The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-02-08

Elsie, Chester, Valentine and Annie
had made up an overland train in the
dinngroom, and were taking trip
across the United States. They had
the straight backed chairs for cars and
the big rocker for the engine. Chester
was engineer and fireman. Valentine
was conductor, brakeman and porter.
Elsie and Annie we're the passengers.
Mamma was lying on couch in the
next room. She had the headache,
and wanted to sleep. But, II she
dropped into doze, Valentine was
sure TO rouse her by bawling, Din
ner is now ready in the dining carl"
Mamma could not bear to stop their
fun. But she kept hoping that dinner
would be over. At last the appetites
of the passengers seemed to have been
satisfied, and then she heard them
planning to have wreck.
''That is more than | can stand,"
thought mamma.
"Childrenl' she called.
Elsie came to the door.
''Would you like to try new play?"
said mamma. 81 will give five cents
10 tne Que WHO VIII Sit htii tho iohS
est"
Elsie wanted to try it. She told the
rest.
Chester said he would just as soon
play that as to play wreck"
'And we can have the wreck after
ward" said Valentine.
"Let's sit in the cars" said Elsie.
"We'll give Annie the engine" said
| Chester. ''she's the littlest"
Annie laughed and cambered into
the big rocker. The others took their
places. and the play began. Elsie
felt like laughing at first, but she
looked away out of the window and
soon grew serious. Chester gazed
steadily at the ca pet. Annie looked
straight ahead OF her. Her eyes were
dull, and now and then the lids
dropped. Valentine fixed his eyes on
the clock. Five minutes were slowly
licked away.
'Tt seems like whole forenoon"
thought Valentine.
He wondered how long the others
could keep still.
"Not so long as I can," he said to
himself. "Elsie will laugh; she's al
ways giggling. And Chester will say
something; he's such a talker. And
of course Annie's too little to keep
still long"
so Valentine reasoned, and reso-
lutely held his tongue, waiting for the
rect. He made u2 his mind they could
not hold ont longer than half an hour.
"Annie will soon begin to jabber,
he kept thinking. "And then Elsie
will laugh, and Chester will speak ont;
and then I'll say, I've won the
nickelp"
Valentine watched the clock.
"I know they cant tkeep still more'n
half an hour" he said to himself over
and over again.
At last the half-hour was almost
gone. There were only two minutes
more. He could hardly wait. Then
there was only one minute. He grew
excited The time was up. He for
got himself altogether. He jumped
from his chair.
"I'ye won the nickel" he shouted.
Elsie and Chester burst ont laugh
ing. Then they all looked at one an
other in dismay.
''Did Annie laugh, too?" cried Elsie.
"And is the game spoiled?"
She peeped around the back of the
rocking chair.
"Why, the darling!" she said softly.
"5he's asleepI"
''Ths nickel belongs to her." said
Chester. ''Well, never mind. She's
the littlest."
''Ill so tell mamma" said Elsie
"Mamma!- Why, she's asleep, too!
Don't let's wake her." said Ches
ter ''You know she said her head
ached."
"We'll play outdoors till dinner
time," said Elsie.
"And we can have the wreck this
afternoon" said Valentine. Chris
tian Register.