Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 March 1877 — In a Jersey City Street-Car. [ARTICLE]

In a Jersey City Street-Car.

1 was standing in a crowded car at the Jersey Ferry waiting for the starter’s signal. A lady entered, dressed in widow’s weeds, with a heavy crape vail over her face, and carrying in her arms a sleeping child apparently nearly three years ola. Every man was absorbed in his paper, or contemplating his boots, and a woman finally rose and eave her a seat. She threw back her vail, and at once every man turned his eyes from his paper or boots, and contemplated her. Two, who were seated near me, made comments: “ Handsome woman.” “Yes. If I’d seen her face I’d have given her my seat.” '“Widow, evidently.” “ Should say so; wonder if that’s her child.” “Don’t know- Her hair’s white; bleached, may be.” “Y-e-e-s, I should say so; her face looks young.” Just then, putting her hand up to push a loose hair-pin into place, the powder came floating down upon the soft puffs and frizzes upon her black garments; and she coolly brushed it off with her handkerchief. “Whew!” exclaimed one of the talkers, and so near were they to her I think she had overheard the conversation and sent the powder floating down purposely. The woman, who had given up her seat, was one of the inquisitive sort, and she evidently felt that she had earned the right to ask questions. “Your baby?” “Yes.” “ What’s the matter with his lege?” “He is wearing instruments to straighten them. After a fit of illness they bowed out, and I think it such a misfortune for a boy to grow up with crooked lego that I am trying to straighten them.” Each man immediately either crowed his legs, or drew the knees close together. “Anymore children?” “ Yes, another boy, the age of this, and a little girl four years old.” “ Husband been dead long?” “ About nine months.” “ Reckon you don’t care about marrying again?” “ Well, I haven’t thought of it yet.” “It’s a mighty responsible thing, though, for a woman to bring up a family all alone, ’specially boys.” “ Yes, 1 suppose it is.” “ Left pretty well off?” I must admit that this last question staggered me, and 1 wondered if the dear, musical tones, raised a little above the natural key, I thought, would be heard in indignant response. Every man waa xm the qui vive for her answer; two of them I knew were married and had families. Even the conductor paused to listen. A queer light came into her eyes, her lips twitched, but she said quietly, “ yes, tolerably; I have about $50,000 a year income.” “ La, sakes! you don’t say so; and you a ridin’ in this hoes car, and nobody a-givin’ you a seat till I got up. Weil, I never!” s Buch a sheepish looking lot of meat The boots were again a matter requiring attention. \. “ Well, I shouldn’t think you’d ride la a boss car if you wuz wuth so much; I’m sure I wouldn’t.” “lam going to see a friend not so wen off as I am, so l thought it would be better taste to leave the carriage and nurse at the ferry. Conductor, wul you stop at the next corner on this side of the Street, please, if you can.” The conductor pulls the bell furtoosfy. but the driver, not realizing that $60,00$ a year wanted to get off, ran over, according to law, to the opposite crossing. Aa he did so, every man in the car sprang to pull the bell-strap, and the conductor swore roundly Seven men got out to aasisther, each one anxious to take the child. All the rest looked daggers because they were too far up the car to do the same. Each of these seven insisted upon carrying the child, still asleep, for her to her destination. She quietly but firmly refused. The two fathers of families were extremely anxious, but all to no purpose. The lady walked off with her boy In her arms, and I saw two of the seven, who did not return to the car, watching her to see where she went. I don’t know about the rest of it, but I am inclined to believe, from the expression of that gray-haired woman’s face, that tike $50,000 part was mythical, and only added to test the men who had not offered her a seat I did not mean to have ocoupiud so much space with my story, but It was ao charactei iatic that I c.oula not forbear telling it— W Y. Cor. XHaNtand MtroU. - 1 - —lntelligent public spirit-open adk vocacy of our views.