The daily Alaskan., 1906-01-20
A YANKEE TRICK
[origInal.l


 fin one of their compartments with rrtthroat or a lunatic Paxton, who was English born, defended the sys. ten. pronounclng the American plan only it for cattle moving. He declared thlt Americans preferred their cars be cause, having access to one another, they were free to practice their Yanket tricks on each other.
 He knows better than that" said Mrs. Paxton. At any rate 1 do, as l will prove to you if you will listen to me.
 Al one time, before was married, we were stopping in London. Father was busy all day with some financial affair, and mother was confined to the house under the care of nurse. l did all the sights of the city, includ- Ing the Tower, the British museum the parks, and then thought l would take a run to Hampton Court. l had no business to go of alone. It would have been all right at home, but there 1t was not in good form. In Paris 1t would have been impossible. Never theless I had just enough of Yankee h. dependence in me to make the trip, and, driving to the station, got aboard the train, stepping Into q first class carriage. was delighted to notice that was the only occupant and much dis appointed just before the train started at the entrance of a gentleman. With out noticing me he sat down in the far thest corner and buried himself in a newspaper.
 "Where had I seen that face before Was It at the National gallery or In Hyde park or both? It seemed to me that had seen it not only once, but several times. It could not have been at any social gathering-at least there had been no introductlOn-Or he would have given me an opportunity to bow to him. Instead he paid no more atten- ton to me than if had been a maid servant, though I wore my smartest costume just out of the tallOr's hands. '
 Were you out to catch a British husband?" laughed Paxton.
 What do you mean? NCI EHow l had no idea of such thing" snapped his wife. Then after q pause she went on with her story.
 "The man after reading his paper for few minutes began to ydwn. then fell asleep. Presently he began 10 uutter, 1 could only hear snatches of what he said, such as: There's q good time com ing Britannia rules the wave My love lives over the sea Then he would laugh and sing snltcheS of songs md talk again and laugh again, every time laughing louder than before.
 "Of course 1 was frightened out of my senses. I vowed that if l got out of the compartment alive l would ney' CT get Into another one. But l felt sorry for my travelling companion, who seemed to belong to the better class and was dressed like a gentleman"
 Did you fall in love with him, Lil' lie?" asked Paxton.
 Not at all. He-his delirium or insanity or idiocy, whatever 1t was kept increasing. put my head out of the window to see if l could get a guare, but there was none in sight, and 1 deslsted."
 Swearing. dear?" from the husband
 You know very well I did no such thing, but confess I abused the Eng fish system of railway coaches, and do not doubt the Englishman if he had been awake would have heard me plainly enough. He seemed to fancy himself in all sorts of places. At one time he was playing cricket, at another football, finally waking up with: 'Hur, rah! Kicked a goal by JOyen
 AS soon as his eyes were open he looked about him vaguely, then at me, Seeing that was disturbed about something, he asked very deferentially what 1t was and when I told him apOl, ogized, saying that he had had no sleep for several days, during which he had been engaged in exciting work, and supposed his mental apparatus had gone on working while he was asleep. He was perfectly sane and very gentle manlIke. Having opened Q conversa- ton, told him where I was going, and he gave me a great deal of information about Cardinal Wolsey's palace He said he knew all about 1t, because he had been studying 1t up in the guide book for the purpose of visiting 1t and was on his way there"
 You surely didn't permit a stranger to join you In that fashion" remarked the husband.
 What could I do? The gentleman seemed so interested In the palace and told me so many things that-well, we went through Hampton Court and back to London in the same compartment"
 'PhewF' exclaimed Paxton. Did you ever hear the like O thatT
 'I see nothing especially unconven- tional In it," I replied, siding with the wife.
 "Go on, my dear" said Paxton. Give us the rest of it. It's very excit- Ing, you know. Did he get delirlous on the way backY'
 NO, and I've never known him to