248 THE REV. J. G. WOOD. 



the car, but the roll came in handy afterwards. I could only get 

 an upper berth. Then I found that about six o'clock next morning 

 I should have to make another change. So I turned out at 5.15 

 (getting out of an upper berth is anything but a pleasant process), 

 and got myself dressed and bags re-packed. This is a difficult 

 business in a sleeper, as boots, rubbers, overcoats, umbrellas, hats, &c., 

 are tucked away by the conductor in all kinds of holes and corners, 

 the berths and curtains occupying the whole of the car except a 

 narrow alley, through which you must sidle. Light, of course, is 

 very dim. Exactly at six the train stopped, so it was lucky that I 

 was up so early. Then I had to wander again among miscellaneous 

 trains, and found the right one. At Albany I had again to turn out, 

 carry my bags about a quarter of a mile, and then go up three flights 

 of stone stairs. This was at 6-45. Here I learned that the train 

 was due at Boston at 3.0, and that there was no chance of getting 

 food. Happily, the roll and ham (a very little piece) came to the 

 rescue, otherwise I should have had sixteen hours' fast. As it was, I 

 just arrived here as they were closing the dining-room doors, and 

 induced them to let me in privately. 



The conductor of the last train explained the mystery of the 

 route. The clerks get a percentage on the tickets, and so the clerk 

 at La Crosse chose the most expensive and complicated route. 

 Altogether the expenses of the double journey were seventy dollars. 

 H , however, would only take half his fee. He is still in commu- 

 nication with several places ; but I cannot afford to stay here on the 

 chance of getting lectures, and, unless I know of something within 

 a week, I shall telegraph to you and come home by the next boat. I 

 trust that it may not come to that, but it is necessary to look ahead. 



H 's programme was a very sound one. It was to procure 



half-a-dozen lectures at least in December, then reserve January and 

 February for the thirty to fifty in the west, and then, while I was 

 away, to arrange for the whole of March. He procured twelve for 

 December, and was in correspondence for March. Then came the 

 unexpected blow from Chicago ; and there has hardly been time to 

 complete arrangements, especially as proposals for January and 

 February had to be declined. 



The fee paid for the La Crosse lecture, I may here 

 remark, was one hundred and twenty-five dollars, or 



