Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-13
The Last Days of.
 Summer
Copyright, 1908, by Daily Story Pub. cn-
By FRANCIS A. wTLDMAr

Copyright, 1908. by Daily Stery Pub. cns NEISS KMBALL struggled to the out WI skirts of the crowd that thronged the Chicago station, and drew breath of Telief. She had travelled day and night, and supposed that the further she got from the eastern summer resorts the fewer excursionists she would en- counter; but here was the worst jam of all.
 sudden recollection of the conven- tion then being held in the city explained it. With 8 little foresight she might have saved herself this discomfort by waiting week later, but-there was nothing to do now but wedge her way through, station herself near the gate, and wait for the outgoing western train.
 The time was when her whole nervous system would have tingled with dread of the crowd and fear of missing her train, or not boarding the right one; but that was before she had turned the last corner toward the old maid goal and had learned to depend upon herself. Her friends had ceased prophesying her mar riage several years since, even abandon ing the roles of match makers, and con- tented themselves now with wondering why she had not married one of the pre- vious eligibles.
 When the train was called and the gates opened, she was among the first to slip through to the network of tracks in the enclosure and make her way be- tween the putting, snorting engines.
 Where is the parlor carp she de- mandsd of an official, standing near her train. >
 This is only a section-no parlor car on;" he answered. A glance back at the crowded depot determined her to take her chances in the common coach. But small part of her journey remained to her anyway. Seats were at a pre- mium, but she fortunately secured one next an open window.
 A moment later, in response to thin, high-pitched inquiry as to whether the other half of her seat were reserved she removed her bag and made room for her fellow traveller.
 From his evident agitation, he was @not globe trotter. His difficulty in the satisfactory bestowal of paper bundle which he carried, distracted Miss Kim ball from her speculations as to the con- ditions and destinations of the hurrying, object-driven crowd that was passing her window to fill the waiting trains, the wheels of whose coaches were being tested and engines oiled preparatory to their run. The engines beckoned with their great arms and occasionally hissed a warning that the time was nearly up. !. From the unsolved problems outside, Miss Kimball turned to the fdgety lit tie conundrum sharing her seat
 A face strangely devoid of any attrac- ton confronted her; a wrinkled skin, one eye too bleared for healthful con- dition, the eiother quite blind. cheeks and lips sunken over jaws minus teeth with the exception of three or four discolored fangs; his whole bearing one of helpless timidity. His hair and a thin mustache were of a dusty gray. His ill-fitting clothes hung upon his lank limbs in an apologetic manner. The only thing in his makeup denoting positive charac- teristic was flaming red tie set off with white polka dots. fs4 ss ~. 1 MES HluD6l1 N1dSu4OuaUly C1dQ shoulders could dSscarcely repress shud- der at the last named article of his attire. 'NEven he Is not without vanity or he would not wear that thing" she thought.
 "A terrible lot of people in the city to-day" he ventured tremulously upon meeting her eye.
 I A feeling of pity welled up in her heart for the timid old man, and she responded with a nod and smile that would not have been vouchsafed to a Fifth avenue club man under similar cir cumstances.
 The smile was all the encouragement he needed to wax garrulous as the train glided out of the dismal station.
 "The city's all right for them fellows that haven't got nothing to do but look out for the cars and auti-mo-biles and things but wouldn't live there if you'd give me one of them 20-story buildings. '' he lisped through the vacancies left by his teeth. I'm thankful to get away with my life"
 "It is fortunate you were not hurt; the city streets are certainly confus- ing," Miss Kimb ball interrupted, speak ing for the first time. Then she pur- chased a paper and buried herself in it But the "helplessly timid" man was fairly launched, and would not take the hint. He insisted upon explaining his business in Chicago, till she grew quit desperate, and told him politely that sh was too tired to converse
 Immediately he was all solicitude T have a stimulant in. my pocket miss; if you'll hold up your paper, IT give you some,' he volunteered
 She shrank further into her corner He might mean we'll, but it was most an moving.
 T don't wish 8 stimulant; all I nee is quiet and rest. she replied, with scan courtesy.
 The rejoinder silenced him for 8 time
 When the conductor took her ticket Miss Kmbau inquired when the trai! was due at Kelsey. "I neglected to ge a time table," she apologized. The con
 auctor gave the desired information an