Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-10-17
AT THE TRAIN
How Very Foolish We Act Under Certain
Circumstances An Example.


Do we ever say more idiotic thing
than when we go to railroad station,
to see our friends off? Do our face!
ever look more vacuous than when WI
hurl our last imbecile remarks in a
the car windows? Do we ever makt
feebler jokes or more imbrue advic,
in commonplace? | think not.
Mrs. Godfrey is a charming woman
and she has been heard to say that sh,
was proud of her friends; but do no
thing she was proud of them yeater
day when they gathered in the Unior
Station to bid her farewell before SHE
left for Honolulu. Neither did she
herself shine with any particular lus
tire. We were gathered in the WON
ans waiting room when she came in
After she had greeted us ALL bought 6
ticket and sent a man down to check
her baggage most appalling silence
fell on the group
You'll write to me before you gel
to San Francisco, won't your" Margar-
ct Deane said with a most intense fer
vor.
"Oh, of course" Mrs. Godfrey ans
wered. Thereupon six other friends
exacted the same promise.
Another silence fell, broken by
MacDonald: "Will you have to change
cars?" he asked anxiously. MacDon-
aid thinks no more of crossing the con-
tinent than he does of buying cigar,
but he added: Its the deuce to change
cars, you know"
NO | don't have to change cars till
l get to Frisco" Mrs Godfrey said.
This remark was hailed as joke and
we all laughed uproariously.
"You are the jolliest woman" little
Wakefield said admiringly. We'll all
miss you awfully."
A chorus of regret arose. Mrs.
Godfrey said that we must remember
that she was coming back in the
spring.
"And then you'll be our Honolulu
queen" the infant said.
"Now, don't get the plague" sweet
old Mrs. Chisholm said, "and have
you got my belladona plasters for sea-
sickness? And have you got those
tablets? They are so good if you feel
bilious, and"
Mrs. Godfrey, you ought to have
some dried beef to chew If you get
seasick," Macdonald said. Everybody
now offered a sure cure for seasickness
and Mrs. Godfrey pretended that she
would buy them all in San Francisco.
Another silence fell on the company.
81 wonder what time you get to Oma-
ha," Margaret Deane asked. Mrs. God
frey didn't know nor care, but Wake
field and Macdonald got folder and
spent several minutes in fixing the eX
act minute. We then held short ar
gument on the best position for a
berth. Befor this question, in which
nobody felt the slightest interest, was
settled, Wakefield discovered that it
was time to go down to the train.
The women all squealed at this an
nouncement; the men fought courte-
ously for the privilege of carrying Mrs.
Godfrey's hand luggage. We all
went into the car with her. The men
shook hands with Mrs. Godfrey and
the women kissed her dampiy between
sobs. Now, do write to us ALL" Mrs.
Chisholm said, land remember about
the belladona plaster"
Eyes, do write often and tell us all
about the Sandwich islands," the Choir
us cried Good d-bye-good-bye.
We filed out of the car and then
gathered in a knot under Mrs, Cod
frey's window. We wiped our eyes
and smiled out. Don't get married
while you are gone" the Infant said in
a sudden accession of idiocy.
Mrs. Godfrey laughed and Wakefield
and Macdonald looked at the Infant as
if they desired ardently to eat her
bones, picture hat and all Mrs. CHS
holm said that marriage was a lottery
Nobody disputed this, and Margaret
changed the subject by asking if Mrs.
Godfrey was sure she had her ticket
and her check.
The traveller showed them to us. 1t
was time for the train to move. We
all said again: "Good-by-be sure to
take care of yourself. Don't forget to
write, "and those other senseless things
that people say through car windows.
Mrs. Godfrey smiled and said, Good
bye, goodbye"
The train moved out of the shed and
we were turning away when the Infant
had a CLEAN of lucidity. why, Mr..
Mcdonald, you forgot to give her that
box of candy, and Mr.. Wakefield has
got his roses in his hands yet"
The two men looked first foolish,
then vicious. Mrs. Chisholm dived in
to her reticule and set up loud wall.
And forgot to give her the belladona