Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1900-09-29
A TRAVELLING MANS
EXPERIENCE IN THE WEST.
A New Yorker Grows Reminiscent in
West-Bound Pullman.


a West Bound Pullman.
"You'II have to excuse me this time
gentlemen, you know [ never was an
adept in art of storytelling" answer
ed ioviaI John Randall, the wooden
goods man, to party of fellow
"Knights of the Grip" in the smoker
of west bound Pullman.
"That'll do totell a stranger or one
who doesn't know you, jack an
swered one the party.
''To be candid with you, have ez-
hausted my old stock, and have not
been out on this trip long enough to
accumulate a new supply"
"But you've been making seminar
nual trips across these plains and
through the west for a good many
years now, and surely, you have met
with some experience worth repeat
ing"
81 don't know but what I have; let
me see-yes, it was on one of my
summer trips; the summer of 81 I
believe, that [ met with an expert
ence that has played quite an impor-
tant part in my life, and hope may
continue to do so. [ had inspected
carefully, the packing of my trunks
in the house in New York." began
Randall, "and saw that they we're
delivered to the depot and properly
checked. That night, while wander
ing around in the depot, I met
George Scroggs, an intimate friend
of mine, who had come to say fare
well to an acquaintance of his, Miss
Hamilton, who was bound for the
Rockies, in search of health.
"'Comeinto the ladies' room, Jack,
he said, 'and I will introduce you;
she is accompanied only by her
mother, and perhaps you may be Of
assistance to them en- route
"In Difference to my friends wishes
I submitted to the formality of an
introduction. The ladies informed
me that they were going over the
Pennsylvania system to Chicago, and
thence via the o. to Denver. I real
lied that l was in transfers, water for
the invalid, and other numerous So
called gallantries, more becoming to
a trained nurse. But as my mileage
was over the same routes I could do
nothing but express my delight at
having two such pleasant travelling
companions.
'Ou. journey across the country
progressed quite fayorably and all
went we'll until we left Kearney. One
doesn't dare raise the window for
fear of suffocation in a deluge Of
sand, and the atmosphere in a rail
way coach in summer with the win
dows tightly closed, is almost beyond
human endurance. We had not
travelled more than fifty miles when
my charge began to suffer from
smothering spells and during one of
these, the labored coughing brought
on a severe hemorrhage. From pity
or some unaccountable source, I be-
gan to realize that my interest in this
Miss Hamilton was of that peculiar,
kind that rapidly
kindles a fame Of stronger feeling.
Thus. my increasing interest in her
me to make inquiries re-
garding her affection. Her mother
told me that she had left New York
to return a corpse. The
best and most celebrated specialists
in the country had been consulted
and were unanimous in the opinion
that she was in an advanced stage of
that dreaded disease, consumption,
by the ravages Of which, they in
formed her, one lung was entirely
consumed. Her only hope was in
prolonging life for few months, and
this could only be effected by a So
journ in the mountains.
I've had travelled together for five
days, and when we reached Denver
instead of parting with my friends at
that place accompanied them On to
Colorado Springs. I couldn't tell
you how it happened, but in less
than week, I asked Miss Hamilton
to be my wife. She told me she
could not listen to me that she liked
me very well and all that but She
would not reach her hand out Of the
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