The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-05-05
already see five people there"

already see five people there
Meredith had observed the change in
his companions mood. He had watched
him closely all day, looking for a re-
turn of his malady, but he came to the
conclusion that in truth a miracle had
been wrought, for the lethargy was
gone and vigor seemed to increase in
HAIRLESS with every turn of the wheels
that brought them nearer Plattville,
and the nearer they drew to Plattville
the higher the spirits of both the young
men rose. Meredith knew what was
happening there, and he began to be a
little excited. AS he had said, there
were five people visible at Beaver, and
he wondered where they lived, as the
only building in sight was the station,
and to satisfy his curiosity he walked
out to the vestibule. The little station
stood In the woods, and brown leaves
Whirled along the platform. One of the
five people was an old lady, and she en-
tered rear car. The other four were
men. One of them handed the con-
ductor telegram. Meredith heard the
official say: Cali right Decorate ahead.
I'll hold. it five minutes"
Ihe man sprang up the steps of the
smoker and looked in. He turned to
Meredith. 'Do you know if that gen.
tleman in the gray coat is Mr.. Hank
less? He's got his back this way, and
don't want to 60 inside. The air in a
smoker always gives me SPELL"
Eyes, that's Mr.. Harkless."
The man jumped to the platform.
"All right, boys" he said. rip her
out!'
The doors of the freight room were
thrown open, and a big bundle of col
ored stuffs was dragged out and hastily
unfolded. One of the men ran to the
farther end Of the car with a strip of
red, white and blue bunting and tack
ed 1t securely, while another fastened
the other extremity to the railing of
the steps by Meredith. The two COM
panions of this pair performed the
| same operation with another strip on
the other side of the car. They ran
similar lines of bunting near the roof
from end to end, so that except for the
windows the sides of the car were
completely covered by the national col
ors. Then they draped the vestibules
with flags. It was all done in trice.
Meredith's heart was beating fast
'What's it all about?" he asked
''Picnic down the line," answered the
man in charge, removing a tack from
his mouth. He motioned to the con-
ductor, eco aheadv'
The wheels began to move; the dec
orators remained on the station plat
form, letting the train pass them, but
| Meredith, craning his neck from the
steps, saw that they jumped on the
last car.
"What's the celebration" asked
Harkless when Meredith returned.
"Picnic down the line" said Mere
dith.
Whipping weather for a picnic. A bit
cool, don't you think? One of those fell
lows looked like friend of mine,
Homer Tibbs, or as Homer might look
If he were in disgrace. He had his hat
hung on his eyes, and he slouched like
a thief in melodrama as he tackled up
the bunting on this side Of the car"
He continued to point out various
| familiar places, finally breaking out
enthusiastically as they drew nearer
the town: Hello! Look there-beyond
the grove yonder! See that house?"
Eyes, john
'Thats the Bowlders'. You've got to
know the Bowlders."
''Id like to-"
'"The kindest people in the world.
The Briscoe house we can't see because
it's so shut in by trees, and, besides, it's
a mile or SO ahead of us. Well go out
there for supper tonight. Don't you
like Briscoe? He's the best they make.
Well go uptown with Judd Bennett in
the omnibus, and you'll know how a
rapid fire machine gun sounds. want
to go straight to the Herald Office" he
finished. with a suddenly darkening
brow.
"After all, there may be some ex-
planation," Meredith suggested with a
little hesitancy. III. Fisbee might
turn out more honest than you Think
HAIRLESS threw his head back and
laughed. Honest! A man in the pay
Of Rodney McCune! Well, we can let
1t wait till we get there. Listen!
There's the whistle that means we're
getting near home. Why, there's an
oil welly'
$50 it is"
"And another-three, five, seven
seven in sight at once! They tried it
three miles south and failed, but you
can't fool Eph Watts, bless him!
want you to know Watts"
They ran by the outlying houses of
the town amid a thousand descriptive
EXPLANATIONS from HAIRLESS, who wish
ed Meredith to meet every one in Car
low. But he came to pause in the
middle of a word. "Do you hear mu-
Sic" he asked abruptly, cor is it only
the rhythm of the ties?''
1T seems to me there's music in the
air." answered his companion. GIVE
been fancying I heard it for minute