Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-03-11
BECAUSE OF A RAILROAD WRECK.

1t IS all Of such recent occurrence that
1t would almost better 90 in the news
column as the result of the wreck ON the
b, B. railroad which caused a delay of
the afternoon express that every passen-
ger tlled In more or less agreea bly-for
instance, a lady from behind MauI1ces
open Country was listening to the
merry talk of small crowd OF school
boys and girls who filled one end of the
passenger coach. and the talk must have
been amusing to attract attention from
open Country as any one who mas
read Half Way House" viii admit
The merry young people exhausted
Candlemas day ana its rhymes and coup
let's weather wise but not wise in any
other way, and then the comet came in
for attention, ana a bright girl with au-
burn hair said Il nave been wondering
why we might not have a comet party
this February. so as to nave something
different. February Is such a month of
days And she began To enumerate the
birthdays and feast days and saints days
and some one said they wondered If this
year the valentines would have comets
among the stars ana hearts and darts and
CupidS-and arrows ana bows and locks
ana keys and other emhlemS for comet
gazing was just as sentimental as star
gazing or incoming Some one said a
comet by any other name would shine
as bright and while they We're all talking
at once a man across the aisle from the
woman who had been listening from be-
hlnd her book-turning u leaf now and
then for appearance sake said abruptly:
Valentines! Every year hate the talk
Of them worse than ever"
He was a well addressed. gray-huired
man, with his white hands clasped over
his circumference.
"Wny?" asked his companion, also an
elderly, fatherly looking man, the two
having fallen into conversation during
the wait of topics current high prices,
meat boycotts, the wrong in Specializing
in bread stuffs," which they could re-
member their grandfathers declaring
would, If allowed In time imperll the
peace of the nation. Now valentines
brought them back to the level of the
surroundings, and the fatherly looking
man went on: valentines afford amuse-
ment for the young-at an age. too. waen
they must be amused. and they amount
to that only"
Sometimes they are very fun of mean
Ing indeed" continued the man with the
circumference, grimly, Il seldom come
this way, I'm a commercial traveller but
when l do l am obliged to taink of
valentines, whether they are ripe or not
and | hate them worse and worse as the
years go by"
why on this road?"
The man Aitched about in the seat and
placed one arm, which seemed abnormally
mead to get a more extended view from
the window, said:
do you see those tall white caimneys
over there just between those two tall
elm trees?"
Yes"
well, I was born just there"
What. you are Sol Porter? You don't
mean it?"
Yes, and II am not mistaken in
my calculations you are one OF the
Saunders boys"
"Yes-Tom"
II didn't notice it at first, but in talk
ing l caught a little twist in your lip like
your grandfather used to have"
IF you read fiction, nowadays you
would call It a crooked smile Every
time / come across that. and ! do in
about every story l read lately-since II
started in that popular novel, you
know"
Yes"
Il have wondered If 1t didn't describe