The Garland globe. [volume] (Garland, Utah) 1906-191?, 1908-08-08
A VACATION At A
COUNTRY
RAILROAD STATION


the cheerful Mr.. Philkintross, "of some
body that just missed 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 II
there is anything like to do 1t is to
loaf. Just loaf around a country rail.
road station where they have about
Two passenger trains day each way.
with freight coming along occasion.
ally.
Quiet and peace, with nobody about
and the wind ruffling idly the leaves on
the trees, and the empty glistening
rails stretching away mysteriously.
Back from the platform down at one
end Of the station there's a boat all
Grated up, and moving machine like
wise Grated, and 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 l 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 the
| 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 1t. and when the people begin com.
ing like that, why, / stop loafing, or
loaf In a different way; loaf with the
interest Of attention, and the coming
OF the train is a 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.
more people come; and one or two
wagons or carryalls arrive aud draw
up at the back Of the station and their
drivers come around to join the-yes.
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 1929; 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 trunk or two
Or three or four, and half n dozen peo.
| pie get down, and their friends meet
them or the drivers that have come
for them take possession Of them, and
the station platform is scene of live
ly activity while the 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 tc
the engineer, and the fireman pulls or
the bell rope, and the engineer pulls
the throttle and gives the big engin,
Just breath OF steam and starts tn,
heavy train SO easily and smooth,
that you scarcely realize It has started
until you see It moving. and the con
ductor steps coolly up on the from
platform Of the forward passenger ca
and the train is of on its way.
Then the station agent drags' II
those trunks that the train has left
and five minutes later the last of tn,
people about the station have disar
station all to yourself.
But here! Here's a whistle! VIVA
does that mean? And looking dow
the line, you see the thick, blacl
smoke Of coming engine and yoI
discover that it's freight train. An,
maybe this is single track road an,
this passing station, and then yo
see that ponderous Locomotive coming
dragging its endless line OF cars, an
turn out here on the siding.
And then in due time the next pas
senger train comes along and we hav
that scene on the platform repeated
and then the freight gets the right c
way and soon, with everything aroun
now all to itself, II pulls out.
And then you settle down on tn
station platform again with all tn
world to yourself. responsible to NJ
body and with absolutely nothing /
bother you, and steep yourself I
peace and quiet, and II you care {
look SO high you can see there you
friends the white clouds loafing b,
and then looking down again an
across the fields bright In the sunligh
you hear the breeze rufiiIrg the tree
and you hear the birds and maybe /
sheer contentment of spirit and con
plete bodily restfulness your hea
drops and
when you wake up and look aroun
to see II anything new has happene
in the world since you dropped of yo
see coming along the track slowly an
| SILENTLY a solitary figure all the tim