The morning call., 1892-05-01
FRESH BOILED eggs. !"
A SKETCH FROM LIFE.
Written for THE MoRNIxe CALL.


OF course that was not his name !; but
somehow, even after learned his proper
appreciation, that was the name L always
gave him in thinking of him. =:
had been on little journey up to where
Mount Shasta rears his snowy head, and
was returning home when met the person
age who impressed himself on my mind un-
der this title. 49,:
There was no buffet-car in the train,
which was an ordinary day one, but; a
brakeman had just passed through sereech-
Ing that at the next town the train won Id
stop twenty minutes for: dinner. It was
raining and i dreaded to go out: Besides; i
had dined nthst town before. and there
are places where that constitutes good
and suffcentreason for not wanting to- dine
in them again. =, -
=: i was just debating with myself whether
It would be better to brave the combined
horrors Of the elements and the dining hall
or endure the cravings of a healthy appe-
tite during the four or five hours that lay
between me aud home. / was still debating
When heard quavering voice behind me
announcing, Nice hut luncheon right on
the tram" and, turning, beheld the subject:
OF this sketch. *....: = =. =:
A pathetic, bent, withered creature he
was, clad IN suit of butternut: brown,
SO patched and faded that TWAS hard TO
determine what its original appearance
might have been. His meek little face was
wrlnkied and scanned with the craven lines
OF time and trouble; his faded blue eyes
had far-away, dreamy look, and his head
was bent little to one side, in way curl
ously suggestive of listening to some un-
certain sound. He wore a thin, struggling
gray beard, and his gray hair, which was
rather long, showed beneath the edge Of a
hlnpk 1QRKAJF na n NH inh l0p.lya I'D fnAnrlU
OF place on such wearer. He walked with
shufiiiDg gait, his feet being dressed IN
gaudy carpet slippers much too large Tor
him, and In his unmistakable but scrupu-
lousy neat shabbiness he was such tlmld,
appealing, helpless little object that amuse
ment and pity struggled hard for the as
tendency In my mind as | beheld him.
lie paused by my seat aud, after survey
ing me-, said tentatively:
nice hot luncheon, right on the train Pr
Just what | had been wanting. | hastily
reflected that his luncheon could not be
worse than what was likely TO get at the
dlning-place. and even though it should be
fully as bad 1 would still escape the dining
room, so What have you?" | asked.
He fairly trembled with enthusiasm and
eageFness as be said over his small bill OF
fare:
Ham sandwiches, nice hot coffee, home
made dCughnuts, fresh boiled eggs"
told him he might bring me some sand
wiclles, coffee and dOdghnuts.
Would you like some fresh boiled eggs ?'
he asked.
l had no fancy for wrestling with eggs on
a moving train. so told him | did not care
for them, and he moved Off. He had nearly
reached the car door when he returned.
"Will you please be good enough to re-
peat your Order?" he asked.
l repeated il. and after saying it slowly
over after me he gently suggested: Would
you like some fresh boiled eggs ?" Some
what amused | again declined, and he went
off again.
This time he was fairly out on the plat
form when thought struck him and he re-
turned.
win you have your coffee strong or mod
erate?"
told him thought 1 would be satisfied
would take cream in it, and aSsented, men,
tally hoping l might get it, and then-I
knew what was coming before he spoke
Would yea like some fresh boiled eggs?"
A gentleman opposite smiled family A
lady bit her lips and looked earnestly out
upon the landscape. l graYely assured him
l did not care for the eggs, and once again
he retired.
80 one else on the train ordered mice hot
luncheon" There was no need to-mlne
afforded entertainment enough TO cause a
whole esrful OF people to forget their
My caterer presently returned with a
brakeman, who at his request unlocked the
seat in front of me and turned the back
over. l was then gravely and solicitously
asked if l would like some fresh boiled eggs.
Again declined, and he went of to return
with q clean newspaper, which he spread
ont before me on the seat. That was my
tableeloth / had my nerves braced TO de-
cline the eggs again, but he spared me that
time, and went off TO bring back, on little
pasteboard plates, two sandwiches and
three big doughnuts. Then he brought
coffee in a cup OF 'agateware," with two
Jumps of sugar lie lowered about, regard
ing me pensIyely while | slipped the coffee.
is it adapted to your taste?" he asked.
Excellent" 1 replied-and it really was.
lie went off, apparently satisfied, but in
another moment was at my side again, with
an air Of having just had the happiest
thought Of a lifetime.
would you like some fresh boiled eggs?'
1 endeav0red, but | fear unsuccessfnlly. TO
assume an air as degage as his own.
Thank YOU" | said. IL guess not" and
he left me TO enjoy my lunch as best
might with the gentleman opposite smitten