SOCIAL AND .ESTHETIC VIEW. 169 



of fellow-sufferers, who are beguiled, like our- 

 selves, by alluring advertisements. The common 

 smoking-car is quite bad enough in the penalties it 

 inflicts, sometimes, on a whole train. But to have 

 one's expectations of something super-excellent end 

 in smoke — this is a cruel imposition. 



Is there no remedy for all this? Have not the 

 lovers of God's pure air certain rights as well as 

 the ever-increasing — may I not add, ever-e^- 

 croaching — army of smokers ? And will not you, 

 mighty men of the railroads, help us in securing 

 and preserving these rights ? 



In justice to at least one of these autocrats, I 

 ought to state that, on venturing to send an account 

 of my unfortunate journey to the general manager 

 of the road, he returned the following courteous re- 

 ply : " I very much regret that you were annoyed 

 in the manner indicated. The demands of modern 

 travel have compelled us to place these smoking 

 rooms in many of our chair-cars, and in our sleep- 

 ing-cars ; but it is the intention to have them so 

 constructed that they will not in the least way 

 interfere with the other part of the car. We will 

 look into the matter of which you complain, and 

 see that a remedy is applied." 



While fully appreciating these assurances, I 

 could not help pondering the expression, "the 

 demands of modern travel." What, then, is this 

 modern travel? And who are these demanders, 

 to whom must be sacrificed women, children, and 

 non-smoking men ? 



