The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-09-06
1.-TWO Ways to TraveI(
BY Annie Hamilton Donnel.
"A TRUE STORY.1

ner Station and hungry people be-
gan TO bestir themselves. Families
and couples and single persons
stepped briskly down the aisle and
across the broad platform toward the
Dinner. Frances and Bruce and
Willie Wisp were hungry people but
they did not bestir themselves. Their
dinner was in the basket in mothers
seat and did not begin with capital
D-only splendid ones eaten at
round tables, in great rooms with
walters flying about, began with cap
itals.
"Oh, dear" softly sighed Frances,
II wish we were rich!"
so do l." sighed 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
parlor-car-not this common-car-
and when the conductor said. All
aboard we'd fold up our napkins
like everything and run back to the
paTlor-car and sit in big, soft seats.
thinking especially of Loubelle Weir.
Loubelle was in the parlor-car or else
across there in the great clattery.
chattery, station restaurant. They
had seen her get on the train, step
ping dalntily in her beautiful white
clothes. Her mother and a maid had
walked behind her. Then the parlor-
car 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 a white tow
el spread on the seat beside her, and
grandmothers 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 flavor to them all. Just
as If grandmother had made 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 capita d, and of the
parlor-car.
Il wish we would travel 'risto-
eraticl ly!" burst out Bruce at length,
unable to restrain himself. IL wish
We were in paI aI.or-car. ] don't like
travelling in common cars"
Il don't either" Frances agreed
little less tumultuously. I'D rath-
er have white dress on and sit in a
lovely cushioned chair with plenty
of room"
I'D ravver, too-so'd I ravver, I"
chimed in Willy Wisp, eager to join
the majority. Il wanter travel In a
cushion chair"
Then we'd be with the incest kind
OF folks" Frances took il up again,
mot with all kinds like this. II
would be lovely TO be with the incest
kind"
Il know" Bruce cried, wed go on
flyer then and just fly! Wouldnt {
we go on flyer, mother, IL 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
cupboard-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 nodding at them over the
seat-back.
We'll, how would you like that?"
repeated the deep voice. Because
] know OF three children that trav-
eled that way. They were relatives
Of mine"
The people from the restaurant
were drifting back into the car. hut
the children did not see them. They
only saw the kind old man who said
such remarkable things. His rela-
tives in cupboard-with pigs!
And he was such a nice-looking old
man and did not look poor at all Il
did not seem possible that his rela-
tiyes-
IF you are through with your din
ner and your mother is willing. come
into my seat and / will tell you how
IL happened" the deep voice went
on pleasantly.
AS they went they had a glimpse
through the window OF Loubelle Weir
crossing the station platform towards
her parlor-car. The maid stepped
daintily behind.
1T was quite little while ago
about a hundred and fifty years." the