The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-08-28
A WASHERS MISTAKE.

"A Al&AoE1EAIN i-llo lAhE.
Mr.. Ben j. Cuttings. who is in the city
visiting his uncle, R. Cuttings, telegraph
editor of the Eagle, relates an amusing
episode which happened on train he was
on lately, wherein a would-be warm num-
Der masher was completely submerged,
to the great enjoyment of the whole car
When the train pulled into TeAadaga,
Ala, group of young students from the
deaf mute asylum located in that city
got aboard the train and took seats to-
gether in lpne end of the car. They were
evidently full of laughing glee and oft for
a holiday, their fingers busy as tEey Wis
tied together in their sign language. In
the party was one very pretty young lady
of about IS, who seemingly was the leader
of the gay but silent little group. She
was talking to all the rest at once. now to
one in front and then across the aisle and
then back of her, her pretty head tossing
with vivacious gaiety as her nimble fin
gers spoke her thoughts. Just then a dap
per and well dressed travelling man enter
ed the car and was starting for a seat
just as the girl waved her hand over her
shoulder giving some sign to the friend
behind her The drummer saw the move
ment, and true 10 the first instinct of the
masher class, at once supposed she was
stuck on his shape and was trying to
start up a Irritation. Accordingly he
planked down in the seat beside the girl
Very affably he commenced a conversa-
ton, remarldng it twas a warm day or
some other regulation meteorological OBJ
seryation. Receiving no response, he
coughed a time or TWO and started off on
new tack, calling the girls attention to
some scene out the window She looked
bankly at him and still said nothing.
Just little embarrassed, he stopped his
glib wandering talk long enough to think
Of something else to say. Then he sum
moned renewed hope and asked her how
far she was going. His taciturn compan-
ion only glared at him as though she con-
sidered him freak.
BY this time all the car was watching
the ridiculous performance thoroughly en-
joying the situation and already for the
grand Ginale which they knew was bound
10 come. The girls mute companions were
also shaking with suppressed nirth. hut
she alone did not yet realize what il all
meant. Supposing her seat-mate was eth
er crazy or had taken an overdose. Finally
in desperation the loduacious knight of the
grip shot out one more question. which
like the others died on the ambient air.
his new acquaintance only replying with
vacant stare Ike she was beautiful work
OF marble instead Of a living being BY
this time it dawned upon her innocent and
unSophisticated mind that she was the I'M
conscious cause of a whole car full Of
comic opera. and taking out her aittle slate
sW eet-y wrote as a reply to all her COM
paMon's fifteen minute talk. the wet oIan-
ket remark, What did you s3y?' For
The first time the thoroughly discounted
drummer took IN the situation. and he
stood not upon the order Of his going but
went. and he went decidedly hurriedlv.
his embarrassment being plainly marked
by his blood-red face and neck. As he
precipitateW adjourned to the smoking
car he was followed by an oucburst Of
Ions pent-up laughter by everyone in the
crowded car and the place where he had
been knew him no more. Later Nr. Gil
ungs found him in the smoking kar and
he had a far away. dreamy look in his
face. about like the parrot mi-ht have
thought as he remarked 10 himself after
the dog had nearly chewed him IN
Polly, YOU are = olanked fool: YOU talk
too much,"