Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1896-09-25
AN oLDscHooL GENTLEMAN
How the Mohawk Valleys Change to Cen
traI New Yors, Surprised Him.

I >
traI New Yor;, Surprised Him.
A delightful old man If the Josh Whit
comb type was l.aking his first railway
! Journey into the great wcrld the ether day
! in chair Ger on an east bound Central
/ lin tied Ills APPEARANCE was in curious
contrast t. lis surroundings, and he rec
ogl led the fact and seemed fully as much
entertain cd Ly it as were his fellow travel
ers. His raiinen:, like the wGircr, was
mary elousK5 vol preserved. but belonged
/ to remote cried. His square, strong
chin was 1ankcd by the Garing points Of
one of those high collars seen in old time
portraits, and his throat YVES eucircled by
voluininoIs folds OF fine white neckclOth.
I Upon his head rested an 'kaient white
beaver hat, concerning which he showed
considerable solicitude from time to time.
On his feet were colossal eowhide boots,
which obliterated the haSsock upon which
they rested and effcctually blocked the
liAssageway between the chairs
Pears like them feet was bigger than
most OF you folks have got, " observed the
old man gonially when a passenger tried
TO rnss round and finally had to climb
over them.
"Them boots i'll stand walkin. Thet's
what get EN- fur, though l realize thar
amt so much call now to wear out shoe
leather footin 1t when you can ride seven
or eight milo fur cents. "
The old man held carefully upon his
knees n square pasteboaTd box, which he
finally opened, revealing a neatly packed
luncheon. Ho took up q paper napkin
folded on top, remarking:
"Its II days now since l came of the
/ farm, whar I've lived tho better part Of
my life. An I've seen a powerful lot in the
time, but this day caps the hull Look
a-thar now at tho lunch tibet little cretur,
my third Cousins wife, put up fur me
told her I'd had enough of eatin S at taverns
when l used to travel In the stagecoach,
an I'd ruthor have bite with me. -
Just as the old gentleman got ready to
partake Of his "bite" tho train rushed into
the Syracuse station, and he promptly
shut up his luncheon box and devoted
himself to observations An engine stand
ing on the next track caught his eye, and
he became greatly exercised when the en-
gincer, in his blue jumper and overalls,
squatted on his heels on the step of the
cab to chat with Il friend,
"Hello, young fellorr he cried, pound
ing on the window and speaking through
the screen. II that ere engine gives
lurch you'll git pesky fall. "
The engineer grinned and 'sized up"
ut a glance, for he called out pleasantly;
"All right sir This engine won't go
far without me. !"
The old man waved n farewell as the
train started off, and then, observing the
length of the other train, exclaimed;
''I don't sec how one small engine Che
used the long II can draw such a powerful
lot Of cars. 1t seems like one can't un-
derstand how they do anything nova
days either. Thar amt time. It's sixty
odd years ago since / come first through
this Mohawk valley. Sixty odd years.
We was goin out into the far west, an we
was weeks on the way. had Martha an
the little ones in Vaughn, along with our
goods. We passed through the wilderness
whaF thar WIS fierce animals an lots of lit
tie wild creturs all about us. Did you
hear me say the Wilderness Well, today
they call it central New York"
After this climax he took of the white
beaver, ran the fingers of his big, brown,
knotted hand through his crisp white locks
and sighed as he leaned back and gazed
across the smiling summer fields fitting
by. Presently he produced an empty pipe,
remarking in general way to his neigh
bors as no placed it between his wFinkled
liPsi
'"P'raps can think If have this in my
mouth, but Pm somehow all upset. l
wanted to feel my feet on tho ground few
minutes, but they told me before l started
that thar wouldn't be no time an made
me promise not to get off till Silas' wife's
folks meet mo in New York. Then, you
sec, even If have plenty of time an know
I've got to start, I don't seem to feel easy,
l want to tnke my own timpW
Wont you come into the smoking
room, sir2'' inquired young man who
had been regarding the empty pipe with an
expression Of deep c0mmiseration.
''The smokin rOOmW exclaimed the old
gentleman, rising to his feet so suddenly
that he overturned the box of luncheon
provided by tho wife Of his third cousin.
''Smokin room Well, il this train isn't
tho darnedest place. Why, thar's bed
rooms, an sittin rooms, an dinin rooms,
an wouldn't wonder II thar's a meetin
house somewhat on boardr
The old man did not return, and by and
by woman asked the conductor what
had become of him. Tho answer was that
he was telling stories of frontier life In
western New York in the thirties to de-
lighted audience and had Just been heard
to say that he hadn't "hed SIGH a good
time since the fust lection In them parta 2"
New York sun,