Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-03-05
A Topic of Conversation.

lBurdette In Burlington HawkeyeJ
Fairly In the road. man came and sat down
IN Hont OF me and turned around and faced
cold this mornin'." he said.
l folded my Enquirer wherein I had been en-
Ioytng CrtsWell, and famed myself with IL
vigorously moment or two before | replied
Then l unouttoned my coat ("private to edt.
tors" 1t was originally three button coat.
out the eXigencies OF the season, the long
absence from home and the necessity of drOn9
ping in the contribution basket every time I 90
to church has reduced it to the minimum or
one. wiped my rrigid brow with my handker-
chief, and said In painting tones
- don't find 1t So
The man looked astonished But presently he
said:- N
MAYBE you've been runper?n
NO." replied; 81 have been asleep for the
past two hours In Sleigh"
And ye didn't feel c0ld?" the man inquired.
Man said, In tones OF amazement, 'cold,
On the 9th OtJune?"
June" he echoed, Strengthening up. s.are
you crazy? It's the 9th OF JaDuary.1
Wen, | said, sit felt like the 9th OF June to
TITS mighty fine sletghin', all the same" the
man said.
told him without blush that had never
seen the mud worse on Ohio roads since could
Where on earth" he asked in utter aston.
1ShInent, Ibid you come from?"
dayton" said.
His eyes began to creep out and look at each
other over the top OF his nose.
"When?" he asked.
O'Clock" ''SH
Howe" he fairly shouted.
in one-horse Sleigh" said.
'Sakes alive" he shrieked, sit is impossible.
us only II o'clock now, and Dayton Is So miles
Couldn't help it, insisted; 81 left there q
little over TWO hours ago In sleigh, had poor
horse, drove slowly, and the mud was nm 10 the
huos OF the wheels all the way. 1t was as
warm as May, and hadn't seen enough snow
to make one-boy slide in 5, 900 miles"
the mans hair stood on end, and he got I'D
TO start of for the other end OF the car.
III you a1nt crazy, and l believe you be-" he
awful liar"
GOOD man" said, 'T expect am, but am
noI 1901. may tell startling lies, but do not
talk like an ass; and would be Thought a liar
or maniac rather than an imbeclle. do not
come into car where the thermometer marks
tnree degrees below zero and tell living,
breathing, Intelligent, sensitive man that 1t Is
cold, just as though l was imparting some in
formation to him. / do not watch him drive up
10 the train In Sleigh spinning over the dry,
Crisp snow on the smooth. perfect pixies of OHIO,
him by telling him the sleighing Is good. /
would rather astonish man than bore MIN. III
have nothing better TO tell him than something
ne Knows . ALREADY far better than do, my
order to astonish him or startle him may have
TO lie to him; but that is better than boring
MN. You might as well sit down and tell me
that twice two is four as to tell me that it Is
cold. You might as we'll tell me that George
Washington Is dead as to tell me the sleighing is
good. 90 away, good man, go to sleep. tell
you 1t Is June; there Is no snow, there is dust.
and there are roses. 1t Is 200 miles from Day
ton 10 Loveland, and walked from the North
pole this morning Go get thee to a nunnery,
and when you can model your conversation on
something besides the United States signal SER
vice reports, come and wake me up and hold me
ia the natchless charms of your instructive
lalk. know not what course others may take;
put as for me, gaul blast the man who talks to
me about the weather."
ana stralghtway the man ariz and got him
unto the after wood box, for he was sore aston.
lsneo And as fell into a slumOar, the for
gotten dreams of which contained more real.
Valuaole Information than that man ever did
versatlon with the taciturn brakeman by re-
"COld this mornin'2r