decided terms that that also was wholly occupied. The gentleman of
course did not attempt to take a seat with this lady, but advancing
still further, in a seat behind her he saw another child the only
occupant. His success here was no better. The fact was, here was a
family of a husband, wife, and three children occupying five entire
seats. The traveller politely asked if it would not be convenient for
two of the children to sit together. "No," said the lady and her
husband (and they spoke together, though they didn't sit together),
"the children want all the room so as to sleep." The traveller
betrayed no feeling until the husband aforesaid pointed out for him a
seat next to a colored woman who sat alone near the door of the car,
some little distance off. It was quite apparent, and it was the fact,
that this colored woman was the servant of the family; and the
traveller appeared to think that, although as an "original question"
he might not object to the proffered seat, yet it was not civil for a
man to offer him what he would not use himself. The scene closed by
the traveller's taking a seat with another gentleman, I mention this
incident because it is getting to be too common for people to claim
much more room than belongs to them, and because I have seen persons
who are modest and unused to travelling subjected to considerable
annoyance in consequence. Moreover, conductors are oftentimes fishing
so much after popularity, that they wink at misconduct in high life.

Somewhere about midnight, along the banks of the Potomac, and, if I
remember right, near the town of Hancock, the cars were detained for
three hours. A collision had occurred twelve hours before, causing an
extensive destruction of cars and freight, and heavy fragments of both
lay scattered over the track. Had it not been for the skilful use of a
steam-engine in dragging off the ruins, we must have waited till the
sun was up. Two or three large fires were kindled with the ruins, so