Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-10-25
IT INVITES CONFIDENCE.
Strangers who Are Travelling Grow
Cosby with Each other
on the Road.

ng, said man recently who spends
a good share Of his time on the road.
relates the Chicago Chronicle. (which
induces condolences which one would
never make if he were at home Even
during short trip on a sleeper one
confides things to total strangers
which be would never dream of tell
ing under other circumstances I can
understand how during long trip at
sea traveller might become confiden-
tial with those he did not know, but
the condolences on a sleeping car 1
never can reconcile with the natural
reserve of well-balanced people.
"A crowd of men. absolute strangers
TO each other, will find themselves GO
ing in the same car for a nights ride.
After they have dined en- route they
meet in the smoking compartment of
the sleeper and get out their pipes or
cigars. After taking look around to
size up the rest of the crowd, some one
will start the conversation with a gen
eral and noncommittal remark and
this break the ice. In a few minutes
~ aAt al as AnOukh tuF1
had known each other all their lives.
This fact is not so remarkable as are
the subjects which they confide TO
each other. They speak with absolute
frankness which is sometimes start
ling. | have heard men in a crowd
like this tell facts about their business
shich if made public might have re-
suited in serious loss to them. / have
heard the and they seemed TO be
sensible-appearing men, too, disclose
family matters which should have |
been confided only to their physicians
mo one ever appears 10 be shocked |
or astonished by these revelations. and |
at the end of such a relation as / have |
just mentioned. others will often /
match ii by something just as candid |
from their own personal experiences.
While | was riding west one winter |
night several years ago I had for
travelling COMPANION a man whom I
had never seen before. Without any /
prelude or excuse he sud-
denly started to sell me the story of
his early business career in Wyom-
ing. II was a record of robbery.
cheating and injustice TO others the
like Of which | never expected to hear
from anyone He con-
fessed with something like pride TO
having gotten his start IN life by
'rustling' cattle, justifying himself
by saying that if he had not done this
others would have done It, He told
how he and several others had band
ed together and stolen nearly 500
head of cattle in 10 months. He also
how, after he had stopped this
practice ana become a large ranch
owner, he got government contract.
He confessed TO robbing Uncle Sam
out Of several thousands of dollars
with the connivance of some army Off
GERS He gave me the names of the
men and the date of the transaction.
He seemed to think that IL was all
right because he had paid the officers
liberal commissions. Il
From his own account he was
worth several hundred thousands of
iollars now. and he professed great i'm
fgnation at the news he had lately !
received about a neighbor of his who {
lad stolen two calves from his ranch |
lie saidhe was going to fix him. which
meant that he would probably shoot
linn on sight. He talked politics and 2
old how he was elected state sena- c
or once by little juggling Of votes '
fter the ballots had been cast. but \
e bitterly resented the late interfer- I
ncs Of railway which had got a bill 4
through the legislature without his
clip.
Il never saw but one instance Of
hese confidential men being brought :
D book We were going through Tex Q
5. There were three of us in the =
moker. and one OF the three was a
Dung man who was evidently very r
nNious to tell something. l could D
e that he was trying o break into
lie conversation which the other man 4
nd myself were having. Finally
hen a chance came in the talk he c
egan. II was rather impersonal at a
rst. but soon he began 70 get around o
himself. He disclosed the fact that =
; was from the western reserve of
hio. But he had none OF the west Z
n reserve about him, and that was
hat got lin into trouble He had
i talked but a mile or two when my Y
mpamon. who had not apparently
en- listening with great interest. sud-
My said: Your name is - y
1T itP The young man said 1t was.
d then Immediately saw that he had
ade mistake. but il was too late.
r the other had clasped a pair OF
ndcuffs over the fellows wrists. He
{ five years for embezzlement. so /
terward read
Il have heard men tell perfect
-angers alleged facts about their
YES which should have been confided
no one but their pastors, and ex-
sc family history which not even
; pastors should have known. I
nj know why il is that when men
retail their knees together in a
ok6r that Such nroNinffv fna,,c..