Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-03
Entry No. 40 in Our Prize Story Competition
TTIE train neither a commuters train, vet
one OF those through trains that scurry


pleasant wooded places pausing at towns and villages
where broken-down driver awaits with his broken
down horse and bokendo carriage for the passenger
that seldom arrives. Eventually but not in undue
haste the train reaches its final destination in some
sleepy county seat, up among the hills At one end OF
its the almost reaches the WhTng lite OF the
great city, but never quite. 1t in the great station
past which the life of the city flows but it is still the
up-counry train. II is at home at the other ter
minus
The train up trip and the little lady gray
sat close by window the sunny side, playing cards,
quite regardless of all the rules and regulations of the
road Her cards dainty little things not quar-
the of the usual playing cards, and their very
dantiness and the dainty manner in which she laid
after another on her lap robbed the proceeding OF all
coarseness As she bent them her face hidden
her little gray bonnet she might have been Quak
eress and the cards would have seemed proper
gathered her cards together and glanced about the girl
the opposite noticed that the gray bonnet was
edged inside with tiny pink and that the face
within this quaint setting was smiling one.
The little lady in gray smiled directly at the girl
across the aisle, and having smiled at her, she nodded
the gray bonnet her. No answering smile and no
swerng saluaton recrossed the AISLE for the eyes of
the girl carried weared far away look. If anything
shone in her face it irritable resentment that her
moody alooncss should be thus nfrnged upon. The
little lady in gray smiled more brightly and
crossing the aisle, dropped into the vacant seat beside
the Young woman.
You Won't mind, will you if l sit here?" she said
Il think good to have to sit beside on
this train. 1t is such sad train, don't you think So!
The girl laughed laugh that was no more than an in
taking of the breath There was no nirh in it. Every
thing is sad, she said. and ooked out of the window
ooh, not everything, said the gray lady. Not
everything. But have noticed that this train IS sad
travel on it great deal and it is such sad train
think is because it carries home many people who
have gone hopefully to the city, and come back on
this train torn and-and manged Their hearts, you
know she explained, and then added with quaint haste
lest she might have malgned the train "But of
the saddest looking only tired shoppers They are
not sad at all Sometimes they are only hungry usu
ally have bananas nice red apples
The girl still looked the window.
IL wondered said the gray lady, when was sitting
there, if you had ever played dorcas. You may
deal, when am on this train. 1t IS paence-a sol-
taire. You sce, she laid four cards on her lap, you
play any four cards in a row, and then
She explained the simple game, playing the cards as
she explained and the young woman was perorce COM
PEELED to turn her head and watch the dainty fingers
they dealt the cards lovingly.
"You see said the gray lady the game IS to get each
suit into its pile, from to king SO all the cards
in four piles. l didn't do it; SO | lost that time.
But you play it and again. and it is sure
to out right in the end thing does. Don't
you think so2
NO said the girl softly; nothing comes out
right in the end"
The little lady gave soft cry of JOY. She dealing
the cards more, and the four she dealt the
king Of spades the OF diamonds the ten OF clubs and
the three OF hearts.
4Isn't that fne?~ she said, a have to begin
with, this tine!~
The girl watched the game Again the gray lady did
Wouldn't you like to try it?7 she asked. "When you
have too much think Of nothing at all, it is such
helpful game"
she opened her reticule and drew out another of the
dainty little packets of cards, and the girl took it
and dealt four cards The little lady capped her hands
in childish pleasure
1.-TWO aces, my dear." she exclaimed "Oh splendid!
l am you will get out if-if you want to-.
4If want to-? Isn't that the gane' Isn't that what
it is played for' asked the girl.
"NIy dear said the little gray lady, with oddly
hyserical little note like the Growing of mischievous
child, Ill tell YOU secret never get out. Never!
Never! And do you know why Listen. The nine of
clubs! don't have it in my cards at all. Every pack