THE BEE-KEEPERS' REVIEW. 



15 



aetual practice there would be so little dif- 

 ference, and considering that this is the 

 manner in which smokers are used, I wish 

 that Mr. Corneil would try them in this way 

 as well as empty. 



After all, the best test for a smoker is 

 actual use in the apiary. I have believed 

 that the principle of the Crane is ahead of 

 the cut-off, or Bingham principle, but if it 

 isn't, I know that no one is more anxious 

 than Mr. Crane to know it. 



I expected to illustrate in this issue a smo- 

 ker with a double bellows, one that would 

 throw a continuous stream of smoke, but 

 the cut did not come in time. 



THE TBIP TO WASHINGTON AND SOMETHING 

 ABOUT THE CONVENTION. 



Christmas evening I took the train for the 

 journey to attend the convention at Wash- 

 ingboa. Between here and Toledo I fell in 

 with a commercial traveller. What good 

 company these knights of the grip usually 

 prove to be. They have been everywhere 

 and seen everything, and know how to tell of 

 it. And what stories they can tell. They 

 know which are the best hotels. Not neces- 

 sarily the highest priced ones, but those 

 where a man can get the most com tort for 

 his money. I would reach Toledo about 

 midnight, and could not go on until morn- 

 ing. When I mentioned the fact, my com- 

 panion told me without a moment's hesita- 

 tion at which hotel to pass the remainder of 

 the night. I found that I lost nothing by 

 following his advice. When passing through 

 Auburndale (a suburb of Toledo) ths temp- 

 tation was very strong to leave the train and 

 route out Dr. Mason and ask him how it 

 would be about furnishing me with good 

 company while on my journey. I knew the 

 Doctor's good nature, but I disliked to get 

 him up at midnight to ask a favor that might 

 be answered in the negative. 



7:30 the next morning found me in the last 

 car of a train bound for Mansfield, Otiio. 

 The steam pipes were frozen up and it seem- 

 ed as though the brakeraan would never get 

 the coal fires to burn. After about two hours 

 fruitless endeavor to get heat, the conductor 

 decided to take the cold car for a smoking 

 car. He said to the ladies : " Come into this 

 car where it is warm." To the gentlemen he 

 said : " If you wish to smoke, please go in 

 the rear car." Nobody complained and 

 everything was lovely. 



Reached Mansfield about noon. The re- 

 gular train to Pittsburg was four hours be- 

 hind. A special train was put on, but there 

 was no time to get any dinner. Half a doz- 

 en bananas of the train boy stayed my stom- 

 ach until I reached Pittsburg in the evening, 

 but I would not give much for the profit that 

 was made off my supper. 



The time of this trip was during the holi- 

 day rates on the railroads, and the cars were 

 terribly crowded during the middle of the 

 day. In such crowds it is interesting to one 

 of a philosophical mind to see the exhibi- 

 tions of human nature. It seems as though 

 those who are travelling but a short distance 

 make the most fuss over any little incon- 

 venience, while those going long distances, 

 or who are experienced travellers, seem wil- 

 ling to put up with a little inconvenience for 

 the sake of keeping peace in the family. 



Eight o'clock in the evening found me on 

 board a Pallman sleeper at Pittsburg witn no 

 more changes to be made until I should step 

 out in Washington the next morning. There 

 is no way in which I so delight to travel as 

 in a Pullman sleeper. The car is so nicely 

 furnished and upholstered, has double glass 

 in the windows to make it warmer and to 

 keep out the noise. Then the ventilation and 

 heat seem to be so excellent, and the car 

 rolls along so smoothly. The gentle motion 

 and the low monotonous noise has a soporific 

 effect — something like a mother rocking her 

 baby to sleep. The Pullman sleeper practi- 

 cally annihilates time and space. One goes 

 to sleep in one city and wakes up in another 

 300 miles distant. The expense is not so 

 very great. A room at a good hotel costs at 

 least §1.00, and a berth in a sleeper only 

 f 2.00, and it must be a pretty poor business 

 man whose time is not worth at least $1.00 

 a day. There is one little thing that I don't 

 like, and that is the fee that you are expect- 

 ed to give the porter. I don't mind the 

 "quarter " so very much, but I object to the 

 principle. If a man wishes his shoes black- 

 ed, and clothes brushed, and his grip car- 

 ried, etc., it is all right to pay the porter for 

 these services, but suppose that he does not 

 care for these services, a custom that com- 

 pels him to accept and pay for them is wrong, 

 and I "kick;" I hide my shoes so that the 

 porter can't find them, and when he comes 

 around in the morning and asks to " brush 

 me down," I say : " No, thank you, I can 

 brush my own clothes." 



