The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1905-12-13

~ summer freshness III the noN'
ious air OF the sleeping car ms II
toiled like n snail over the infinity OF
prairie. From behind the green striped
curtains of the berths now the sound
OF restless turning and now long
drawn sigh signified the uneasy slum.
Der due to Sliding air and discomfort.
The only passenger stirring was a
girl whose youth dropped under the
unfayorable influences OF foul air IA
tigue and a strained anxiety to come
to the end OF this fateful Journey She
had been UP while II was yet dark. aud
her iand luggage. locked, strapped ana
rs pitifully new at the art OF travelling
as the girl herself, clustered about the
hem of her blue serge skirt like chicks
about hen. The engine shrieked, but
its voice sounded weak and far Off in
that still ocean OF space; the girl tight
ened her grasp on the largest Of the
satchels and looked at the approac ching
porter tentatively.
We're late twenty-h' minutes" he
treasured her, with the hopeless pa
tience of one who has lost heart In
curbing travellers enthusiasn,s.
She turned toward the window
pair Of shoulders plainly significant Of
the burdensome last straw.
-Four days and nights In this train"
they were slower In those days-"and
now this extra twenty-five minutesr'
my dearl Ny dear "A head IN
crimpers was thrust from between the
curtains Of the section opposite-''rve
been awake half the night l was no
afraid I wouldn't see you before you
got of"
The head was followed almost in
stinctively by hand travelling furtive.
ly to the crimpers that gripped the la
dy's brow like barnacles clinging to q
keel.
Mary expressed a grieved apprecia.
ton at the loss Of rest in behalf of her
early departure and conspicuously for
bore to glance In the direction OF the
barnacles, that being first principle
as between woman and woman.
Again the locomotive shrleked, again
the girl mechanically clutched the suit
case, as presenting the most difficult
item in the problem Of transportation,
and this time the shrek was not an
idle Formally. The train slowed down;
the uneasy sleepers behind the green
striped curtains stirred restlessly with
the lessening motion OF their uncouth
cradle. The porter came to help her
with the chastened mlen of one whose
hopes of largess are small. the lady
dundnnt farewells and moment later
Miss Carmichael was standing on the
station platform looking heiplessly aft
or the train that toiled and pulled, yet
seemed, In that crystalline atmosphere,
still within arms reach. She watched
II till its floating pennant of smoke
was nothing but gray feather blow
ing farther and farther out of sight on
the fiat prairie.
The town-it would be unkind to
mention its name-had made merry the
night before at the comprehensive in
yitatian of sheepman who had Just
OF his wool clip and who said,
by way of general summons, whats
the use Of temptln' the bankf' "TDwn,"
therefore. when Mary Carmichael first
made Its acquaintance, was sal. sleep
ing the sleep of the unjust Tho 81
among last nights roisterers who had
had to make an early start for t'er
this time and would remember with eX
the cracked tinklc of the
dance hall piano as inspiring music
when the lonesomcnesS of the desert
menaced and the young blood again
clamorcd for its own.
"Towu"-it contained In all some two
dozen buildings-was very unlOvely in
1t sprawled In the lap of the
pralries, II grimy faced urchin. with
the lines Of dismal sophlstication writ
deep. Yet where In all the health re
sorts" OF the east did air sweep from
the clean hill country with such re-
vivifying power2 II seemed glad
world OF abiding youth. Surely Town"
was but dreary illusion, Il mirage
that hung in the unmapped spaces Of
this new world that God had made
and called good, an omen OF the nbom-
nations that men would make when
they grew blind to the beauty OF Gods
world.
Mary Carmichael, with much the
feelings OF IA cat In strange garnet,
about the sluggard town,
and presently the blue and white sign
Of Telegraph office, with the mytho-
logical figure of a Fastening messcn-
ger, suggested TO her that u reassur-
Ing telegram was only Aunt AdelaIde's
due. Whereupon she began to rap on
The door of the Office scared planIssi-
mo, which naturally had little effect
on the operator, who was at home and
asleep some three blocks distant But |
The west Is the place for woman II she
would be waited upon. No I to l |
ratio OF the sexes has tempered the
OF her sons Of the saddle. A |
something in a sombrero saw !
rather than heard the rapplng and, at |
he sight, went in quest OF the dream |
ng operator without so much as en-
Darrassing Miss Carmichael with an |
Ill.