The Red Cloud chief., 1888-08-17
THE r O STATION.
A School-N1a'am's Blunder and It's
Happy Results.

lie afternoon train that connected some
lonely. obscure towns in Maine with the
res; of the world. was over two hours late.
The premature darkness of a stormy win
ter 5 night had set in comparatively early
IN the afternoon, and, though it was barely
seven O'clock. it seemed to the few weary
passengers as though they had been travel
ing half the night.
There were two representatives OF the
gentler sex present. but one, l am almost
tempted 70 say land l think the conductor
and brakeman would bear me out in my dis
tinctionb; for while one, a shy. timid girl Of
nineteen or twenty. had quietly gone to
sleep. the other, q lady Of great asperity Of
voice and demcanor, would neither 90 to
sleep herself nor render this comforting
performance possible to any one in her i'm
mediate vicinity. but persisted in admins
tering large pieces of her mind to the afore-
said conductor and brakeman concerning
delay OF the train. and their shameful
completely with the storm that caused the
delay.
When at last the brakeman threw open
the door, in a slow. d~espairing way that
showed great depression of spirit. and
called out something that began with Hunt
er'S and ended in a mournful. i~narticulate
howl. he frightened visi5ly at seeing the
severe lady start up with q jerk and gather
up a collection of heterogeneous parcels
with an AIR Of relief which, oddly enough,
Immediately communicated itself to the
TEST Of the passengers.
He helped her of the train with a cheerful
aiacrity that was not apparently abashed
by the icy contempt she Enthusiastically enter
tainei for the railroad and every one con-
nectei with it from the president to the
water boy.
The conductor promptly swung his lantern
30 signal the engineer. called out brisklv,
all aboard" and spraEg on to the moving
train without stopping TO notice tn at his ex-
passenger was in a state of violent diSsatis-
faction over the trunk.
May Smith. the girl who had been asleep.
started up with a bewildcred air as the tram
left the station. thrust her hand into her
pocket to see if her purse was still there,
and pressing her face close To the window
pane, against which the whirling snow
dashed and clunr. tried to make ont some
thing of the landscape.
1t was Of no use: the window refused to
do any thing more than TO give back an I'M
age of a homesick girl with a tired, white,
scared face. and also that Of her near neigh
Dor, a gentleman of such N exaggerated
bucolic appearance that he seemed the carl
cature Of himself.
Sh was afraid that she had been carried
pas: her station. and made a little timid,
irresolute movement toward addressing the
formerly detected brakeman. who now
passed through the car. actually whistling
the frollicking air of .Begone. Dull Care
He passed by without noticing her slight
movement, and a sudden recollection kept
her from repeating it.
Tn aunt with whom she had lived ever
since she could remember. had always emp
tied her largest walls of concentrated wrath
On the heads Of those girls who tried to at
tract attention"
Fearing lest by an unnecessary question
h herself might be- classed with these rep
rencnSib!e Gelinquents, she made nc second
attempt, but leaned back in her seat an I'M
TesistinS prey TO loneline~ and forcboding.
She had never before teen out Of the
quiet little town Of Massachusetts, where
she had lived with her aunt until the death
o. the latter forced her 10 find some means
OF earning her own living.
Having had some correspondence with
the hiring committee of "A district school
in a small village in Maiue. she was now on
her way TO have her fate decided by the ex-
amining committee.
As her mind was firmly made up before
leaving home that she could never return il
she were disgraced by not passing her ex-
animation. and as her stock Of money WAS
not sufficient 10 hold out against any extend
ed siege Of expenses while she was waiting
achievements in the shape of employment,
her depression was not wholly unfounded-
IT train soon anne to another halt, the
brakeman again r0arcd out something thai
began with Hunters and ended In some un-