The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1904-12-22
HEN the train from Ogden and
the Pacific coast drew up, puff

INV the Pacific coast drew up. puff
- ing noisiiy, at the town OF
Cunnison, Col, at two o'clock in the
afternoon of December %. there was
seated in the middle section OF the
sleeping car a very cross-looking old
gentleman. You could see at once he
was out Of humor. He looked SO much
as il he might, on slightest provoca-
ton, bite, you wouldn't have been sur
prised to hear him bark.
1t was a cold, unfriendly stare tina.
he bestowed upon Kitty Waller when.
bundled up in great red coat and
a warm hood, with paper box under
her arm and a little satcEel in her
hand, she was shown by the porter to
seat just across the aisle from his
own
She couldn't have noticed the look.
for as the train began to raoye She
plunged in among his bags and shawl
straps, almost knocking a book from
his knee in her eagerness to obtain the
last glimpse of woman on the plat
form, which was ON his side OF the
car, says Browning, King & Co. s
Monthly.
i beg your pardon said she, Il
wanted to say good-by to aunty."
You seem to have said good-by to
your manners" was the hateful reply.
and Kitty, now alive to the fact that
the gentleman was very cross, crepi
back to her own seat and nestled
quietly in the corner
She was only ten years old, but sh9
had grown up tall in the Elk noun.
tain air, and her cheeks were rosy.
This was her first ride on railroad
Indeed, from her uncle's half-log, half
frame house, where her mother had
died when she was baby, no tracks
save those of miners or jack-rabbits
were visible Now she was going all
the way to Denver to spend Christmas
with Grandma Waller
She knew the train was due in Den-
YER at seven O'Clock the next morn
ing, and that after long, happy day
she would hang her stockings in the
big room grandma had SO often writ
ISAl ~ klCi GOoQl, dIu OIO k0dutd SlduS
would fill it.
AS early as seven O'Clock the good
natured porter prepared the funny bed
in which she was to sleep, while she
looked on in open-eyed amazemen.,
and by eight O'Clock she was in the
land Of dreams, the last sound she hal
heard being the voice of the "cross
gentleman" scolding the porter for
making up his berth with the head
toward the engine.
1t was early when Kitty awol1e, and
the train was not moving Happy and
were not in Denver, Kitty dressed her.
self, and presently from between the
curtains opposite came the "cross gen
tleman," grumbling alotid and calling
for the porter.
us afeerd, sir" said that indiviG-
ual. we're done stuck here for mos
of de day. The big tunl this side of
Marshall pass has caved in."
Then the conductor explained that
section of one of the mile-long snow
sheds had fallen, and that all they
could do was to wait for wrecking
train from Pueblo.
'And not blessed thing to cat
said Kitty's fellow passenger.
With trembling hands the little girl
opened her box of luncheon. Hard
boiled eggs, a pot of jam, sardine
sandwiches, thick slices of buttered
bread and lots Of cOokipc
There's mere than l can eat, sir"
said she; won't you have some"
The scross gentleman" arose. He
looked for a moment hard at Kitty,
whose eyes sank to the floor, and then,
with bow as though she had been a
grown-up young lady, he crossed the
aisle and seated himself opposite to
her.
1t was not until afternoon that the
damage ahead was sufficiently re-
paired to allow them to proceed, and
when eyening-Christmas Eve-came
the train was just making it's way
through the Royal gorge, nearly "a
hours late.
Their talk during the day had been
of mines and snowshoes, with now
and then dGressions on her part into
confidential anecdotes concerning her
pet doll that had been lost in snow
slide a week before, but which she
hoped to find in the spring, unless
Santa Claus should-and she trembled
with excitement as she mentioned it
bring her another il TIC - o-'-.-,g
But" he had said to her just be-
fore he babe her goodnight, how can
Santa Claus catch us? We're late and
going at 80 miles an hour"
Santa Claus is like an angel" Kit
ty replied; he can be anywhere he
wants at any time" Then, just as
she was quite ready to go to sleep,
she leaned out between the curtains
and said: will you lend me a pin
to pin my stockings to the curtain !:
can't find any nail" He gave her
a pin.
1t was past IL o'clock when the
lights of Pueblo were seen in the dis
lance The "cross gentleman" had
not thought of going to bed, and, what