Evening star., 1942-10-24

"enAs AS' WdIlelC AcoCA
vation on one of the newfangled
day coaches, but Christmas eve was
the earliest I could get out on one
of those, and I'd be doggoned If I
would hang up my stocking on the
train and sing carols with the
brakeman and candy butcher.
So, ended up in an old-fashioned
day coach and now I am glad that
1 did. More and more, as the mill
tary places heavier burdens on the
trains, we civilians are going to
have to travel the best way we can
and like it.
Thanks to my experience I believe
I am in position to pass on help
full hints as to what to do and what
not to do when trying to sleep in an
old-time day coach. You know, Of
course, the kind Of coach I mean.
It's most distinguishing character
istics are the seats. They are super
upright and were designed. believe,
by the great grandson Of the man
who originated the stocks New
England lawbreakers and witches
were punished in.
They are covered with a brown
material whose principal ingredients
are porcupine down and itching
powder. All Of the jitterbug dances,
from the Charleston to the Indy
hop, were undoubtedly created by
men and women who got up to
stretch after a few hours of sitting
on these seats.
In one way these seats are con-
ducive to sleep. They are cut so that
your legs start going to sleep almost
before the conductor cries "All
aboard" Some secret device, hidden
in the bottoms of these seats, cuts
across the nerve centers Just above
the knees, and puts the legs to
doing almost at once. But sleep,
to be any good. as science has proved
time and again, must come all at
once to the body. There can be no
real test when the legs and feet
are slumbering while the back and
neck are wide awake.
So that's the problem on an old
fashioned day coach: How to get
everything to sleep at once.
A few "donts" to start with:
Don't rent a pillow. You will
fnd, when you try to curl up on
the seat that there isn't room for
both you and the pillow. But having
invested your money in pillow, you
will be loathe to discard 1t and will
spend needless hours trying to lump
1t into shape that will At.
Don't, If the seat In front Of you
Is vacant, pull 1t around so you will
have another seat to stretch your
legs on. Some of the most battling
cases Of muscular bowknots and
four-in- hands that the medical pro.
fession has had to face were brought
about by day coach riders who
tempted by the momentary comfor,
of the extra seat in front, fell asleep
in that position. We had sad case
of man who had sunk in between
the seats on the train I was on, anc
he had to be lifted off In Spartan.
burg, still in III" shape.
/ ~ ~
Don't try to rest your head on the
window sill. The noise is terrific
Every creak, every vibration, every
clatter Of the wheels, springs and
axles, sweep up through the sides
of the car, settle In the window sill
and sit there, waiting to Jump into
your ear.
Don't hang your feet over the
edge of the seat SO that they dangle
in the aisle. The armrest OF tn.
seat will eventually sever your legs
at the knee, and while this process
CT severing is going on, hundreds
Of people will walk up and down the
aisle and bang against your legs and
| swear at you.
| Don't sleep with either arm curled
under your head. Don't sleep or
| your back. Don't sleep on your side
| Don't sleep on your stomach.
Now for single DO:
| Do sit up straight all night with
no thought Of sleep whatsoever.
You may be sleepy when dawr
breaks like thunder through the
cinders, and paints the conductor
lapels with rosy hues. but you'll
be lot better of physically.