Leger Day, almost lost the kindness for us
inspired by some small service, because we had the bad taste to
suggest such a possibility for so sacred a day.
I never saw people standing in a train, except that once which I
have already noted, when in a very crowded car in Wales, two
women, decent elderly persons, got in and were suffered to remain
on foot by the young men who had comfortable places; no one
dreamed, apparently, of offering to give up his seat. But, on the
other hand, a superior civilization is shown in what I may call
the manual forbearance of the trolley and railway folk, who are
so apt to nudge and punch you at home here, when they wish your
attention. The like happened to me only once in England, and that
was at Liverpool, where the tram conductor, who laid hands on me
instead of speaking, had perhaps been corrupted by the unseen
American influences of a port at which we arrive so abundantly
and indiscriminately. I did not resent the touch, though it is
what every one is expected to do, if aggrieved, and every one
else does it in England.
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