Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 6).djvu/211

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FROM LONDON TO CHICAGO.
211

frock, white apron, and snowy cap, is arranging a pillow for a lady, evidently an invalid, reclining upon a couch in a snug little separate drawing-room, the door of which is standing open at present, and reveals a cosy apartment, which, at the will of the occupant, may be entirely secluded from the remainder of the car. The coloured woman is the ladies'-maid of the train, and it is her business during the journey to make herself useful to the ladies and the children.

All the sleeping-cars are supplied with two state-rooms, such as I have above described, and the exclusive use of these may be obtained, for the entire journey of nearly one thousand miles, on the supplementary payment of a sovereign. In addition to the state-rooms, each car is divided into twelve sections, rendered entirely separate by means of draperies and curtains when the berths are made up at night. Separate toilet-rooms are also provided, and one car has a fully-equipped bath-room for the use of ladies only.

Next to the rear sleeping-car is the dining-car, which is exclusively devoted to the purposes indicated by its name. The meals served in this perambulating restaurant, and, indeed, the restaurant and all its appointments (due proportions being observed), will compare favourably with similar accommodations in the best hotels. There is a sparkle of glassware, and polished silver reflecting snowy linen, a glint of china, frail and transparent as an egg-shell, a breath of fresh flowers, and an agreeable clicking of knives and forks.

White-coated and white-aproned coloured waiters move quickly to and fro with deftly-balanced trays of smoking viands, and when the conductor of the dining-car has provided us with a seat, one of these darky waiters places a napkin and a menu before us. We give our order from an ample bill of fare, and while