Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1910-12-10
ON THE JOUR I
Amy's Experience In IN =
per Berth and Na-,.
Followed.
BY clcELY ALLEN.

ianged," said the young man. with
aeprecatory wave of his hand, but =
"All the latest popular novels! 1t
chance to get your reading mat r!
No books sold on train after II star -
The newsboy bawled this in Amy cur
it's ear, and she lost all the ynnng
man said except the words "caut
climb those beastly steps"
Not that she cared. She was CUTE
able to climb the little ladder to ne
upper berth. Her lip curled scoEn-
fully.
ooh, 1t doesn't matter In the lea5t,
you know. II was the conductors
idea, assure you. Only In the sol h,
where come from. men, as rue,
are more obliging."
She picked up her novel and pio-
ceeded to ignore McKean's presen e.
He looked at her blankly, then flung
himself down the sleeper to the snl T.
ing compartment. "Well, I do TANK
she's a bit harshp' He pulled on,
paper and tried to forget the scorn in
the eyes but recently lifted TO meet
his.
In the meantime the girl In sexton
stared wrathfully at the letters in
her book, which fairly danced bafgre
her eyes. "a nice beginning for ~
tripl / never wanted to go to Calo-
RADIO Springs anyhow l had much
better remained at Bar Harbor than
to let the Carriers inveigle me n to
coming west"
With this final reflection she COM
menced to read In earnest. but so e.
how her mind went back to the ~
disagreeable young man who had 'iis-
regarded the sleeping car conducta's
request that he yield the lower batt tn
to the young woman, whose Pull IN
ticket had been duplicated by c e.
less employee in an uptown office. he
could not forget the real regret IN lis
eyes nor the nervous. embarras-e ed
way In which he had smoothed lis
hair while he was Offering his haltlng
explanation. She could not recon lie
this, however, with the fact thai he
had declined to climb the little at ps
in her stead. 1t was most annoying,
she argued, that she could not fotget
certain fascination which bis long,
firm hand had held for her and he
hair he had smoothed.
She could imagine that he had st2nt
hours trying to brush out Ger, in
tendency to crisp curls. She was ry
glad there was something that cold
defeat him, If 1t was nothing y re
than curls, and after deciding thus he
was more content.
She did not see him again until he
entered the diner at dusk. The oily
place left for her was single seaf at
table meant for four. The three 49,
sengers already seated were men, a. k
ing business in rather loud tones. ny
hesitated. A figure at the table o 10
site rose suddenly. The very dfssr--~ee-
able young man who had sentea ed
her to the upper berth was STAN ng
beside her.
Take my place." he said cas- ly,
land will go over there with he
men," He had been occupying a eat
at one Of the small tables, and ay
haired woman was sitting OPP tie
him.
Amy saw all this at a glance nd
with surprised uplifting of her re
brows and a mechanical Thank yu''
accepted the seat. The young man ad
not yet been served, and she req ed
that the change had not enlbara ed
him In the least.
quite willing to do things thar do
not incommode him." she tho hit
scornfully.
The young man did not presume on
the reception of this courtesy. III ct
ly after dinner he once more retire to
the smoking compartment, and my
early ordered the porter to make up
her berth. Once tucked snugly sway,
she forgot her grievance. The ste dy
clunk-clupk of the wheels was a sin ~
lar lullaby to which she soon yie,Gi.
1t seemed as IL she had not en-
asleep more than three minutes Wen
she awoke to the most horrible no ses
that she had ever heard. What ad
happened? Had the train run me a
circus or a jungle of wild beasts? 80;
the train was still moving. It's ure-
mitting clunk-clunk could be heard at
intervals between the awful Sounds
which no wassailed her ears, II it
were not wild beasts, then maybe some
o-ie urouuu neT WAS uylug.
This pretty, carefully reared. ever
protected southern girl had never Zen
any one die, and In her ignorance Of
this and various other matters she as
working herself up into fine freely.
A particularly deep and agonized roar
was followed by a sound that w,is a
cross between penny whistle anl O
sob. She could stand the suspense no
longer. She pushed the tiny button
and. carefully arranging the curtu ms,
stuck out her head to meet the lool of
inquiry in the porter's black face. Up
and down the car she gave a lasty
glance. Apparently no one else re-
allied the tragedy that was goire on
so close at hand. for no other curtslns
Were swaying. no other heads We're
thrust out.
'Sumfin You want, missi"
"Why-why. don't you hear tiat
dreadful noiseT she said Il think
some one In the berth next TO ms Is
dying"
In the dim light she could see the
darky's teeth CLEAN ivory white IN a
grin that reached from ear 70 ear
Its Just the gentleman IN the low.