Letters and Love

Chapter Nineteen: Elizabeth

The Pennsylvania Railroad took me all the way into Chicago. It fair took my breath away stepping off the train into the enormous train station. The roof soared above my head, the wooden beams criss-crossing the span.

And the people! Everywhere I turned there were men and women on their way somewhere. Some were very fashionably dressed and others were more plain in appearance. I felt like such a child, lost in a crowd of people.

The porter who brought my trunk, an older man of indeterminate years, took pity on me and took me all the way to the ticket counter. There, the gentleman behind the counter was able to help me determine which train I needed to take next. It did not depart until the following morning.

This was something I hadn't accounted for in my plans. It seemed I would have to spend the night in the great, sprawling city. I didn't even know why I had thought I would be able to move from one train to another without a delay.

Now, though, I was faced with the problem of where I was going to stay. My first thought was that I ought to stay close to the train station. The whistle of an incoming train convinced me that a little further away might be better for my sleep.

But where?

The ticket seller was quick to tell me that the newest hotel in Chicago was the Palmer House Hotel. It was apparently proclaimed to be an elegant place.

But I was not seeking elegance or the newest accommodations. I simply needed a safe place to spend the night and eat a meal. After a few minutes of debate with another ticket seller, the kind man finally recommended I go to one of the more established hotels, the Sherman House Hotel.

So, I purchased my ticket for the next day and paid a fee for my trunk to be kept overnight. Then, I made my way to the entrance of the train station.

I'd been aware of the sound and din of the train station, with the footsteps and talking, but it was even more overwhelming when I stepped outside. The streets were full of carts, wagons, and hackneys that creaked and clattered. Horses hooves thudded on the wood blocks that made up the street. People of all walks of life were riding and walking in every direction.

Quite frankly, it made me want to flee back to my small hometown.

At least there was a lot to look at while a hackney cab took me through the city streets. Buildings soared high into the sky on both sides of the street and were close together.

The street passed by the largest lake I had ever seen. Birds were flying over the water, occasionally diving towards the water to catch a fish. Wind wanted the scent of fish in my face.

As intriguing as everything was, I was more than ready to not move for a while. Who knew that sitting all day could be so exhausting? When the cab reached my destination, I feared that the ticket seller had given me the wrong advice.

The front of the Sherman House Hotel was impressive! It was graced by a two story portico, something I had only ever seen in illustrations. The roof had a low pitch and created a wide overhang. It was an enormous structure that rose six stories high.

One amenity I was grateful for was the ladies entrance to the right of the main entrance that the hackney driver took me to. I paid the man and then I carried my bag into the building. If I thought the outside was grand, I was completely unprepared for the inside.

Everywhere I looked, everything was opulent and elegant. Plush rugs covered the floor. The walls were covered with colorful floral paper. Velvet curtains covered the windows, though the glass sparkled in the sunlight.

A hotel clerk welcomed me politely. His left eyebrow quirked up when he learned I wanted a room for the night, but he remained professional as he informed me there were two options. I could pay for just a room or for a little more I could have a meal in the dining room. Since I had no desire to venture out into the city to find food, I chose the latter.