The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-11-13

/
that they call a dressing room in sleep
! ing cars.
Just as l reached there 1 remem-
bered that l didn't have my comb and
brush, and l turned back for them.
Then | did what the comic papers are
always getting off jokes about. l went
to the wrong berth. l don't know how
l ever made the mistake, for l knew
very we'll that belonged to No. 6, but
L guess the fat round part of the figure
eight deceived me, and l poked in be-
tween the curtains and felt about for
the valise. Imagine my horror when
a big bass voice inside roared out:
''Oh, fade away"
l fairly staggered back into the
aisle, | was so startled, and l stepped
with all my weight on to the bare foot
of man who was sitting behind the
curtains of the opposite berth. He said
something with about dozen AS in
it that made it wall of pain, and
turned round and apologized to the
| curtain.
BY that time | was so confused that
it's a wonder | ever arrived anywhere,
but did find No. at last and hunted
| for my brush and comb.
Do you know, couldn't find them?
| took every blessed thing out of that
suit case, and the list was something
| like this: A Shoe-horn, a spangled
| fan, an ostrich feather stole, an empty
cologne bottle, four wells, the three
best stocks own all wet with cologne
and rolled into a little ball, pair of
long white evening gloves, lace hand
kerchief, a pink chiffon sash and
| whole armful more of stuff that | had
swept out of my top bureau drawer,
and not single thing that was of the
least use to me for going to bed pur-
poses. Literally not one! And you
can realize all that that means if you
think about it for moment!
There was nothing to do but be
philosophic, so l thought I'd arrange
my hair the best could with my side
combs, and | started again for the
dressing room. When l got under the
lamp | glanced down at the wrapper
over my arm and l recognized in that
tumbled mass not my wrapper, but my
new black velvet princess dinner gown
That was the finishing touch to my
misery, for l hadn't had it in the house
month, and I'd been wanting one for
years, and it was all wet with cologne
and regular wrinkled wreck.
| was SO discouraged that I went
back to my section and went to bed
just as l was
My only ray of consolation was that
there was no one over me; but just as
| was thinking that there was that, at
least, to be thankful for, black hand
came in through the curtains and the
porter said:
Lady, there's a gentleman come for
the upper, and 1 want to put On your
supplementary curtain"
Supplementary" indeed!
Of course said very WE'LL" and he
hung up foolish little strip of green
stuff, and tried to feel very exclusive
and secluded while big, fat man
climbed up the step ladder, and so
nearly fell off it that he lit in the
berth above with crash that fright
ened me to death. All night long il
was toss-up which groaned the loud
er, he or the berth, and it sounded
frightfully near and horrid, and
couldn't sleep wink; but lay awake
and worried about Alonzo.
When AlonZo went to Upper East
ScOttypaw he wrote to me about the
Boston terminal station. He said it
was great"
He didn't do it justice. 1t is great
in several senses of the word. My train
came in on track %, and 1 took about
a half mile of pedestrian exercise be-
fore | found the information office.
They seem to have everything travel
Ell can want in that station except a
brush and comb and a wrapper, but l
couldn't find any signs of a desire to
provide me with those lacks in my
outfit.
| discovered that my quickest way of
getting to Upper East Scottypaw was
to take train to Portland and a boat
from there. Why in the world Alonzo
ever went to such a far-off place l
can't guess. | sent him a telegram to
say l was on the road. had to send
it collect" because | had spent all
the money in my chatelaine bag, and
it was so embarrassing to take off my
shoe right there at the telegraph win
dow and get out the bills l had in it.
| did it, though, before l crossed the
city to the station that the Portland
train went out of.
Have you ever been to Boston? It's
cross-eyed sort of town. l don't
wonder everybody wears glasses. l
took car that looked as if it ought to
go somewhere. But you needn't ever
talk to me again about Boston intelli-
gence. That car had no sense at all.
II didn't know what it wanted. 1t
went on the surface and it went un-
foreground and it went on the elevated.
Or else it was another car that /
changed into at a place called Rox-
bury that went on the elevated. All
any rate, they said l was about four
miles from the station 1 needed, and
/ got exactly into the car they pointed
out, and when l asked again they said
| was in Charlestown. | don't think
| the people had any more sense than
the car.