The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-09-18

aud couples and single persons
stepped briskly down the aisle and
across the broad platform toward the
Dinner. Frances and Bruce and
Willie r-Wisp were hungry people but
they did not bestir themselves. Their
dinner was in the basket in motheSs
seat and did not begin with q capital
D-only splendid ones eaten al
round tables, in great rooms with
walters flying about, began with cap
itals.
: "Ob, dear" softly sighed Frances,
II wish we were RICH"
$50 do J." sigbed Bruce, but not
softly. Then we'd go cross there
too. and eat our dinner out of plates
and knives and forks"
And we'd step down out of our
Farlor-car-not this common-car-
and when the conductor said, All
aboard!' we'd fold up our napkins
like everything and run back 10 the
p~arlor-car and sit in big. soft seats.
Frances eyes were wistful, she was
thinking especially Of Loubelle Weir.
Loubelle@ was in the parlor-car or else
across there in the great clattery,
ehattery, station restaurant. They
had seen her get on the train, step
ping daintily in her beautiful white
clothes. Her mother and a maid had
walked behind her. Then the parlor-
a had hidden her, and they them
selves had stepped up onto this COM
.mon-car, with mother and the big
basket behind.
Dinners ready" mother called
from her seat. She had q white tow
ell spread on the scat beside her, and
grandmother's biscuit and cookies
and little round tarts laid out on it.
She was smiling gayly.
The three children crossed the aisle
and sat down facing mother. They
were hungry and grandmother's
things tasted good, but there was a
little bitter favor to them all, just
as If grandmother had made a mis-
take and favored them with extract
of envy instead Of vanilla. While they
sat and soberly munched, they were
thinking OF Loubelle Weir and her
dinner with a capital D, and Of the
parlor-car.
Il wish we would travel 'risto-
cratic'ly!!" burst out Bruce at length,
unable to restrain himself. Il wish
we were in parlor-car. I don't like
travelling in common cars"
Il don't either" Frances agreed,
a little less unanimously. I'D rath-
er have a white dress on and sit in a
lovely cushioned chair with plenty
of room"
I'd ravver, too-so'd I ~ravver,"
chimed in Willy Wisp. eager to join
the majority. Il wanter travel in a
cushion chain.
Then we'd be with the incest kind
OF folks" Frances took it up again,
not with all kinds like this. 1t
would be lovely to be with the incest
kind"
Il know" Bruce cried. wed go on
a flyer then and just fly. Wouldn't
we go on a flyer, mother, if we were
rich? We wouldn't go creeping along
this way, would we? No, sir"
How would you like to travel at
the rate of two miles an hour-in a
oupboard-with the pigs?"
The children turned like one child
The voice was deep and pleasant and
came from directly behind. A kind
old face, framed in white hair and
beard, was noddiDg at them over the
seat-back.
"Well, how would you like that?''
repeated the deep voice. Because
I know of three children that tray.
eled that way. They were relatives
of mine"
The people from the restaurant
were drifting back into the car, but
the children did not see them. They
only saw the Kind old man who said
such remarkable things. His rela-
tives in a cupboard-with pigs!
And he was such a nice-looking old
man and did not look poor at all. /,
did not seem possible that his ceia.
tives---
IF you are thr0uGa with your din
ner and your mother is willing, come
into my seat and ! will tell you how
it happened" the deep voice Wen
or pleasantly.
AS they went they had a glimpse
through the window Of Loubelle Wen
crossing the station platform toward,
her parlor-car. The maid stepped
daintily behind.
1T was Nnit" a little while ago
about a hundred and fifty years. the
cid gentleman began, his eyes twink
! ling down at them. MY great-grand
mother was abOHt is old as you,
should say nOddinS at Frances
"and she had two brothers younger
still. Her father and mother moved
from n little town to another
There were 10 railroads, and theJ
must so in carts drawn by gentle
plodding oXcn-all the family and al
the furniture too.
And the childrCn-tEe story Ia.
coz down 9GrY StraiSht-did not 20
in the paglor cart There was 4 nuGt
old cupboard with 4 door above and
a door below, vito 4 partition be