The Newtown bee., 1909-12-31
HOME NEWS. PASSENGERS 0NCHRIST- MAS NIGHT. Some Lessons Learned in a Snow
 Storm. L

better fitted to study human nature than on railroad train, and no time more suspicious than on Christmas night or the night after. l was re- turning from the light and cheer of a Christmas reunion. It was my plan
 to board train leaving Springfield
 at 5.10 p. m., for New York. But realizing the severity of the storm, which was like a real blizzard in the Massachusetts city, had gone to the station three-quarters of an hour ahead of time. The great station and
 yard was full of belated trains. Even
 as I sped up the walk, train of IA loaded passengers cars came limping in from Boston. On the north side of the station, where the Boston &
 Maine northbound trains usually stood, I found snow-covered train,
 which was scheduled to leave Spring field for New York at 2.20 p. m., but which was two and One-half hours late as it was delivered by the B. &
 A., people to the New Haven road.
 Here was an opportunity of reach ing Bridgeport an hour ahead of time and was not slow in getting aboard.
 It was with difficulty that obtained
 seat. People by the hundred were homeward bound. It was a good natured crowd. Although nearly three hours behind time, l never heard a kick" People seemed per meated with the Christmas spirit, thankful to be out of the reach of the | furious blizzard which ragged outside. It was about 10 minutes to five when
 our train slowly steamed out of the Springfield yard for New York.
 Tired of reading, I fell to studying
 my fellow passengers with some in- terest. At Berlin, a bright, active, smoothly shaven man became my seatmate. He confided to me that he
 had left his wife behind for a week s visit, while he went back to his work and his home in the Harlem district to keep bachelors hall. Life in fiat
 seemed joy to him, for he confessed
 to me the fact that life up in the
 country was intolerable, as it took
 one mans time to shovel in the coal
 and wood in the mad effort to keep
 warm. It was plain he had lost the enthusiasm for his country home.
 But it's 10 to one his country friend
 would not swap places with him if he could; neither would I. Across the way from me was a handsome couple
 of about 95 years of age. She bore in her arms as she entered what l thought was a baby. But as she seated herself and unwrapped the ob- ject, I saw she had fine toy dog. She was violating one of the rules about
 carrying dogs in passenger car. Her husband talked flippantly about the fresh conductors" who sometimes enforced the orders of the road. But it was Christmas night, and my con- ductor friend was too busy collecting fares to bother with the dog question. I thought the man more fresh than the conductors he talked about. They left the train at Meriden, and she went out hugging her dog. l thought of the many motherless babies need ing the care she. was bestowing on this beast. At Berlin four pompous people came bustling in as if they owned the railroad. They were a prosperous looking man of about 20 years, with his wife and two hand some daughters. They were stun ningly attired, and made big fuss as they were obliged to seat them selves in four different. seats. At Merllen a vacant seat appeared and the effusive daughters with much flourish of their furs and their jewel encircled arms, secured a seat to- gether. The indulgent father soon supplied them with copies of the La dies Home Journal. and 1 observed they opened the paper to an article entitled Engaged Girls Stories" " It was pain to be seen that if they were not engageu then, they were anxious to be. At New Haven Papa and Mamma secured seats together and at Bridgeport as left the train, I observed there was a still further flourish of furs and faces as the quar- tet had a glad reunion in two seats together. In the rear of tine train was a young couple that interested me. The girl was not over IT and in her arms had a baby of year or more. She seemed a cnlId and they sat close together and held hands in loving fashion. Dressed in black they were returning from some fune- ral and seemed sad and forlorn under the wierd gas light. In the front of the car was young Frenchman tray cling alone with a girl of six or seven