The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-04-17
BREAKFAST IN THE SOUTH.
A Surprise for Il Northern Railroad
Traveller at Little Station.
New DIRK Sun.

Ne" Ofk sun.
The train was so late that breakfast
was out Of the question at the station
where that meal was usually served.
Passengers going further South and
enough to step across the station to
the waiting train.
The new train started. The dust
poured through the cracks Of the win
dows: the door swung open half the
the time and the black. adhesive
smoke II the soft coal pulled into the
car. Breakfast was to be served at a
station two hours beyond the station
at which it was customary. The con-
ductor took the names Of hungry pas
sengers who, with no great cXpecta-
tiOns, resignedlv said that they would
eat when the junction was reached.
Then they settled down to another
hour OF smoke and dust.
Twenty minutes for breakfast
shouted the conductor after a while
A dinner bell in the hands Of a stall
wart mulattO youth rang stimu-
lating Obligato to this announcement
The passengers bundled out Of the
cars
The appearance Of the little sta
ton, called Branchvillr, because
trains started from it in several ti-
rections. did not reas,ur The solitary
Northern traveller who alighted from
the train. Bat he followed his COM
paniOns into the dining room. The
air was so soft and balmv that the
windows Of the dining room stood
open and there was faint smell of
the pungent pine brought from the
thickness of the belt only few miles
away.
TIE linen on the tables were worn
and in many places carefully mended
But it was clean. SO were the glass
and china. 1t was the break
fast itself that proved the greatest
surprise.
There wore on the table ample
plates of stewed chicken, tender and
tasteful; plates of hroiled bacon and
ham of the kind that is better in the
South than anywhere else, chiefly be-
cause it is properly cooked in that
region; but beaten biscuits and corn
bread. thin strips of well-done liver
and light omelettes-these were the
dishes that made up an unexpectedly
good meal.
The Northern traveller never re-
members having Jared 50 we'll any
where on his extensive Journeys
through the country. But more as
tonishing to him than the excellence
of the food was the polileness of his
fellow guests.
He knew none of them. He never
had seen any of them until they were
seated about the table He was accus-
toned to the rough and ready ways of
other regions. SO it surprised him
when the man OH the right before
helping himself asked politely if |
wouldn't like some chicken.
Take piece of the white meat"
his neighbor added, you'll find it
very good"
From the other side came similar
invitations, all delivered as il his
neighbors took personal interest in
seeing that he was well cared for.
The solicitude of the walters was lust
as marked
Don't take that biscuit, SIR said
one Of them LET me get you a hot
one" And he dashed off to do it,
All this politsness, combined with
the unusual excellence of the food,
made an unusual impression on the
stranger who had never before been
in that region; and he was convinced
that the breakfast was better than
any that the average railroad res
taurant could supply, while the man
tsinly superior. They were indeed a
revelation to him just as they are to
all strangers making their first visit
to the South.