The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1897-12-16
SLEEPING-CA MANNERS.
Two Girls Tell of Experiences with
the American Nan.

the american NAN.
There were three or four young wom-
en- in parlor car on a New Jersey rail
way the other day, and two of them
gave their experience in travelling alone
at night One had ventured the re-
mark:
The American men are always pO-
lite to women travelling alone. If they
are not. it is certainly the woman's
fault. She is forward. or common. or
something's
That started the conversations.
One girl didn't know about this and
protested:
Girls. YOU know / am not forward,
at least I hope | am not, or common,
and yet had very unpleasant expert
ence once. | was going to Pittsburgh
alone. Father and brother Frank went
over to Jersey City with me and went
on the western express at $50. Frank
had the tickets and found my section,
No. s. There were a satchel and over
coat and umbrella there, which he
moved to the next section.
I'VE had only time to get the illus
trated papers. say good-by, and | was
off
Il hadn't turned the second page Of
the paper | had taken up, before we
were crossing the meadows. when was
startled by gruff voice saying: Who
moved my things l found my paper
too interesting to look up. Again he
shouted: Who moved those things
This is my section. and want my
| things put back in it..
II felt my face getting hot. but said
nothing. He picked up his satchel, sat
down in No. opposite. unbuttoned his
shoes. kicked first one. then the other
| across the aisle under my feet put on
| slippers and travelling cap. hung his
hat over my head. then went for the
porter. who had just come in. He
growled something at him and heard
| the porter say: 'Don'no. sab: have to
see the Pullman conductor He went
| into the next car. | called the porter.
| found my tickets were all right. and
| wondered what would happen next.
| didn't have to wonder long. In he came
again. and, girls, he was tail. broad
shouldered, elegantly dres>ed-looked
a gentleman, anyway, though he
| wasn't one. He said something to the
porter about d mistake. then came over
| to me, and. bowling, said:
~ made Il mistake. ask your par
| don
Il know my face bazed then. ! did
| feel so insulted to think he could kich
his shoes under my feet and then apollo
! gize. I looked straight at him and
said: 1 think it time YOU asked my
pardon: YOU are the rudest man | ever
met in all my life He stood there long
enough to tell me that if he had known
| that was | that Kind of woman he
i never would have apo,oeized and then
went back to his section.
AT Philadelphia some one he knew
came in and he must have told him all
| about it. for, in one of those mysterious
| luliS which on the train are just like
| those at a concert, we all heard him
say: i went up aEd told her I'd made
mistake and asked her pardon, but
| she was so cursed sassy | was sorry I
did Now. girls. was that my fault
You see. even an American will be rude
| sometimes to women"
The champion of men took back
seat, and a jollylooking girl gave her
experience.
Mine was just funny girls, and guess.
| my own fault. | was alone. too. One
night we were going across the Ale
ghanleS, and the train rocked like mad
| had watched several people land in
the place they hadn't wanted to land in.
| and was getting good deal of amnse-
ment. | called the porter to have mv
berth made up. walked mp the car, sat
down without a mishap. patted myself
| on the back. and wondered why the
| other passengers weren't so agile. As
| came back | noticed a man sound
| asleep. arms folded. head down. and
hat over his eyes. As | came opposite
him the train gave a fearful lurch: |
felt myself going. and grabbed some
thing. 1t was the mans neck: | was
on his lap. arms round him. My head
struck his head. and his hat flew into
the next seat. He said merely: Good
Lord' and I was gone. | didn't look
back. | just crawled in between my
curtains. Then had to laugh"-N. Y.
| Sun