The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-02-03
Mrs Z pinlar. !.

fMrs. F. Ripley
w" missed the train And hare We
w"rr in the old Bayou Sara hotel.
hooking for some kline Of locomotion.
We had eighteen mics 10 make. and
L the Belle Creole had made the run
We would have been all right. but the
Belle Creole vas not Il fier: il had no
lin" for arrivals or departures: II just
logged along II it's Own good will. an
awering every call. running all sorts
Of antics Ep and down the river. Dick
started out 10 sec what he could do.
l SAT on rhe dirtr porch. looking
through November china trees towards
the river.
Is there anything NOR" respondent
ihan 4 Vie" through china trees in
November: The pretty blue flowers
that are 50 fragrant had long gone
and h hooking birds tnobody ever
heard Of sparows them had drunk
their fill Of Intoxicating liquor from
the scattering china berries and gone
too IN" train "" had missed. the
dear Old Belle Creol. always missed.
"as & kind OF privat" affair. The
whole outfit. about twenty miles. the
lnmher!ng cars. the ~antiquated engine.
and | think, TOO. the scattering woods
that supplied tho fuel we're all the
private property of the McGehees.
TIL" McGehees had a cotton factor:
in the neighborhood Of Woodvillc.
twenty miles from tho river. The>
had q am looking back more than
seventy years ago. one train. cheap
ana dirty. that made one trip a day.
going with freight early in the morn
ing. returning later, n freight train
With one small passenger car for the
owners use. This concern stopped
for q and water and nothing else.
and Was tho only means of transport
s'nt. .'s- r,,y ~ H. r---- IT.
river To Woodside.
Ladies going back and forth and
gentlemen Of leisure used their own
conveyance. 2 turtle backed affair that
vas entered by A row Of steps. The
dear Belle Creole was too much Of a
convenience to nave a time table, so
it was useless to connect a time table
and plan a time to connect" with
that equally free and easy train. Some
used car. left on the rails az a kind Of
depot, we belong to the McGchees.
and go when We please"
Well, to make the matter short.
though ii was long to me. on that
dirty porch bH the china trees. Dick
found q man with a turtle-top coach.
and a harness mende by cords and
had n mended look. too. but he was
sober, and for a good, round sun
agreed to take us to Laurel Hill.
l.aurel Hill was a p%ostofice station
about ten miles from Woodville and
four miles across country. where We
proposed to go. We meandercd along,
tired and out of all patience.
At the date of this tramp 7 was a
little girl and not given to moraliZing.
When We arrived at Laurel Hill we
we're told. creek is up; been a big
rain somewhere; not wen a horseman
has crossed all day. There was no
accommodation for man or beast AT
the queer little depot, no place to sit
on and nothing to sit on. 1t was long
after dark. and there was no one to
tell US the story Of the high water but
a negro man who was shutting up the
n door of the building.
1nere was nothing left us but to go
to the nearest plantation house and
ask for lodgings. ] was so tired I felt
We had gone ten miles further when
We reached Major Dick Halle's. though
it really was only a few miles. The
tired horses and the sleepy driver
made slow work. There was a gate
n an opening. but the house was
pitch dark. every oor closed and
everybody apparently asleep. The
nags were willing to stand, unhitched,
BESIDE the fence; not an automobile
or flying machine could have scared
tHtTn' tHeE were asleep. too.
After much knocking and calling at
What seemed TO be the door of en-
trance. an old gentleman. candle in
hand n very %scantily dressed, de-
, manded TO know what was wanted. Ny
brother called hat We were on our
way to the generals. and we could
not cross the creek. so we begged the
privilege Of a lodging for the night.
Generals for the wedding? Come
right in a brighter light was pro-
cured. and before we were seated in
the reception room We heard the hos.
pitable voice. put your carriage un-
der M shed. give those horses a
good feed. then come to the kitchen
and get a bite for yourself"
|, Inc W young daughters came in
nurriedly dressed (people did not ave
b~athrobes and wrappers seventy years
ago. | was awfully tired and aw-
July sleepy. and i began to think our
Lodgings were to be parlor chairs,