Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-08-07
Vl sII'1q.x At a
RAILROAD STATION

| II was reading the other day" said
/ the cheerful MIR. Philkintross. of some
/ body that Just missed a train and so
had to wait six hours at country
railroad station-as II that was about
| the toughest thing that man could
be called upon to endure. But do you
know I'm thinking Of spending my va
cation that way this summer For IL
there is anything like to do 1t is 10
loaf, Just loaf around country rail-
road station where they have about
two passenger trains day each way.
with q freight coming along occasion.
ally.
Quiet and peace. with nobody aboht
! and the wind rufiiing idly the leaves ON
! the trees, and the empty glis;ening
| rails stretching away mysteriously.
Back from the platform down at one
end Of the station there's boat all
Grated up. and moving machine like
wise Grated, and a few boxes and bar
rels. and | look them over with inter-
| est. undisturbed by anybody and with
plenty OF time. and then take look
into the freight and baggage room
and then into the empty waiting room.
and then I settle down on the station
platform In the shade. with my back
| comfortably against the building and
loaf until it's pretty near time for tho
1922.
Along about ten the station agent
comes. and then pretty soon two or
three people that are going to take
that train or to meet people coming
| on II. and when the people begin COM
ing like that why, stop loafing. or
loaf in different way: loaf with the
interest Of attention. and the coming
Of the train Is great event to me.
Il stand around and without intrud-
ing view the people. and they all inter-
est me, every one; and to be sure.
i more people come; and one or two
/ wagons or carryalls arrive aud draw
| up ut the back Of the station and their
drivers come around to Join thieves.
the throng on the platform
: And then away down the road, far
/ out Of sight beyond the curve. we hear
a whistle-she's coming; and in a
| minute you see the engine coming a.
humming with the 10:22: with the
fireman keeping the bell going. and
! the train baggage man standing by the
| door of the baggage car. and people on
the platforms Of the cars. And the
| baggage man drops of a. trunk or two
or three or four, and half dozen pco-
pie get down. and their friends meet
them or the drivers that have come
for them take possession Of them. and
! ly activity while tho people in the cars
, look on and glance up at the sign
board to see What station this Is.
And then the station platform grad
ually thins out, and everybody that's
! going Is now aboard the train. and
| there's nobody left standing between
, the platform and the train except the
train conductor. He looks coolly
| along the train and sees that every
body is OF and everybody's aboard.
! and then without turning around he
| raises his hand calmly as a signal to
the engineer. and the fireman pulls on
the bell rope, and the engineer pulls
. the throttle and gives the big engine
| Just a breath Of steam and starts the
heavy train so easily and smoothly
| that you scarcely realize II has started
I until you see II moving. and the con-
| ductor steps coOlly up on the front
! platform Of the forward passenger car
= and the train is on on its way.
| Then the station agent drags in
! a. h., hat ls,ff
|! and five minutes later the last o! tho
|, people about the station have disap-
| peared and once more you have the
: station all to yourself.
But here, Here's a WHISTLE What
does that mean! And looking down
the line. you zee the thick. black
smoke Of a coming engine and you
discover that it's q freight train And
maybe this Is a single track road and
this . passing station. and then you
see that ponderous locomotive coming.
dragging its endless line OF cars. and
turn out here on the siding
And then in due time the next pas
senger train comes along and We have
that scene on the platform repeated.
and then the freight gets the right OF
way and soon. with everything around
! now all to itself, II pulls out.
And then you settle down on the
station platform again with all the
world TO yourself responsible TO no
body and with absolutely nothing TO
bother you. and steep yourself in
peace and quiet. and II you care to
look so high you can see there your
friends the white clouds loafing by,
and then looking down again and
across the fields bright IN the sunlight
you hear the breeze rufnins the trees
and you hear the birds and maybe ia
sheer con.entment Of spirit and COM
plete bodily restfulness your head
drops and