Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-06-06

resort, the smoking apartment, To com
plete the travellers measure OF bliss,
There is small kick over the day Pull
man.
II would be difficult to conceive a more
hideous inferno than the Pullman sleeper
at night, though. Those who travel
enough TO get used to it say il is enduI-
able, but then, one eau even get used 10
being hanged, il is said. There is an air
OF stuffiness about the whole outfit, no
ticed the minute you enter the car, as
though ventilation were an unknown
science with the makers OF these trayell-
ing packing houses. Hard, upholstered
seats closely MI the car floor, with hard
ly chance to drop grip or bundle any
where. You get your proper assignment,
sit down and await developments. II
you are tired and want TO turn in early,
il is well to speak to the porter long
bout six o'clock, for after that he is
busy making up hunks for others. II the
car happens to be well filled, your turn
will come somewhere about eleven, prob
ably. Suppose you get impatient and
speak to the dignihed parsonage who is
lowering the berths and placing the bed
clothing with exasperating slowness, you
get a gruff answer that he will be along
your way after he has fitted up the Others
who placed their orders early in the after
noon. One porter only does the chamber
work for the whole car. There is con-
ductor, whose business ii is to relieve you
Of your tickets or mileage, which is really
more than ought to be expected OF one so
handsomely attired and cleanly shaven.
To ask him to lend hand in rigging
up the berths during rush would sub
ject the asker to immediate ejectment
from the rear of the moving train.
The process OF bed-making in Pull
man resembles the same process in those
altitudinous city flats where they yank a
piano around and convert it into a
couch, or transform a bookcase into a
sleeping cot. The porter moves you out
into the aisle while he fiops two seats to-
gether, cushioned side up, reaches up and
yanks down a section OF the car roof,
which serves as the platform for the up
per berth. From the Apartment uncov-
cred he draws forth brace Of beanbags
that serve as pillows until they get lost in
the sleeper's ears and have to be extracted
with gimlet. Sheets are produced,
spread over the staging Of both berths, a
board partition slipped in to separate
your quarters from the unfortunate next
door, your curtain is lowered and "bed is
ready"
Each "section" thus consists Of two
berths, upper and lower, each berth
about thirty inches wide and with room
between them for very slim person to
crawl in by drawing in his breath. The
occupant of the upper shelf scales to the
height by nimble exercise of calisthen-
Us, tdhihS thS PiOPel bioihSht W oiop
over the edge as the train rounds a
curve. 1t is a rule of the Pullman COM
pany to lower the upper berth, whether
it is taken or not, unless the whole sec
ton is engaged by the party below-so
as to take no chances on his being COM
Portable. One is big company in these
berths; two is decided crowd.
Once in, trouble begins. You have
probably worn your hat to bed with you
in order to have it in the morning.
There is no hat rack inside. 1t is good
idea to jam it down over the ears-to
keep the pillow out. You won't need
your overcoat on, but how are you to
shed it? By telescoping your neck and
spinal column to the limit, you can sit
nearly upright without your head hitting
above, if the roadbed is pretty even.
That is the extent of the upright posi-
ton. By twisting and squirming, flop
ping from side to side, and liberal use
Of subdued or mental profanity, you can
eventually worm your way out of your
top coat, your under-coat, your vest--bet-
ter stop there. Just think What il
there should be wreck
Well, having wriggled out of all the
clothing you dare to, you lie down with
your head toward the engine, so as to
meet quicker and more merciful death
If trouble comes. You have to, for your
bed is made that way and not knowing
the combination to the coverlid you dare
not change it. 1t is most morning by
this time, but you don't care. In little
while you wish it was quite. There is nc
rest for the weary here. The bed is hard
and the swinging of the car bumps you
about till you grip on with your teeth
Your neighbor above you is heavy and
his cot creaks mournfully as he turns in
agony. You speculate on whether you
: would both pass through the car floor il
! things should give way aloft. Nearby is
hardened criminal who actually sleeps
/, or ~ 1ooat cnnrau--.ir, tho y,,idct Oft lx