The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-11-16
AN INTERLUDE
BY. virna Woods.

f%r = NJ -
THE day was warm. In the Sacra-
imento depot, the ever increasing
crowd swayed to and fro, surging over
the very track on which the overland
train would come with its burden OF
troops from the east. The air was
heavy with the scent of flowers.
The long balcony in front of the su.
perintendent's Office was filed with a
line Of gayly-dressed people, who stood
patiently looking at the moving mass
below them. There workmen from the
great railroad shops jostled ladies in
dainty attire; and schoolboys and
street urchins lodged under the arms
Of their elders, making for themselves
swift serpentine paths through the
crowd. &
Almost in the center Of the station
fat Mexican woman stood guard over
baby buggy, in which sat a. black
eyed infant clutching tiny American
flag in Its dirty little hand.
There was sudden pressure from
the crowd at the end of the depot, and
the band marched in.
In the forward movement Of the
crowd Gertrude SERVER found herself
forced to the verge Of the platform, and
not far from the nearest track. She
stood there with her sister, a piquant
figure in lavender. One year Of mar
riage and two of widowhood had taken
Ia 4, 81. h~r,
with smile that any possible acquaint-
ance among the troops from her old
home could not fail to recognize her.
A. vague excitement stirred her; an
underlined recognition of the potential
tiles of the incidents of life. As she
left her home, she had plucked single
magnolia as an offering to some one
she might chance to know. Now she
held the blossom carefully. that it
might not be crushed in the crowd.
The scream of whistle was followed
by the rush of the train into the
crowded station. Soldiers leaned from
the windows with wreaths of roses on
their heads, or stood on the platforms,
their hands full of flowers. In the
midst of the music and cheers women
pressed forward with baskets of flow.
ers, holding them up to the windows.
In their wake followed train of young
girls, some of them demanding hard
tack and brass buttons, and others ask
ing for the soldiers autographs in
their albums.
Mrs. SERVER stood still, eagerly scan
ming the cars as they passed, for the
glimpse of a familiar face. Now, as
she tried to move along the line, she
found herself hemmed in by the crowd.
Her sister had fallen behind, and was
talking to an acquaintance behind her.
The train had stopped. Under the
command of an officer, detail of SOL
diers, two from each car, marched
through the waiting-room into large
room beyond, where committee of Ia
dies handed them. baskets of provisions
and boxes of fruit. The baskets con.
tanned sandwiches and radishes and
onions, with envelopes of salt, and 20.
tato salad done up in candy boxes. The
fruit consisted of oranges and cherries,
with lemons for the sick. The march.
ing of the soldiers increased the noise
and the movement of the crowd.
The music of the band had changed
to columbia, the Gem of the Ocean -
A boy of 10 or 10 leaned out OF. win.
dow and received bunch of carnation
pinks with smile. Mrs. SERVER
watched him with momentary amuse.
ment. On his head and about his neck
were garlands of flowers, and the but.
tonholes of his jacket were decorated
with blossoms. 81 "'
y She passed on, pausing a moment to
listen to the loquacious chatter of q
blue-coat in the next car. He leaned
far out the window, detailing his .ex-
periences with more fluency than gram.
mar. to group of interested listeners.
At the next window sat a great. sto]id
fellow, surveying the scene about him
in grave silence She wondered idly
what rustic region had been his home,
and what thoughts moved slugeishly
in his brain. Then she upbraided her
self for her instructive classification OF
him. Had he not volunteered to fioht
and to die, If need be, for his country
And had not that deed alone placed
him above the plane Of mere, intelleo.
tuality? if.55s rE. :@2,Sy,, s5l 34s#-2
"Give me your flower, lady said !
saacy young voice. .. 5=
0 She looked up into . pair OF laughing
eyes. The owner Of the orbs put his
head out Of the window, and she saw
that It was crowned with q wreath Of
roses. He held,a bouquet in his hand.
she said; 81 will save It for
some poor fellow who hasn't any =
gtyotcet sounded close in her ears Cd
though IN answer to her remark.
hey say that the boys IN the cars
ct the rear are complaining that they
don't ut any attention. it said. s1
She pushed her way through the
/ ssewd. It'll scanning the faces at thu