said the third man. that 10
was woman with baby. such as I met IN
the way to Buffalo not long ago. when by graz
cious-the baby took the most strange liking
for m e. and would sit on my Ian by the hour.
and wound up at night by yelling blue murder
until | took IL into the upper bunk. where 10
fell asleep with one arm around my neck"
But, heayensW said No. 4. surely they
don't put women into a closed bedroom where
a man has the other berth. Oh, ! say. con-
ductor what do YOU do il II woman has one
berth in one OF these bedroom ears aLd man
has tho other berth p
Well. that don't often happen" said the
conductor. The ticket agents try TO guard
AGAINST that by selling uppers and lowers to-
gether to separate single women who apply"
but suppose 1t does happen7 p
Well. then. We manage s9mehow. 1t hap
penea tonight Tut luckily found place to
nut the man IN another car and gave the
whole room to the lady"
questions. They asked what hapr-ncd If q
drunken map or n lunatic got into one NJ ,he-s
cause such people aren't al, owed on ihr trains.
Al !h' samr one OF the passengers told oi .
passengers was young English mill ionairs
with a silver plate on ton Of his head where
man had a doctor travelling with him, rrinci-
Ially to see that he got nothing sPiIiIuouS 20
he made the acquaintance 81 a. young
lady and her molher in tie Pullman
insuIted the. girl grossly. 4 man who
had been watching III" chap leAEef AZ him
doctor begged Tor his ratient and 80 csmsio
tell OF his misiPEtune ie had nsen thrown
The S syeT nsts THAI ntch the iuSa,e .oSSGs
the birth into which the girl had retired. and.
Sn ES.esd I2S he SR forssen ss The IN amas sr sg
gave him, in frightened voice through The
cracS o. the curtains, AL thrn me Iuns''e u
giTl screamed aud several men rolled our of
bed and tore the lunatic away rom her berth,
while the guardian doctor snored Obvious OF
viii such an 'cdotes the passengers amused
TO others who wished TO smoke. they went
back 10 their cells IN the nsW-fashoEed cars
time Wherever there was a family party or =
man and wife in one OF these rooms the new
ana happy voices Uttered thfoHeh the door.
ways. When all had sept and arisen aud
and thence the men went forward to the
great open smoking car with Its eaSy
chairs and tls bartender and barber, aud news
papers aud the rest. Then the four passsn-
gers met again and compared notes Of how
they had spent their first night on the new
cars one would say nothing good for or
about the night, or any feature OF it, because
some one had told h i'm the cars were Euglish-
an Absurlity. for there is no such thing as com.
fort in any form on the rails Ia Eugland But
the fourth man had had an eN DeTisnee.
90 went 10 bed alter my roommate had
turned 10" said he. and what | saw made me
Nery nervous on the seat in the corner was
shirt with a big diamond blazing IN u. on one
hook vas . waistcOat with gold watch aud
chain boldly displayed In one rocket and
against the cloth. Ol another nook hung q
pair OF trousers with the hip pocket 10 plain
sight and with a fat wallet IN the rocket.
went TO bed but could not sleep lest some 0nS
should oDen the door aud steal these treasures
ARd be suspsetsd Gs certainly should bS