Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-07-19
she HAD TRAvELEc.


| 601COle-ageQ woman carrying middle
aged valise in her hand, entered the
Third street depot She knew exactly
what she had come for. She had come
| in from Jackson a week before, had
visit with her sister, and was now to
return home on the 4:55 train She
wasn't going to jackson. Miss: Jack
son, Tenn, nor Jackson, Ind. She was
going to Jackson. Mich. She had in
4uired about fiftvs times as to the ass
train. She was dead-sure it went at
| 4:55, and that there was no change of
cars She entered the waiting room,
| sat down with great comp1acency and
| for two minutes her mind was at ease
Then a double, back-action doubt sud-
| denly bobbed up. Was this the right
depot? The doubt was speedily fol-
| lowed by a bu1let-proof suspicion that
she was wrong about the time table
and if wrong in that she might bring
| up in Cleveland or Toledo instead of
Jackson. Sid began to get nervous,
and in a couple of minutes more ap-
pealed to the woman sitting beside her
! with:
Excuse me, please, but perhaps I've
made a mistake. Do go to Jackson
from this depot?"
81 will soon tell you, ma'am,'' re-
piled the other. ''Iknow just how you
feel about it. I was that way myself
at first"
''Then you have traveled?''
"AIl over the country, and I never
miss a train. Let me get folder
She walked over to the rack, pulled
out a folder and sitting down again
she materially queried:
''Now, then, you want to go to jack
son? Let me see. The train leaves
New Orleans daily at $50 p M
But don't want to go to New Or
| Ieans!''
''Of course not, but the train leaves
New Orleans just the same, doesn't it?
Let me see? 1t arrives at st. James at
1925 the same evening"
But I'm sure there's no St. James
on the road to Jackson, protested the
seeker after information
Its probably a milk station and
you don't remember it. You reach
Baton Rouge at 11:55 the same night.
You must remember Baton Rouge?"
| mo, I never heard of it,
''Wen, that's probably another milk
station. Very few women ever remem-
Der the stations, you know. Do you
go as for as Alexandria, which seems
70 be quite placer"
81 don't know. I remember Ypsi-
lanti, and Ann Arbor, but 1 don't re-
member Alexandria -
perhaps it is a misprint for Ann
Arbor," calmly continued the lady who
had travelled. Never mind, though
we are sure to find what we want. Do
you remember hearing them call out
Pine Bluff?''
Mercy. no! Seems to me Pine Bluff
is way off somewhere,''
That's because you are scared and
nervous. Used to seem that way to me
at first. Don't worry, however-we'l
get you to Jackson all right. Are you
sure you don't change change cars at
Little Rock?"
Little Rock? I'm sure that can't be
on the road. Isn't Little Rock the cap
ital of Arkansas?
''Of course it is, but that has nothing
to do with your going to jackson.
You arrive at ST. Louis at 7:25 the next
morning.
But why do I arrive at ST. Louis?'
because you want to go to Jack
son.
But I didn't come through st.
Louisr' protested the Jackson lady
with trembling lip.
''Oh, yes you did, but it's probably
another milk station and they didn't
stop. 1 was just that way when 1 first
began to travel You'll get to Jackson
all right
But 1 didn't travel all night
you think you didn't, but you did, -
smiled the other. You were so nervous
that you didn't notice anything. Your
husband will surely be at the depot in
st. Louis to meet YOU
ST just don't believe I'll ever get
there gasped the amateur traveller.
"I know I didn't leave New Orleans
nor arrive at st. Louis. I just left
Jackson and arrived in Detroit, and it
didn't take only about two hours. Are
you very, very sure about the train?"
why, my dear woman, right here is
the timetable. I don't find Jackson
among the stations, but they often
leave out lots of the towns to save
money on the printing, you know. If
it is beyond st. Louis then you must
; arrive in st. Louis. If it isn't as far as
St. Louis then you won't arrive there.
Have you got your sleeper?''
. ''Why, mol If it didn't take but two
hours to come out it can't take but two
hours to go back. 1 don't want no
sleeper. Perhaps I'd better ask some
one else
''Just as you mind. 1 was that way
when 1 first began to travel You
asked me and have told you all about
| it, but if you are not perfectly satisfied
} you should make other Inquiries
The Jackson lady hunted up the
train announcer and timidly inquired:
do 1 leave on the New Orleans
train for Jackson, Mich. ?''
Not if 1 can help it, he replied.
do pass through Baton Rouge and
arrive at St Louis?''
''Who said you did?'
THAT lady over there
''Where did she get her informa-
tion?''
. From a railroad folder
The man took walk around and got
a q glance at the folder and returned
with grin on mis- face to ask:
8 Madam. do you know what road
a you take to go to Jackson?''
s 1.-The Michigan Central, SIR
And that lady, who has Travelled
and knows it all. was posting.you from
a Texas & Pacific folder-the first ons
!. she got hold of-just like woman
: Detroit Free Press