Year: 1877

10 you mean GnaI AIN " SSS'' my
name ?" Yes, sir, if you can"
Well, can sir" said /, eff you will
show me where" He pointed to the
proper column and line, when
wrote with a dash, and without
raising my pen between the first and
last letter, =" w. w. Chandler" in
better style than l would be able to
do 1t now to save me.


L observed that | had surpassed
his expectations somewhat, and that
he toned down as he pointed to the
next column and said, Now put
down where FROM" and wrote
boldly, West Randolph, VT" The
next column in the book was headed
Destination, and he said very
mildly and pleasantly, Where are
you going, Mr. Chandler ?" l was
much pleased with his changed man
ner, and intensely gratifed that he
knew me well enough to call me Mr..
Chandler, and l told him | was 60
ing out West. WE'LL" said he,
"put it down." and so / wrote in the
destination column, "Out West,
and then | looked him squarely i'll
the face and said, F" Mister, will you
have the kindness to tell me what is
the object of all this ?'


He smiled almost audibly, and
then checked himself and with much
gravity said, =" You have Just left
home haven't you ?" "Yes, sill" D"
"And you are going out West, aren't
you ?" Yes, sir" ''WeIl, sir, you
may get lost before you get back,
and your people may be along here
looking for you, and if they find
your name entered on this book they
Will know that you have been here"


candidly assert that this explain
alton was entirely satisfactory to me
nor had l the slightest idea that this
recording my name had any other
purpose than that which he had in
dicated.


He called a boy, handed him key
and said, "Show the gentleman 48,"
which remark to the boy fully salts
ged me that he certainly regarded
me as gentleman, and Lwas pleased
with the man and with his tavern, so
far as l had learned its running ar
rangements. He sung out sharply,
Porter, baggage to As" and at the
same time came out and said to me
very politely, "Please point out
your trunk, sir, and l will have it
sent right up"


The difference in his manner and
tone of voice between his remark to
Mr.. Porter and when he addressed
me, fully convinced me that he had
begun to like me very much and
that he pretty fully realized who |
was. Upon retiring to my room l
improved my personal appearance by
such changes as a hundred miles of
stage travel had rendered necessary,
and then descended to the Office for
the double purpose of seeing and
being seen.


The handsome gentleman behind
the counter came and seated HIM
self beside me, and in a very agreea-
BILE manner announced to me that he
occupied the position of clerk IN
that hotel, and he was aware he had
not treated me as well in all respects
or as civilly as guests of trst-class
house should be treated, and be de-
sired to ask my pardon for having
intinlated that | had never enjoyed
the advantages of a common school
education, and he proceeded to state
that though he might have spoken
to me as though / was the yeriest ig-
noramus, he perceived, upon further
inspection, that what troubled me
most was my extreme verdancy,
which he attributed to the fact that
my knowledge of the world was com
mensurate with my personal obser-
vation in it, therefore limited TO
such requirements as had been able
to gain in my somewhat circum-
scribed rural home.


Ascertaining from me that l in
tended to remain two nights and a
day, he very kindly proposed 20 aid
me in any way he might be able, so
that at my next stopping place my
greenness would not stand out so
promptly. 1 thanked him without
fully realizing how much occasion
had for SO doing, but so far as was
able, / appreciated his kindness when
he told me to feel perfectly free to
ask him any question l might desire
TO ask.


Igained sufficient courage during
this conversation to venture out
side the door as soon as our pleas
ant interview ended, and finally to
walk short distance from the ho-
tel, probably about two blocks, but
l turned no corners lest l might lose
myself. found my way back, with
out even once inquiring the way, and
l went directly to the handsome
clerk (whom thought was dressed
we'll enough for minister) with this
question: Can it be possible, Sir,
that New York is so much larger
than Troy ?" He assured me that
should | ever be so fortunate as to
extend my travels to New York L
would find material difference IN
the population of the two cities. L
then said to him. earnestly and anx-
iously, d" Please inform me, sir, what
all these people whom l see on the
street do for a living, and where do
they all go to dinner ?"


TO his praise be it said, he gave
me very civil and entirely satlstact-
ory answers TO these-to me-hlghly
important questions


The next morning, after getting
from this elegant gentleman, the
clerk. very minute directions, | found
nv way, without a guide, to the
Hudson River; got aboard little
steamboat, the first l had seen and the
first craft of any kind had ever
boarded; all without falling of the
gang plank, paid York shilling for
my passage to Albany, six miles, 'a'ad
by dint of sticking to the boat close
ly during the entire voyage, ! man,
aged to arrive at the very caplSoi VI
the Empire State, at the same 'i'he
the steamboat arrived.