Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1902-07-23
MY FELLOW
PASSENGER
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a fellow countrywoman, and had be-
come engaged to her. She was travel
ing with her aunt. She was now in
London, where she had gone to meet
her parents, who were coming from
America. l was to join her there and
receive their inspection.
Crossing the channel at Calais, took
the train at Dover for London. I had
become an inveterate smoker among
the Germans and was much pleased to
find the compartment / entered entirely
unoccupied, so l read and smoked till
we stopped at station not far from
London, when a gentleman got in the
compartment with me and at once be-
gan to snuff the air ominously and let
down the windows. Irritated at being
thus disturbed, smoked on.
pardon me-" he said. as this a
smoking carriage"
Now, at the university had learned
all sorts of queer methods of hood
winking and browbeating and other
wise getting the better of people. The
German student is reckless, good ma
tured, thoughtless individual, who new
err stops at any daring method Of at
tanning his ends. 1t occurred to me to
brighten the man into leaving the car
riage, so that l could smoke on undis-
turbed. Without needing his question
l glared at him. Then, leaning back in
the cushions, l began to humble in
coherently. The gentleman looked at
me inquiringly for few moments,
then unfolded paper and began to
read. When his ticket was taken, he
whispered something to the guard, who
looked at me sharply, then said:
"Very well, sir I'll put you in an
other compartment at the next sta
ton"
Much pleased with the success Of my
maneuver, | smoked on, expecting soon
to be relieved entirely of one so mar
row minded as to object to that smoke
which l had come to consider as nat
ural an element for man to breathe as
the air of heaven.
When we reached the next station,
the guard appeared at the door, ac-
companied by two policemen, who got
into the carriage and without word
of explanation proceeded to handcuff
me.
"'E's the man." said one; italics to
the description hexcellent."
"When did he escape?' asked my fell
low passenger.
"Larst night, sir. The keepers hev
been lookin' for i'm heverywhere."
I was taken from the carriage, leav-
ing the compartment to the gentleman
who did not smoke and whom I OBJ
served as l was led away settling him
self to his paper with as much COM
placency as if nothing had happened.
I was taken to a third class carriage,
where l could breathe not only smoke,
but garlic and onions, to my hearts
content.
When we arrived at London, l was
landed in an insane asylum. where 1t
was discovered that an error had been
made in installing me for an inmate
who had escaped the night before.
Nevertheless it was two days before /
could convince the medical attendants
that / was a sane man. Then l was
discharged, went to my hotel, dressed
and proceeded to call upon my fiancee
and her family.
On the way thought over a number
Of nice speeches to be made to Mrs.
Arnold, bringing in how agreeably sur
prised | was to find her so much
younger looking than l expected. just
the mother for such a daughter, and
all that. Then / turned over in my
mind the most appropriate greeting for
her father. found it more difficult to
strike something clever and appropri-
ate for the man, for men do not take
SO kindly as women to compliments,
but l succeeded in inventing several
speeches, all of which expressed sur
prise at something which was better
than / had expected, intending to
choose the most appropriate when I
should see the subject for whom the
remarks We're intended.
l was first received by Mollie alone,
impatient to hear the cause of my de-
lay. Not caring to reveal the episode
In which | had been so ingloriously
worsted. told her had been delayed
in my departure. Then her mother
came in. and ! was presented and look
ed over. Though the ordeal was a
trying one, | delivered myself Of my
compliments with rare assurance and
success. While in the midst of a flow
cry speech | heard a footstep in the
hall and turned on the mental switch
that would fire fine words at the ia
Their.
Great heaven! He was my fellow
passenger!
The moment he saw me he recog
nized me. Confusing ideas were strug-
Cling in his brain. l was the lunatic
yet there | was. in immaculate even
ing dress, looking as sane as any one,
an accepted sutton for his daughters
hand. | stood looking at him with
flaming face, wishing the floor would
open and let me down out of sight
My prospective father-in-law then
and there won my heart. Without
any reference to what had occurred
Between us he advanced and grasped
my hand. "Mollie," he said, "has CIV
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