The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-12-01
n OF THE A

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There we're threaof them on the train
two young girls and a young man, and
they were evidently on a lark" as
well &c on a journey. TIE three &C
cupled VIC seats, the girls sitting to
gether and the young man facing them,
with their n vaiise on the seat beside
them,
They had looked out Of the window
until they we're tired OF that, had chat
fed the newsDoE and asked the brake
men n~0nseasicaI questions until they
mad earned a sharp answer from each,
and were left with only the other
passengers to furnish material for fun.
Their keen eyes roved about, finding
little in the well dressed crowd tt ex
cite comment. The bridal party and
the baby, those fruitful SOURCES of
amusement on the train, were missing,
and wit languished.
At the next stop an old man came in
"a shabby, very shabby old man. He
took a seat near the young people, and
they seized upon him as a legitimate
object for sport. He took off his bat
tered old hat, and they giggled over
the wen on top Of his head, over which
his struggling gray hairs were care
fully combed. They found material
for fun in the wisp of gray beard or
the aged face, and in everything he
wore, clean down to the cracked shoes
on his feet, from which a knitted blue
sock was trying to peep.
The old mans eyes were bleared and
red, and he leaned heavily on his cane
as the conductor came in. His voice
was cracked, and shrill, too, as he
asked questions, while the official
punched his ticket and looked at him
as if he would gladly send him to the
second class car if his ticket were not
! first class.
The roar Of the train dulled his hear
ing, and he held his trembling hand
behind his ear to catch the conductors
answer, which was crisp and unsatis-
factory. The poor get little of that
ready courtesy which we'll TODD people
exact as their right from train officials
and even the silly young man, with his
high collar and low stock Of good sense,
met with more respect from the CON
ductor than this aged man.
The old man was intensely funny to
the trio on the lookout for amusement,
and wit, such as it was, circulated
freely at his expense.
The young people were to change
cars at the next station, riding a few
hours on a branch road, and the train
was slowing up. They pushed rudely
past the old man, who was evidently
preparing 10 change, too, acting as If
time were of the greatest Importance.
They stood on the platform as he de
scended from the car, going toward the
baggage car with feeble steps.
A little old fashioned hairy trunk,
studded with brass nails, stood in the
baggage car, and the baggageman gave
it a vicious ftag out upon the platform.
The old man WINGED as the trunk struck
the platform, and he fastened his steps
as il to protect. Too late Like the old
man, it was weak with age, and it's
sides parted at the shock, and the cover
| flaw Up from the back a. the hinges
broke.
A groen burst from the old mans
lips, and with trembling hands he be-
gan to tumble helplessly at the gar
ments, which, loosened from the close
packing, had rolled out upon the plat
form.
THAT your trunk, daddy3 Sorry I
busted it for you, but Tad there, he'll
fix it up for you, good as ever" cried
the baggageman. He was not a bad
fellow when he was not in a hurry, and
was really sorry.
"GoiDg up the branch, heyG" said
the station master at the Office. We'll,
Just you wait a minute, there's plenty
of time, and I'll get a rope. Jim's a lit
tie too fresh when he gets hold of an
old piece of baggage, but we'll have it
all right in a jify."
The young people stood by, quite con-
vulsed with nerrIment, as the old man