Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-08


where he was going He
train. wasn't he3 Very we'll Wasn't
that sufficient? He was going somewhere. he
not? All right. Why worry? He refused to worry
Instead. he Partook of some refreshment from his
pocket fagon-not forgetting to do the honors
As to the place whittier he bound. he didn't
hadn't overlooked that He'd never cared much
for tickets, he said. They got in the way of the
loose matches in his pocket. What the good
of tickets? Thus he philosophical, occasionally
fortfying himself against the fatigue of the journey
and Hospitality provided the to do the
same. Thus was friendship cemented
THE train. being long one, with many tickets to
collect, was pulling into the station at Leaven-
worth, Kansas, the first stop above Kansas City.
before the conductor wheezed into the smoker to
take up fares When the conductor reached
seat, it developed that my careless and free
companion the plasterer in addition to the absence
OF ticket for himself was in possession of mere
sixty cents,
This conductor not garrulous person. His
immediate desire, ponedly expressed was that
something be put into his hand by the pasterer.
either the ticket negotiable collateral equal in
value thereto
Both the plasterer and endeavored to portray
to the conductor the fooshness of railroad tickets
That conductor, however. was lacking in perception
we'll as in the sense of humor. He had to leave
us for a moment IN order to that the train got
into and out of Leavenworth all right Then he
right back to where were sitting the train
having started again and hoarsely requested to
eliminate all of that comic supplement stuff and
"Whereupon | bulged out upon the firing line
with suggestion that l put to the plasterer |
had ticket for Atchison. The plasterer had sixty
cents. The ticket to Atchson good only for
the ride there, and upon arriving in Atchison the
rider the ticket would be fundess; and much, l
took the liberty to prophesy. might be done in
Atchlson with sixty cents On the other hand the
mere sixty cents wasn't good for anything at all in
the present circumstances. 1t wouldn't even pay
for ride to any point for which that train was
making
Therefore, l suggested, the plasterer and l
should match to see which of us was to take pos
session both of the ticket Atchison and the sixty
cents; the loser of the match standing for i'm
mediate ditchment detachment from the train.
My bosom friend. the plasterer, it. Not
only that he liked it. He spun a dime. l took
heads 1t came tails
Il slipped him my ticket to Atchson He staked
me to final lingering gargle out of his rear pocket
jar; the conductor pulled the bell rope: and there
| was ditched on the sumac strewn Kansas bank of
the Missouri River midway between Leavenworth
and Fort Leavenworth
TT was a clear, moonless August night The
were big and friendly | stood and gazed at
the purling. eddying Big Muddy until it annoyed
me,-the big driftwood logs floating close to the
bank reminded too much of sea serpents,
thousandfold magnfed eels, and similar would
walk away from the rivers verge.
/ did | struck into the woods weenlng that
| might find road. 1t was correct ween. |
found the road running between Leavenworth and
By that time, it being past midnight, what with
the many varied activities of the day was weary.
And | lay down by the hedge of mingled fox
grapevine and honeysuckle, wondered for little
while the pf1ingness of the foolish little stars
that rubbering at me, and went to sleep.
| was dreaming that good little old w1zened
schoolmistress that | hadn't thought of for
leading round by the left ear-When
came to with a Jerk
The orient East all draped in its robes Of
red and little baby elephant. standing inquir