The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-06
AS TO A wILTED COLLAR.


! through the open windows OF the car.
The. windows had to be left open, for
the heat was insufferabe No parlor
car ever held a more wilted looking lot
or passengers. They were fairly spick
| and span looking when they got aboard
hear the end OF the line: but they sooh
succumbed. The Cannon Ball had again
excited derision by being twenty min
utes behind time. The delay began
their distress. For twenty minutes the
engine OF their train puffed impotently
as IL waited for the down train to pass
when the way was at last clear shirt
waists had lost their stiffness. nearly
every face was dusky with smoke and
not collar stood up. Resignedi.y the
passensersss ssat about waiting for the
train TO complete its seemingly inter-
minable series of stops and reach town.
IL was too hot TO read or talk. Tns
weather and the conditions made ev-
erybody too limp for anything but Idle,
listless staring through the windows al
the dusty landscape or at the tired
faces OF the others who sat about I'm the
same demoralized way. The conductor
calling the stations or occasional EN-
trance of new arrivals awakened no in
terest in the car. Everybody was too
far gone for that.
The train was within twenty minutes
of the city when an incident occurred
which did cause symptoms II interest
among the passengers. Seated in The
centre OF the car was a young man
dressed with more care than any other
man about him. His rough tweed suit
showed none Of the effects of the smoke
and dust. His brown gloves and his
broad -brimmed gray hat were little
suggestive of the discomforts OF the
journey. But his high collar had gone
the way of everything starched in that
car. 1t had collapsed completely. Ii
stood scarcely higher than the band OF
his shirt. AS a protection for a sore
throat II might have served as well as
any OF the white flannel rags so dear as
a remedy to the heart of Bridget in the
treatment of such an ailmcnt. But as
a collar IL was a disgrace, a failure.
That he knew this, his conduct show
ed. Rising from the seat IN which he
mad lolied inconspicuously. ne lifted Il
square leather travelling bag into it,
drew Il bunch of Keys from his pocket,
and opened the bag. The passengers
stared ut him with languid interest.
When he opened the bag the contents
showed the customary evidences OF
Monday morning packing in a hurry.
Those who sat near him while he rum
mayed among its contents saw In care
less confusion a pair of pink pajamas.
q
and an ivory comb. When he withdrew
his hands and closed the top or the bag,
IL was seen that his search was success
full. In his hand was white collar
stiff and immaculate The tired passen-
gers were active interested now. If
the collar was to be put on there. thirty
pairs of eyes were ready to watch the
process. That was the young mans
purpose. With the collar i'm his hand
he walked forward 10 one OF the two
mirrors that hung In the car. Every
eye followed him. He was conscious of
the attention. for nobody made any at
tempt TO conceal Ii.
The limp collar was promptly whisk-
ed off and went into one of the owners
pockets The fresh one was slowly and
deliberately adjusted. Before that the |
string necktie was slipped into IL. Then |
the one evidence OF weakness which |
rnarred the complete self-possesslon OF |
the whole performance was noticed. |
His fingers fumbled when II came to |
the front collar button. But that weak |
ness was only temporary. He recover |
ed from an instant of embarrassment |
and completed the operation as sue |
as he might have done in the /
privacy of his own room.
When he turned suddenly to walk |
back TO his seat every eye dropped |
quietly. But he gave no evidence of |
at him with interest. Once more the (
top OF the bag was lifted. the soiled |
collar fell among the mixed contents
and the key chain reappeared. Then |
he fitted on his hat, settled down in the
seat, and his gloves were drawn slowly |
On. Nobody had spoken since he first
opened the bag. Every thought had
been on him. In spite OF his apparent
the strain had been more than
he could bear. though. AS he buttoned
he last button OF his glove he looked at
the man who had sat next 20 him.
Their eyes met. Self-control was now
)ut of the question.
"A fool" he said to the man" would
1T have had the nerve to change that
,ollar. He'd have landed in the city
With that wited one
The speech was as much relief to the
est OF the car as IL was To the man
Who had finally been driven to uttering
T. Nobody looked at him again and
when the passengers few moments
Ifterward seized their bags and hur-
led for the ferry he had been COM
,letely forgotten.--The Sun.
A nxx, L. rss.afnr GfriIyno Nonrf |