Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-05-07

L
"The team. He always used to drive
| the bay on the near side and the sor-
| rel on the off,"
| And at present" rejoined Meredith,
81 am to understand that he Is driving
| the sorrel on the near side and the bay
| on the off?'
| THAT'S it." returned the other. "He
must have worked them like that for
some time, because they didn't look
| uneasy. They're all right about the
| train, those two. I've seen them stand
| with their heads almost against a fast
freight. See there" He pointed to a
| white frame farmhouse with green
blinds. That's Win Hibbards. We're
| just outside of Beaver"
| Beaver? Elucidate Beaver. boy"
Beaver? Meredith, your informa.
ton ends at home. What do you know
Of your own state IL you are ignorant
Of Beaver? Beaver is that city OF Car
low county next in Importance and
| population to PlattviIle"
| Tom put his head out of the window
81 fancy you are right" he said u
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
Harkless with every turn of the wheels
that brought them nearer PIattville
and the nearer they drew to PattviIle
4 hr, irb bo
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: "All right Decorate ahead.
III hold it five minutes"
The man sprang up the steps Of the
| smoker and looked In. He turned to
Meredith. do you know IL that gen.
tieman in the gray coat is Mr.. Hank
lessi Hes got his back this way. and
I don't want to go inside. The air in a
smoker always gives me a spell"
"Yes. that's Mr.. Harkless."
The man jumped to the platform.
"Ail right, boys" he said. rip her
outr
! The doors OF the freight room were
| thrown open, and 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 q 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. 1t was all done In trice.
Aeredith's heart was beating fast
whats II all abouty" he asked.
Picnic down the line" answered the
man In charge, removing tack from
his mouth. He motioned to the con
ductor, Go aheadr
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 celebration2" asked
Harkiess when Meredith returned.
Picnic down the line," said Mere
dith
'Nipping weat Their for a picnic. A bit
cool, don't you Think One of those fell
lows looked like a friend OF mine
Homer Tibbs. or as Homer might look
IL he were in disgrace. He had his hat
hung on his eyes. and he slouched like
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?"
Yes, John"
That's the Bowlders. You've got to
know the BOwlde
I'D like to-
THE kindest people in the world.
The BriScoe house we cant see because
it's so shut in by trees. and, besides, its
mile or so ahead of us. Wen 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
rapid fire machine gun sounds. l want
TO go straight TO the Eerald Office" he
finished, with suddel " darkening
brow.
after all, there may be some ex-
PLANTATION" Meredith suggested with a
little hesitancy. H. Fisbee might
turn out more honest than you think"
Harkless threw his head back and
laughed. Honest \ man in the pay
of Rodney McCune! Well, we can let