Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-24
4-s-.
%JLITERATURE AND LIFEI j.
! AIN. !
George Francis Train.


characterized his business schemes, was
carried into his courtship. AT the age
of 81 he started lei a western trip foi
the firm. At Syracuse. he noticed
lovely girl taking leave OF some stu
dents. He turned to his companion ant
we'll let his own words tell the ro-
nance:
Look at that girl with the curls,'
said.
d You know herr" asked my COM
panion."
Il never saw her before but she shall
be my Wife whereupon | snatched VI
my satchel. rushed over to the caI
which the girl had entered, and dropped
into a vacant seat opposite. An elderly
gentleman was her companion. MY
chance came sooner than / expected,
The gentleman tried to raise the window
sash but could not move it: it had as
usual stuck fast. | sprang lightly and
quickly across the aisle, and said:
Permit me to assist YOU and adding
my strength to his, raised the window,
Both he and the young lady thanked
me. The old gentleman went further,
and asked me to tax the seat directly
opposite them, on the same side of the
car. I did So, and we entered n con-
versation.'
From the conversation, Train learn
I'd the old gentleman was q family
friend escorting the young lady to her
western home. They would change at
Oswego. and take the boat.
Il Immediately exclaimed that l also
was going in that direction Ca lie of
course) and was delighted to know
we should be fellow passengers. In
such matters-for love is like war
quickness of decision is everything.
1 would nave gone in any direction
if only I could remain her fellow-pas-
cnger. So we arrived at Niagara Falls
together. DR.. Wallace was kind enough
to permit me to escort his charge about
the falls, and / was foolish enough
to do several risky things, in a sort Of
h~alf-conscious desire to appear brave
the last infirmity of a lovers mind.
I went under the falls and clalnbered
about in all sorts of dangerous places,
in an intoxication of love. 1t was the
same old story, only with the differ
ence that our love was mutually dis
and confessed amid the roar
ing accompaniment of the great cata-
We were at the falls forty-eight
hours, and before we left, were betroth-
ed"
Mr.. Train figured in politics,
ing as independent candidate for the
Presidency against Grant and Greeley.
AS the title of his boo signifies, he
was also an extensive traveller, break
ing the record around-the-world with
3 trips, the first of which suggested
World in Eighty Days" His third
trip Tin 60 days) he claims still holds
the record, no one thus far having out
done it.
The author cut also a dramatic fig
ure in the French Commune. from
which he barely escaped, altho it all
came about accidentally. On his first
tour of the world. he arrived at Mar
settles in the midst of the uprising and
was invited to join the Revolutionists.
They would not let him off without
least a speech. He addressed an
immense audience and aroused them
to fervid enthusiasm, and in this con-
n%ection, he relates the following dra-
incident:
II saw from my window. troops
marching down the street. I thought
it was our army and went out on the
balcony. shouting .Vive la Republique!
la Commune!' with the people
below. There was an ominous silence
In the ranks of the troops. Then l
-. +lo ,au. D,afant TSo~,lafto,, WAN
in a carriage with the army. Suddenly
heard a shot, and Gent dropped to the
bottom of the carriage. Som one
had tried to kill him, but missed, and
the project did not car to be conspicu-
Gus again. The troops halted directly
in from of the hotel, and / saw the
officers regarding with anger the flag
of the Commune floating from the bal
Orders We're given, and five men
stepped from the ranks and knelt, with
rifles in hand ready to fire. l knew it
was their purpose to shoot me. l do
know why, but felt that If the thing
had to be, / should die in the most
dramatic manner possible. There were
two other flags on the balcony, the
colors of France and America. I seized
both and wrapped them quickly about
me. Then I stepped to the front of
the balcony and knelt in the same mill
posture as the soldiers below me.
1 shouted to the. officers in French
Fire, you miserable towards! Fire up
on the flags of France and America
wrapped about the body of al Ameri-
can citizen-if you have the courage!!'
An order Vas given too low for me to
the kneeling soldiers dropped
their rifles, rose and rejoined the ranks.
Another order was shouted along the
line, and the troops marched dow the
street and out of sight.
The authors prison experience is I'M
ique, for n who has never committed
4 crime. The most temperate. law
and peaceful of men, Citizen
Train has been imprisoned fourteen
'in almost every sort of Jail that
man has DEVISED in the common jails
Of Boston, in police stations, in the
of England and Ireland,
in the hastile of Lyons. in the project
ure at Tours as the prisoner of Gam
BETA, dictator OF France, and in the
old tombs of New York. OF
well. They have been as schools to
me. where have reflected and learned
more about m~yself-and a mans own
self is the best object of anyone's
/ nave also made jails the
of fruitful ideas, and from them
lave launched many of my most USE
Jul projects and Innovations
Space will permit us no further peep
this interesting record. but to show