The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-26
TABLES TURNED ON TEE MEN.
They Ar. Now in Peril From Lone Women
In English Railway Cars.

llsh railway system has Its advantages and dis
advantages" said the woman who has Just got
back home, but shall never forget my exper-
ienco In one Of those little compartments on my
way from London to Brighton. Never
Il started from the Waterloo station. Tho
doors TO the compartments hung on their hinges
In long line and the trainmen running on ahead
Of mo looked into first and then the next try
ing TO flnd empty one. / had a frst-class
ticket for a wonder. As a rule there Is no more
solitary grandeur than travelling flrst-class In
England-only Princes and Americans can
afford II, you know--but contrary TO the usual
run Of things those carriages were all occupied
There is no other lady in this madam said
the man. but you will have to take It,
"No other lady! His meaning escaped me
IT doesn't matter at ALL assured him, and en-
tering. took my scat Fifty doors slammed
slowly and methodicaily ono after the other
and the rain started. Settling myself comfort
ably in one largo chair, and placing my vnlise
In another, looked carelessly about
"Diagonally ncross from me In q corner sat a
man. He and were the only occupants Of the
carriage Suddenly grasping the meaning OF
the trainman. gasped for air There was no
other woman In the compartment 10 help me scream
in case tho man proved 10 be a burglar In dis
guisc. The train going at terriffically
rapid rate for An English train; tho door was
closed, locked, in fact, and being n fast train
there wos no stop between London and brighton.
was at tho mercy Of tho wretchcd man
"Endcayoring 10 compose myself looked out
the window. Nauxhal swept by, likewise Clap
ham junction and numerous other stations
glanced stea,hily back at the man. lilo was
reading his paper I looked away. l looked
back again. Tho paper hid hts face. 1 kept
Yl.. 81, inn
vcalcd his eyes They were fixed on mel
with quick turn OF my head stared straight
before me at the padded cushion opposite, pune
tunted by buttons OF faded shade Of blue. Ono
by ono the tragedies Of English trains passed
iIg hastily procession. The story Of the girl
who, attacked by the burglar. flung herself out
the window and hung there by her finger tips
until some one at a station, seeing her swnytng
flag like. stopped the train and rescued her doomed
foremost As last extremity l concluded that
that WAS what would do
Once more l turned toward the man He
had dropped his paper. His head lay back on
tho cushion. lie was fast asleep. His appear.
ance was that Of innocence itself A babe In
arms could scarcely have seemed less harmless
| breathed easier. But was he fast aslecp2 Pres
emily an eye, opening the fraction OF an inch,
gazed furtively upon me- Well perhaps he
slept with eye open. had heard Of people
like that He remained motionless, 80 much so
that eventually arrived at tho conclusion thai
he really slept fell 10 thinking again
In tho event he attempted TO rob me. whnI
means had Of escape. barring the flying leap
out tho window. which, as a Inst resort would
have TO do but was a tribe dangerous to say
the least What II he took a notion to whack
| at the fingers grasping the sill with q knife
Horrorsl examined the interior infinitely
In tho centre above the scat a large electric
bell. I hailed IL at once as life preScrver. II
could onl y read the sign written beneath
Il cautiously observed tho man He con
| unued 10 sleep. the one eye still open but les,
wide than before. took courage. lie snorcd
| slightly. | took more courage Noiselessly
arose and stood. my frightened gaze fastened
upon him. ! moved step forward, another
| site the sign II read ~ this effect
by pulling this bell out TO It's las, limi, in.
and The Wsln Is Is inStsriiy stopped. The bel
cannot DO replaced In position by the ringer
Therefore. unless good aud sufficient, Gauss !,
viii be imposed ims ' as written in two Ian
| guages French and English;
4 had hardly finished reading the last wor,
when was startled by the rafting Of paper. Mul
one wild leap across the com partmrnt fcll all .
exhaustion brought on by fright When Iop"nct
! fashion Of infants He had accidentally puShe'
| foot That was all
"lpartinlly recovered. Ny brain began to worl
theme Five pounds So unIsss the man h U
! his fingers al my throat, mustn't ring the bell
aud then II would be- too late. ! sighed heavily
noise as Il il were going FAST /, ,lrovo ,hrouSi
miles oi beautiful scenery; but AT that niomen
continually drawn away from tho iine cultivate,
hills Ia the placid sleeping face OF the man. TIT
face itself was a. eSpressionless as a barn door
but that eye Hall open II " atched mo.
could only be in big Western coach Glicd viii
buttoned conductor thanked by two sturdy brake
| men in case Of q cowboy raid or something. yell
ing, Tickets. please instead Of in ,ha, little ole
Opened wider and wider yc. uombled Th
were now stretched to their utmost limit The,
fixed me. Gold perspirauon stood upon m!
clammy forehead. Eel, the color slowly, ooi
take its place. Suddenly he stood All hop
iorsook me, Given sulhcien, strength l woul
had in exchange for my life: but was speech
less paralyzed by fear, He approached. IL
seaS before me s,,, lie ho spike s;s, ~. ,,
wiss HE carriage viii be hllcd with smoke y,
window UP. fastened II firmly and excluded tn
smoke Then hen taking the scat opposite me- h
| began 10 Talk.
| MADAM said he, frightened as you are G
! me- you ARE not half 80 much frightened as
/ have been 4 you, don't you know"
| Il threw out my hand in a feeble gesture OF r,
| monstrancc. lie went on explaining
1T IN quite true he said. quite true. I can a,
sure YOU | have been frightened. very niue
frightened, indeed II Is like this, you 81,
There have been many cases you understand
in which lone women have been attacked by me
in English compartments. very very many case!
| acknowledge that, you know. but like ever
other question in the world you understand
IL has two sides, don't you know In fact. | cal
assure you that Of late the tables have bee
turned. They have, indeed can quite assul
you Of that, don't you know, Really, can
| Continuing, he proceeded to inform me tn,
during the preceding winter IL had become III
custom Of some women to board n carriage occl
pied by n lone man. don't you know, wait until
was fairly on It's way, you understand; then pu
the electric bell, don't you know. scream. go
understand: fall into violent Mysteries and d.
clare they had been In peril Of their lives Wht
was the consequence The police. don't yo
know, hand cuffs, you understand. and a dar
cell for the poor lone mani
| Really he avCrred, the thing had becon
10 serious that no amount OF money could pei
suade some Englshmen to enter a carriage ~
cupicd by woman, don't you know? No amour
Of money II was quite true, he assured M
necessity that they should do 80, IL was the
who trcniblcd. don't you know, who turned pal