The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-12-15


quiet again. Every nerve was tense.
Time passed, perhaps ten minutes.
possibly half an hour. Then, without
the slightest warning, as the train
rounded a curve, a heavy body was
thrown into my berth. The incident
trivial as it seemed, was startling in
its suddenness, for although my ears
were painfully strained and awake.
| had heard no step outside. The next
instant the curtain hung limp again:
still without a sound, my disturber
had slipped away into the gloom ant
darkness. In frenzy of wakefulness
sat up, drew on pair of slippers and
fumbled for my bath robe.
From berth across, probably lower
ten, came that particularly aggrayat
ing snore which begins lightly. deli
cately, family soprano, goes down the
scale note with every breath. and
after keeping the listener tense with
expectation, ends with an explosion
that tears the very air. l was more
and more irritable; sat on the edg,
of the berth and hoped the snore,
would choke to death.
He had considerable vitality. how
ever; he withstood one shock after
another and survived to start agair
with new vigor. In desperation =
found some cigarettes and one match
piled my blankets over my grip, ant
drawing the curtains together Al
though the berth were still occupied
made my way to the vestibule OF III,
car
I was not clad for dress parade. Il
1t because the male is so restricted t.
gloom IN his everyday attire that ht
blossoms into gaudy colors in his pa
jamas and dressing gowns? 1t woult
take Turk to feel at home before al
audience in my red and yellow bath
robe, Christmas remembrance from
Mrs. Klopton. with slippers to match
So, naturally, when l saw femi
nine figure on the platform, my frs
instinct was to dodge. The woman
however, was quicker than I: she CAV,
me a startled glance, wheeled and dis
appeared, with a fash Of two bronze
colored braids, into the next car.
Cigarette box in one hand, mattel
T. the other, l leaned against the I'm
certain frame of the door and gazeS
after her vanished figure. The noun
tain air tapped my bath robe arount
my bare ankles, my one match burned
TO the end and went out. and still
stared. For l had seen Oh her express
sive face a haunting look that wa,
horror, nothing less Heaven knows
l am not psychological Emotions
have to be written large before | car
read them. But a woman in troubl,
always appeals to me. and this woman
was more than that She was in dead
ly fear.
II l had not been afraid OF belns
ridiculous, I would have followed her
But fancied that the apparition OF
man In red and yellow bath robe
with an unkempt thatch Of hair, walk
ing up to her and assuring her that
he would protect her would probably
that once before. when burglars had
tried to break into the house, and hao
startled the parlor maid into bed for
week. 50 I tried to assure myself
that had imagined the ladys distress
or caused it, psrhaps-and to dis
miss her from my mind Perhaps sh,
was merely anxious about the un
pleasant gentleman Of the restaurant
| thought smugly that I could have
told her all about him. That he was
sleeping the sleep OF the just and the
intoxicated in a berth that ought. by
all that was fair and right, to have
been mine, and that If We're tied tc
man who snored Ike that ! SHOULD
have him anaesthetized and soft pal
ate put where it would never agaiG.
flap like a loose sail in the wind.
We passed Harrisburg as I stood
there. It was starlight, and the grea'
crests of the Alleghanies had giver
way to low hills At intervals We
passed smudges Of gray white, NJ
doubt in daytime comfortable farms
which Mcknight says is a good way
CT putting it, the farms being a lo
more comfortable than the people OF
them
| was growing drowsy; the woman
with the bronze hair and the horrifet
face was fading in retrospect. 1t wa
colder, too, and turned with a shive
to go in.
AS | did so, bit of paper fluttereo
into the air and settled on my sleevei
like butterfly on a gorgeous red and
yellow blossom. l picked it up curl
ously and glanced at 1t. 1t was part
Of a telegram that had been torn int,
bits.
There were only parts of four words
on the scrap. but 1t left me puzzled
and thoughtful. 1t read: over ten
car seve-" Lower ten, car seven,
was my berth-the one | had bough
and found pre-empted
CTO BE CONTINUED
Farmer Boy Presidents.
Prof. w. J. Spillman declares that
the farms have furnished this country