The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-20

tiresome before dawn breaks, but at last
the amusement of the moment comes to an
end. There is a hoarse cry of 'all aboard"
and the girls rush to the trains, waving
goodbye to all who may be in sight Then
a quick changing of an engine bell, and one
of the trains moves out, to be followed
For a time now the station is quiet; the
hands of the clock seem TO move more
slowly than ever before; time drags; the
waiting travellers doze, rouse themselves,
and doze again. But the minutes pass, and
presently sounds break the stiffness. Men
are scattered about the general waiting
room, all trying to execute an acrObatic
feat with slumber The benches in this
room provided with small wooden hand
rails dividing them into seats about two
feet wide, so that It Is impossible for the
would-be sleeper to stretch out at full
length on the bench. He must adapt the
brief dimensions of the seat to his purpose,
or hang his weary frame over several orna-
mental but hard wooden hahdrails One
fellow attempts to accomplish his purpose
of rest by stretching his feet along the floor
until little but his head and shoulders re-
main in the seat, and another doubles him
self UP In some contortionistic manner, and
tries to s OCCUPY sn the sest with his f whSs
forehead. And so Ii goes at o'clock in
the morning in the waiting room; Every
man tired and sleepy, and the crowd endeav-
oring TO rest on the benches in half a hum
dred different ways.
WOMEN ALWAYS DIGNIFIED.
In the ladies' waiting room 1t is the same
story again. Quiet figures with closed eyes
that open quickly at the approach of any
one. The same desire for sleep is evident
in the very atmosphere. but the contor-
tionistic feats of the other waiting room
are not apparent. The few women that are
here sit bolt upright in their seats, with
their satchels gathered carefully around
them and not left strewn about on the
floor as is the case with the men. The
women do not sleep as soundly as the men
and seem to try and keep sleep from get
ting possession OF them. Whenever they
feel that they are beginning TO doze the
will get up and persistently walk back and
forth around the benches until they are
thoroughly aroused.
But the longest night. even at a station,
comes to an end. Sounds break the still
ness at last Engines back in and out.
that will soon leave for different destina-
tons. The baggage handlers are working
with much noise over large piles of TRUNKS
Into the waiting rooms come passengers
from the owl cars for the early trains
who have spent the preceding hours at
home, but they are weary looking like the
and Grabbed in spirit. every individual APP
pears TO have aged ten years since IL
o'clock.
Presently the early mail trains are made
up and stand waiting for their passengers
on the tracks In the station. The mail
wagons and the newspaper vans are depos-
platforms and the noise of the work is
reverberated all over the building. The last
sleepers awaken. and with heavy eyes go
toward the gates that lead to the trains.
The officials rush back and forth. the crowd
pushes throuG the gates, there is a loud
''all aboard" and the first of the mail trains
glides out over the tracks. The most of the
trains that leave at this hour are through
trains, and this makes the life about the
station as active at this time in the morn
ing as IL Ii were midday. The sleeping cars
on the mail trains are open for those hold
ing berths quite early in the evening, and
much of the crowd Is absorbed i'm this man
ner; otherwise IL would be picture of even
more activity at the station between 2 and
3 o'clock In the morning. When these early
mail trains are gone quietness again steals
over the station, TO last until about
o'clock. when the next trains leave. There
are many unfortunate individuals still sit
ting In the waiting rooms. waiting for cne
of the later trains, and TO them, 10 the
cleaning lights and the always busy off,
Gals. the station may be left to complete
their vigil with the midnight life.