The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-22
A CHRISTMAS INCIDENT.
The Way n Holiday Crowd at the
Railroad Station Saw Two Sides

The Way n Holiday Crowd at the
Railroad Station Saw Two Side,
of Life.
1t was Christmas Eve.
That is the way that Christmas
stories always begin. This time 1t
was Christmas Eve at the North I'm
ion Station, and the reporter, waiting
for a train which would bear him to
the scene of a wreck, was watching
the flood of holiday shoppers, home
ward bound, together with the usual
crowd of commuters, also awaiting
trains.
So much larger than usual was the
crowd that the regular arrangement
/ of departures had been thrown to the
/ winds. Trains came and went when
: they could.
The 6:15 train, which generally starts
: from track Is, was shifted along to
track Il, and did not pull out until
/ $50; the 6:21 had just departed, min
utes late, packed to the very platforms,
| and as for the 6:25, its twinkhng, red
tail lights had not even come into
view backing into the train shed all
though the clock hands on the big lum-
irous dial had long since passed the
time of it's departure.
1t was not an impatient crowd that
surged back and forth on the platform
The spirit of Christmas cheer made 1t
self felt in spite of the inconvenience
and discomfort.
Men who would have sworn softly
to themselves at any otehr time crack
ed jokes with each other.
II won't be Late for dinner" observ-
ed one red-faced individual as he sig
nificantly tapped a very evident mar
ket basket. 81 have the dinner with
me and the breakfast, too. l expect
I'll have a midnight meal this time"
When a big fat duck escaped from
it's paper bag, and fell on the boards
half a dozen hands were stretched forth
to rescue it and restore it to the trem-
bling old man to whom 1t belonged.
'Ain't he a buster, though" said the
man, who finally handed over the fowl
and the man replied, THANK you, and
God bless YOU" in a quavering voice
that was almost drowned by the ex-
haust of a nearby locomotive.
Right in front of the reporter was
a bevy of red-cheeked school girls,
fresh from boarding school, in stylish
hats and cloaks. Their tongues were
going like wind mills.
ooh, am just dying to see aunt
and the girls" sighed the tallest OF
the group. Don't you think that the
baby will like the cute little elephant
I've got for him"
Ethel wants to see Charley,
know. / shouldn't wonder II he didn't
get the elephant after ALL" observed
the one with the tall plume in her hat
"Oh. please. don't be tease, Maude
You know I haven't said word about
Fred since we left Brfdgewater," re-
torted the other.
What / want is some real nice mince
pie" broke in a third darnsel. 81 am
so unutterably sick of the boarding
house kind"
Whereat they all walled in chorus
mournful tones.
This made the tired-looking man
with the struggling moustache laugh
aloud, and then look as II he wished
he hadn't. He had a wheeled ex-
press wagon and sundry other mis-
shapen bundles in his arms and appar-
emily had not INDUCED in the luxury
of a laugh before in a twe1vemonth.
"Gangway," shouted a voice, and
the mufFied rumbling of advancing
wheels was heard.
A baggage man slowly pushed along
a truck. before which the crowd part
ed. A curious. hush followed the pas
sage OF the trunk. because upon II was
a long wooden box.
The truck rolled slowly for the bur-
den was heavy. But there was plenty
Of room for II. and when II had passed
there was queer chill In the afr
which had not been there before. The
babble OF voices subqided to a muir
muir. The holly wreathe looked out
OF place somehow. and when the long
expected SOS backed into IT'S place the
crowd rushed for II with positive
sense Of relief
Tor II vas Christmas Eve l