The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1890-03-15
The BOY ON TIE CARS.

light from away up on high.
-Ch1iStiau Weekly.
THE BOY ON THE CARS.
: he New York express was Just leaving
y fepsie, and the passengers were
So ) yHbturning to their seats. A few
mel ID the smoking room Of the ''sleep-
er," al, Teral others, with lighted cigars
bst#sGn .helr teeth, fingered around the
rear end of The Car, and added to the blue
smoke that was mOmentarily getting DIuer
and thicker. In the middle Of the coach,
half hidden by a high and tapering pyra-
mid of parcels, sat a small, slender man,
with an intellectual cast of features, and a
bald head, which was fringed with scarlet
hair, and looked very much as a halo
might look by daylight. HIS mild blue
eyes were encircled by pinkish rings OF
hair, which gave him the appearance Of an
albino, and added considerably to his not
by any means common aspect.
On the opposite seat, curled up like a
periwinkle, sat a small bay, with bright,
dancing eyes, and a lively and irrepressi-
be air When the train had pulled aud
ratified is way a few miles GU! Of the tow
il suddedly came to a stop with a jar that
brought every man to his feet. Then fol-
lowed d death like stiffness. 1t was 50
quiet that the porter could be heard fig
Qring up his profits in the back seat.
After 8 short pause, the silence was broken
by the shril tones of the boy:
What is this for Z" he quejred of the
bald man.
Il don't know, " replied that person.
"Why don't you know p
The man made no reply but looked out
of the window, VIII lie the passengers turn
ed around and looked at he pair. Then
followed another short pause.
Say" continued the boy, with a little
laugh, "ain't you the man that snored
last nigBt?'
The nan redeemed to such an extent
that his hair seemed 10 have thickeutd
and spread all over his head.
One old fool of d traveller laughed out
loud.
Thus encouraged, the boy vel on.
"Say, what are those hil1sT'
Glad to change the subject, the man
quickly replied
THE CatskilIs."
"Catskills? Where are the catsf'
"There amt any" returned the victim.
"Vhat do they call EN- CatskilIs for2
Because the cats are all killed 2"
The mau guessed that was the reason.
care they voicanosr
'rNO"
"Vhy amt they?'
"No fire in them"
"Do all volcanoes have fire in them"
yes"
do they have porter5 to take care of
the 6res?'
"No."
"Do people live in them
mo"
"Why don't they"
Don't know"
"What do you know"
Il know you are a very inquisitive little
boy"
''You stole that from my ms. Say. did
your wife pull out all your hair becau5 Sc
you snoTe?"
At tins moment the appearance Of the
train boy suggested q happy relief, and
the victim hastily purchased the boxes of
his choicest confectionery in the hope that
SOME OF it might choke the boy to death.
But he wasted his money. After eating
the candy greedilV and in silence, the boy
continued:
"What a funny color your eyes are I
Been cfying?"
The victim smiled a ghastIy smile, and
made an unsuccessful attempt to lock out
of the window and appear uucOncerued.
Don't you ever cry p
"Hardly ever"
"You do when your wife whips you,
don't you? 2"
Here the presence of the conductor saved
him from an atta5k of vertigo.
Better take care of your money if you
nave apv," shouted the boy.
"NVhy p asked the victim.
"There is the conductor. Pa said he
would pick a mans pockets if he had a
chance"
The conductor scowIed and passed on.
"say," he continued were you bald
headed when you were a boy :"
No respOn3 50 save a gurgl6 in the throat
which indicated wrath too holy for
utterance.
"When you were a little boy did the
other little boys call you 'red-head,' and
try and warm their hands on your harp
Here the miserable victim, under the
fimsy pretext of showing the boy IL pic
ture, whispered something in his ear.
"No, sir, shouted the lad "fve cents
amt enough. 1 want ten"
THIS apparently put an end to the nego-
tistions and the man leaned back in his
seat and looked as if he would welcome an
accident.
do all men red-headed snore ?"
No response save a glare which rPs8m-
bled asplit in the red sunset.
You won't snore much longer, because
you haven't got much hair left. Will your"
A tragedy was happily avoided at this
juncture by the disappearance of the train
boy The nan purchased a copy of the
London Punch, and in a few minutes his
tormentor was fast asleep.
The man gave a long sigh of relief, and
began packing up his traps preparatory to
leaving the car. At this a tall,
well dressed man, with q strong odor OF
tobacco smoke clinging to his clothes.
came into the car and took a seat beside
the boy.
"Men oughtn't to travel with boys on
the cars" observed the red-headed man,
with d smart.
"Ahr' replied the stranger.
"They are internal ~nuisances. Look at
| that miserable, impertinent imp beside you.
There ought to be a law against such
boys living. They should all be born
dumb. If 1 had a boy like hat I'd muzzIe
| him and tie him up in the back yard, I'd
| train him for a politician, and send him to
| Congress. Id HRS him out to q lot of col
| legs boys for a football"
''Sir T. interrupted the stranger.
eyes, sir. You ought to ride with him
for two hours, as l / nave done"
al have sir" replied the stranger, with
dignity a great many times. l am his
father"
.WeIl, " said the little man, as he loaded
| biv,zslf nm with hnndIas and staTtad foy