Voting in the cars-- Railroad refreshments-- Political excitement--
The Virginian and the Fremonters-- A walk in Columbus-- Indianapolis--
Lafayette-- Michigan City-- Chicago.

CHICAGO, October, 1856.

I SIT down at the first place where a pen can be used, to give you
some account of my trip to Minnesota. And if any one should complain
that this is a dull letter, let me retain his good-will by the
assurance that the things I expect to describe in my next will be of
more novelty and interest. And here I am reminded of a good little
anecdote which I am afraid I shall not have a better chance to tell.
An eminent minister of the Gospel was preaching in a new place one
Sunday, and about half through his sermon when two or three
dissatisfied hearers got up to leave, "My friends," said he, "I have
one small favor to ask. As an attempt has been made to prejudice my
reputation in this vicinity, I beg you to be candid enough, if any one
asks how you liked my sermon, to say you didn't stop to hear me
through."

Stepping into the cars on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad a few
evenings ago-- for I am not going to say anything of my trip further
east-- I saw as great an exhibition of selfishness as one often meets
in travelling. This was in the rear car, the others being all crowded.
The seats were spacious, and had high backs for night travelling. A
gentleman entered the car and proposed to sit in a seat in which was
only one child, but he was informed by a feminine voice in the rear
that the whole seat was taken-- so he advanced to the next seat, which
was occupied by another child, a boy about eight years old-- again the
same voice, confirmed by one of the other sex, informed him in very