Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-02-18

friend, as smoothly as sweet oil. at
is an outrage. l asked the officials, or
rather my friend did, whether they
would not put on an extra carriage, and
they refused to do so. In England we
do these things very much better, for
such over-crowding of carriages would
never be permitted on any first-class
line"
Il was not addressing you, sir" said
the Old man peevishly.
"Oh, then, I beg your pardon;
thought you were. hope you will ex-
cuse me, for l know how annoying it is
to be waiting for party, and then have
the party turn up to late"
The lady smiled again at the polite
young man, and the old gentleman kept
on muttering, but not so loud that we
could hear what he said.
A gong changed, and the porters ran
hither and thither shouting to the pas
sengers to take their seats. My friend
put his head out of the window and
called to one Of the railway men; a
Poi SNi SaillC W IuC "iuuOWs
Il see, sir" said my friend to the old
gentleman, that your party is going
to be left behind. Now if you will tell
me which articles belong to them will
give them in charge Of this porter, who
will return the articles to them when
they arrive"
He picked up the portmanteau which
had been in the place he now occupied,
and thrust it through the window to
the porter, telling him in French that a
party was coming who would be left
behind.
"Will you leave that alone?" cried the
old gentleman, rising and snatching the
baggage.
But, my dear sir" said my friend,
protestingly, you are surely not going
to carry the other folks luggage with
you? Think of them left in Paris with
none of the comforts of life"
"They will come by the next train"
said the old gentleman, placing the
portmanteau up in the rack again.
'They may have made up their minds
to stay week." said the young man.
The lady put the book she had been
reading up to her face and laughed out
right. Her husband looked at her with
an expression of disgust on his highly
colored face.
tits no trouble to me at ALL" contin-
ued the young man, blandly, ito put
out the luggage and give it in charge OF
a porter. 1t will be all right. have
seen it done hundred times, and the
train is just about to depart"
will you oblige me by attending to
your own business?" exclaimed the old
gentleman.
ooh, certainly" said the young man.
settling back in his place as the train
moved slowly out Of the station. There
was look Of baffled benevolence on his
face that was most touching.
"But, you see, I know what it is to
be left without luggage and I merely
wished to be of service to your party"
Hang your service! / don't want
any of it."
mo. probably not; but those that ara
left behind, sir; you should think Of
them; you should, indeed. sir: but then
it must be consolation for you to know
that through your kindness two persons
have obtained places in this train;
many another man who had party
coming would have bundled us bodily
out Of the compartment"
"It is what should have been done,"
cried the old gentleman.
"Oh, don't say that, / beg Of YOU"
said the young man, looking inexpres-
sibly hurt, but the old man was not to
be drawn out any more. He took the
English paper that he had paid three
times the London price for, and began
reading it. The young man, after sew
eral fruitless attempts to engage him
in conversation and learn some of his
opinions on the news Of the day, noticed
that the second wife was reading a
book whose pages were uncut, so he
took from his inside pocket small
ivory paper-knife that he always car
ried with him and sitting opposite her
offered the use of it. She thanked him,
and greatly to the old gentlemans an
noyance, talked in friendly manner
with him until we came to Calais; here
the young man insisted upon shaking
hands with both of them, and again
mentioned his deep regret that the
party had been left behind, but his ex-
pressions of sympathy were entirely
thrown away, for the old gentleman
took his second wife under his wing
and ordering all the luggage to be taken
on tho boat, departed. The second wife
looked over her shoulder and smiled at
the young man who had helped to be-
guile tedious railway journey.