rained to enter
another; and off we started. At first, the atmosphere was bearable; but
soon, alas! too soon, every window was closed; the stove glowed red-hot;
the tough-hided natives gathered round it, and, deluging it with
expectorated showers of real Virginian juice, the hissing and stench
became insufferable. I had no resource but to open my window, and let
the driving sleet drench one side of me, while the other was baking;
thus, one cheek was in an ice-house, and the other in an oven. At noon
we came to "a fix;" the railway bridge across to Harrisburg had broken
down. There was nothing for it but patience; and, in due time, it was
rewarded by the arrival of three omnibuses and a luggage-van. As there
were about eighty people in the train, it became a difficult task to
know how to pack, for the same wretched weather continued, and nobody
courted an outside place, with drenched clothes wherein to continue the
journey. At last, however, it was managed, something on the
herrings-in-a-barrel principle. I had one lady in my lap, and a darling
unwashed pledge of her affection on each foot. We counted twenty-six
heads, in all; and we jolted away, as fast as the snow would let us, to
catch the Philadelphia train, which was to pick us up here.

We managed to arrive about an hour and a half after it had passed; and,
therefore, no alternative remained but to adjourn to the little inn, and
fortify ourselves for the trial with such good things as mine host of
the "Culverley" could produce. It had now settled down to a regular fall
of snow, and we began to feel anxious about the chances of proceeding.

Harrisburg may be very pretty and interesting in fine weather, but it
was a desolately dreary place to anticipate being snowed-up at in
winter, although situated on the banks of the lovely Susquehana:
accordingly, I asked mine host when the next train would pass. He
replied, with grammatical accuracy, "It should pass about four to-morrow
morning; but when it will I am puzzled to say.--What's your opinion,
Colonel?" he added; and, turning round, I observed the distinguished
military authority seated on one chair, and his legs gracefully pendent
over the back of another. In his sword-hand, he wielded a small
clasp-knife, which did the alternate duty of a toothpick and a
whittler,[K] for which latter amusement he kept a small stick in his
left hand to operate upon; and the floor bore testimony to his untiring
zeal. When the importa