The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1909-07-10
/ BY WAY OF OZARK I !
LIZ BY FRANCES VIII SON
BY FRANCES VIII SON
Copyright, by Bobbs- Merrill Co..

Copyright, by B
One was to come, so the letter said,
by way OF Ozark, and the brevity of
the instruction conveyed no hint of
It's tremendous significance, no hint of
the fact that though the stage coach
mas practically disappeared from our
midst, in the bobtail train it's spirit
goes marching on. Accustomed to a
world that takes a shameless pride in
us flyers" In trains as memorable as
time and tide, how was I to suspect
that the bobtail train was bit of old
time poesy set like jewel in the pro.
sale present; that coming by way of
ozark would involve spiritual renas-
cence; that l should arrive at my
journeys end with a heart Quickened
and purified? Yet so it was.
1 emerged from the sleeper at x.
into morningsall blue and gold spar
kle. At the ticket window in the time
worn station futtered anxiously in
the background of several overstop-
ping Missourians who seemed to be
tndulging a. lazy zest for railroad in
formation. Stonily watched the clock,
whose long, gaunt finger was creeping
closer and closer to the decisive hour,
tormented by visions of the Ozark
train giving last wild shrek and de-
parting without me. In the midst of
my f1dgety despair the foreground
shifted with the deliberation of a stage
scene and found myself next the
wicket.
Even in the preoccupation of that
moment the severity of the ticket
agents face impressed me. Why so
unutterable a gravity at so natural a
question? Had I perchance outraged
some canon of railroad etiquette by
asking when the train for Ozark would
leave, and, if not, what could be the
meaning Of the lurking dignity in his
glance? Puzzled, but not daunted, !
turned away. ~
There was, it seemed, time for the
lunch counter, a taste for which I
have untl1nchingly preserved in spite
OF tough steaks and stale sandwiches.
For me there has always been a gla-
NOR about them, and I was soon dang
ling happily from a revolving stool,
awaiting wheat cakes and coffee, star
ing immodestly at the god-like profile
OF the youth who presided over the
cash register and humming to myself
from sheer contentment.
The coffee and cakes were hot, the
profile all too perfect. In the glow
produced by the three I quite forgot
that these joys were en- PEASANT until
my eyes happened to fall upon the
large, plain face of clock on the op-
posite wall. 1t was the sort of clock
that one simply could not doubt. One
knew that it had always done it's duty,
always would, land in trice L. had
ceased to bangle and was standing be.
fore the god, adjuring him by the nine
forty train to Ozark to make haste
with my change, to strike the mystic
keys, pull the stop and gather my
dimes and quarters from the drawer
prestissimo, an it please him. He was
not, must confess, visibly affected
by my objurgations. He, too, eyed me
fr1g1dly, and performed his solo on the
cash register tempo.
A big, putting, assertive monster of
an engine was at that moment bring,
ing train to stop on the platform.
AS the last passenger alighted pre-,
sented myself at the steps, glowing
with triumph and half inclined to wave
my handkerchief at the ticket man and
curtsey derisively to the Apollo of the
cash register, for had I not achieved
that train in the face of official cold.
ness and encouragement that might
well have sent me some other way
round? In the midst of my triumph a
protesting voice fell upon my ear.
dis yere amt youah train, lady
Youah train, hits ovah yundah som.
air. Guess yo' dom need to rum"
This information, delivered by a col.
ored porter, had at least one redeem.
ing feature. It was accompanied by a
grin, and I no longer felt myself an
offense In the land. With few proud
snorts and Kisses the great engine
dragged it's train away, leaving the
platform to the Ozark train and me-
I found it at last-an archaic day
coach poignantly suggestive of the
days Of Robert Fulton, coupled to
some hat-cars loaded with cinders
There was no engine in sight, but
one no longer wondered. Nothing now
seemed more probable than a round
house filed with engines all haughtily
refusing to draw the train to Ozark
From time to time loose ointed men
and worn women with babes in arms
and fringes OF them clinging to theil
skirts, sauntered in and disposed
themselves about with lack of haste
that was ominous.. vain I searche
their faces for some fixed intention OF
departure. Their intentions seemed tc
be in the air.
+ Two drummers, one stout, creased
and Of slovenly appearance, the othe,
spare and groomed, looked as If they
had once meant to, but had given il
up, and plunged into the morning pa
pers for forgetfulness. At last there
was final rustling of the papers as
they threw them aside, their news ex
hausted. The Ozark train remained
o1,o b1o 81 kh1,, 1000