Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-08-28
HORRIBLE NIGHT ON A TRAIN
How One Hundred Children Slept in
Day Coach.

An all night trip on train in the
company of Ill Tribune Fresh Air chill
dren was the experience of Tlio-
une reporter The rarty left the grn nd
central station at $3.50 u. M, bound for
the northwestern part of the state
Some went to Mexico, some to Cow
erneur, while the rest were scatter
ed at different points on the Rome,
WATERFOWL & Ogdenburg railroad.
There was much speculation as the
party passed through the gate as to
the length of the journey. One little
girl wanted to know If she would be
there by 10 o'clock Another thought
that the gateway led to a boat and not
a train, and asked II they would get
out of sight of the land.
Once inside the scene was one OF
excitement for few minutes. Boxes
and bags had to be disposed of; fare
wells had to be waved TO parents wait
Ing outside. Some of the little girls
knew what was coming, and hardly
got outside before they pepper off their
dresses and prepared to make them
selves comfortable for the night. The
train pulled out amid much shouting
and waving of handkerchiefs. 1t had
hardly reached the end of the tunnel
Joined, and soon the whole car was
ringing with "Tammany,' THE Good
Old Summer Time" and other popular
airs.
The Settling down process was slow.
AT Yonkers some of the more quiet had
cuddled in their seats and were asleep.
The older girls made their younger
sisters as comfortable as they could.
One girl of 10 had charge of the five
year Old sister. Hardly had the train
started when the elder girl made the
little one a pillow end stretched her
out comfortably in the only available
double seat placed a paper over her
face TO keep the light out of her eyes,
and then sat down near her.
Yonkers was not far behind when
those who had not fallen to sleep be-
gan to open their lunch boxes. Ban
anas, crackers, cold tea and bread be-
gan to disappear One boy began to
eat at Yonkers and kept 1t up for near
ly the entire journey. The others dub
bed him Empty Barrel"
The youngster opened a bag at Yonk-
ers and started on a banana At Tarry-
town sandwich claimed his attention
and another banana at Ossing. He went
10 sleep soon after this, but began to
eat again at Albany, where the children
were aroused in the process OF chang
ing engines. Sleep claimed him again
appearance, at Little Falls. his bag was
again open and he was at work on a
sandwich. At Utica he threw away an
empty bag-the kind that the grocers
say will hold seven pounds of sugar.
BY the time Poughkeepsie was reach
ed every child in both of the two cars
was dreaming of the country, with the
exception OF one or two restless spirits.
a trip through the cars then showed
what could be accomplished in tho way
of sleep under difficulties. A single mar
row seat at the end of one of the cars
served for a bed for two small girls,
who lay packed together like sardlnes
In many other seats two We're able TO
lilo down by stretching crosswise and
using each other for pillows.
At Albany one little girl came to the
caretaker with this complaint: II let
pussie sleep and now she won't let me
sleep.
The girl of nine kept awake all the
way to Poughkeepsie. sitting straight in
her seat and never closing her eyes At
this point she came to the reporter
with this request:
Mister, will you please mind my IS
cents?"
Her money disposed of. she was soon
in dreamland with the others
Before Albany was reached the train
came to a sudden stop, One girl opened
H'T 'SoH anu hhh up suShhb 10 INC ssitc-
taker:
Huh, what'd you wake me up for?
thought ] was In a big field picking
daisies and had my arms fun
With the first breaking Of day the
children began to arouse themselves,
and were wide awake by the time It
was really light. Then requests began
to come TO the reporter
Mister, ! can't get my shoe on"
Mister, viii you please button this
for me?"
Mister, what time Is ~"
"Will we soon be there?"
Mister, how many more statlonsY'
Mister, please open this box"
ooh, mister, I've spilled all my things
please tie them for me-"
Mister I've torn my dress"
Mister viii the lady meet us with n
cnrrage?'
Mister do we change cars2"
And so on, an endless string of ques-
lions ana requests that would have
kept half dozen persons busy.-New
York Tribune.
-