The sun., 1912-07-27
ARNOLD Bennett DIDN'T
LIKE OUR SLEEPING CAR
1t Wasn't So Much the Car as
the JOlts That lie
Minded.
STILL HE GIVES PRAISE
The Statcr0Om Was in His View
a "Reautiful and Aristo-
cratic Domain"

In The current Hdrper's Arnold Bennett
gives impressions of the sleeping car OF
Rn American train de luxe
I'VE returned from Washington by q
night traip.7 he says: I'VE might have
taken u day train. but II was pointed out
10 me tha, ] ought 10 get into form for
certain projected long journeys into the
West. A. midnight was brusuuely
introduced 10 the American sleeping car
confess that 7 had not imagined anything
40 appalling as the confined. sitting
nalodorous promiscuity Of the American
sleeping car. where men and women are
herded together on shelves under the
drastic control Of an official aided Ivy
negroes. I care not to dwell on the sub
jcct.
Il have Seen European prisons. but in
none that I have seen would such sys-
TEN DE tolerated. even by hardened war
ders and governors. and asslredly II II
were public opinion would rise in anger
and destroy it, I have not been in 81.
herian prisons. but remember reading
George Kennan's description Of their
mild horrors. and am surprised that he
should have put himself to the trouble Of
sucl u tedious journey when he might
have discovered far more exciting mate
rial on any good road around New York
However. nobody seemed to mind, such
is the force Of c,lstom-and / did not
mind very much because my particul
friend intelligently foreseeing my absurd
European prejudices. had engaged for us
a stateroom.
This stateroom. or suite-for il COM
prised two apart rtments-was beautiful
and arietocratic domain. The bed cham
her had Il fan that would work mt three
speeds like an automobile and was an en-
chanting toy. In short ] could find no
fault with the accommodation.
IT was perfect. and would have re-
manned perfect had the train remained
in the station. Unfortunately the engine
driver had the unhappy idea Of removing
the train from the station. He seemed
to be All angry engine driver and his
gesture was that OF u man setting his
teeth and Kissing Now then. come out
.f that. you sluggards.' and giving u
ferocious tug.
There was fearful jerk. and in an in
stant understood why sleeping berths in
america are always arranged lengthwise
With the train. II they were not the mas
heugers would spend most Of the night il,
getting iip of the floor and climbing into
led again. A few hundred yards out of
the station the engine driver decided TO
stop. and there was the same fearful jerk
and concussion. Throughout the night
he stopped and he started al frequent in
tervals. and always with the fearful Jerk.
Sometimes he would slow down gently
and WOO me into false tranquility. but
only to finish with the same jerk rendered
more shocking by contrast
sThe bedchamher was delightful the
iavatory amounted Ia a boudoir. the read
ing lamp left nothing TO desire. the ven
iilation was continuous vaudeville enter
fainment. the watch pocket was adorab ble.
the mattress was good. Even the roadbed
was quite respecta ble-not equal to the
lest knew, probably but it had the great
advantage of we'll tied rails. 40 that Is the
'rain passed from one rail length to the
neyt you felt no jar. u bliss utterly ,In
known In Europe The secret Of the salts
factory sleeper" however. does not lie
In the stateroom nor in the glittering
lavatory, nor in the lamp. nor in the fan
nor IN the watch pocket nor in the bed.
nor even IN the roadbed 1t lies in the
inannerlsms Of that brave fellow out there
IN front Of you on tho engine in the wind
and the rain
But no one in all America seemed to
appreciate this great truth. For myself
! was inclined 10 go out To the engine
'riVer SnO say 10 hlm Brother. are you
nware-you cannot be-that the best
European trains start with tho imper-
.eptible stealt thiness OF bad habit. so that
II 10 impossible TO distinguish motion
from immobity and come 10 rest with
he eoftness of doves settling on the
shoulders Of young grl2 If the fault
~ not the engine drivers then are the
brakes 10 blamcf Inconcevable.
All American engine drivers are alike;
and never slept full hour il, any Ameri-
IAN sleeper. what with stops, starts.
hooting-. tpllings. whizzings around
sharp corners, hist iening to the passage of
freight trains and listening TO naughty
conduct or -admrals who q,iarrelled NJ
length with newly arrived voyagers AT
? or 8 4. NJ! ! do not cr.ticise, / state.
also blame myself. There are those " no
could sleep. But not everybody could
p leep. Well and heartily do remember
the moment when another friend Of mine
IN the midst Of an interminahle scoklinp
that. was being given hy nasal voiced
conductor To Passenger Just before the
dawn exposed his head and remarked.
Has II occurred To you that this is a
sleeping carp In the swift sloncs the
whirring uf my private fan could i've
lourd -