The Sleeping Car
The Sleeping Car is a farce play in three parts by William Dean Howells, first published in the United States in 1883. This play takes place entirely within a 24-hour period on a railway sleeping car, and revolves around a woman's late night confusion regarding the premature appearance of her husband and brother. This work is one of Howells' minor works, but reflects the same tendencies towards literary realism as many of Howells' more famous works, including The Rise of Silas Lapham and A Modern Instance. This play is not well-read amongst modern readers, and is often overlooked in literary discussion due to its relative contemporary obscurity. Currently, this work is not being published by any publishing houses, but is available free through Project Gutenberg or other websites. Characters In order of appearance: Mrs. Agnes Roberts, a new mother who is on her way to Boston to visit her husband and brother. Traveling with her are her baby son and her dear Aunt Mary. Aunt Mary, the aunt of Mrs. Roberts, a very proud old woman. The Porter Angry Voices, the voices of other passengers, who routinely interject their usually critical opinions into the main dialogue. The exact speakers of