80 FIVE ACKES TOO MUCH. 



Therefore I always sit on the end seat, provided the 

 ladies, as is their artless habit, bless their souls ! have 

 each occupied a bench to herself, and have thus taken 

 up all the room, for I would as lief any time face 

 death as a strange woman with a hoop-skirt. Besides, 

 by so doing I have a monopoly of this bench myself, 

 and, if I am to be killed, have it done out of hand 

 and without prolonged inconvenience. 



The Flushing cars were crowded, which proves 

 what a thriving place it was, for the gentlemanly 

 directors would certainly never willingly inconven 

 ience or unnecessarily crowd their passengers; and 

 the depot is not skillfully constructed. Alongside 

 the platform was the track of the Long Island road, 

 beyond it a narrow strip of two or three boards, and 

 then the Flushing track. As the Long Island train 

 was always in, or coming in, or going out when the 

 Flushing train was about to start, much practice, 

 nerve, and courage were required to reach it safely. 

 The other train had either to be stormed or avoided ; 

 passengers had to dribble in a long line between the 

 tracks, or climb over the platform of the Long Island 

 cars ; and, since no one insulted them by gratuitous 

 advice, they not unfrequently took the wrong train. 



As nerve, courage, and presence of mind are val 

 uable qualities, and rarely cultivated among ladies, 



