The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-05-17
CHAPTER XIV.
Tho Train Rutehsr.

Tho Train Butcher. .r.tt, b
Mallory was dragging out O miser-
able existence with companion who
was neither maid, wife, nor widow
and to whom he was neither bachelor.
husband, nor relict.
They were suffering brain.fag from
their one topic of conversation, and
heart-fag from rapture deferred. Mar
jorie had pretended to take a nap
and Mallory had pretended that he
would leave her for her own sake.
Their contradictory chains were be-
| ginning to gall.
Mallory sat In the smoking room,
and threw aside half-finished cigar.
Life was indeed nauseous when to-
bacco turned rank on his lips. He
watched without interest the stupen-
dous scenery whirling past the train;
granite ravines, internal grotesques
OF architecture and diablerie, the
Giants Teapot, the DEVILS Slide, the
Pulpit Rock, the Hanging Rock,
splashes of mineral color, as If titanic
paint pots had been spilled or flung
against the cliffs, sudden bushes OF
green pine-worlds, dreary graveyards
Of sand and sagebrush, mountain
streams in frothing panics.
His faded soul could not respond to
any of these thrillers, the dimenov-
els and melodramatic third-acts of ma
ture. But with the arrival of a train
boy, who bad got on at Evanston with
batch of Salt Lake City newspa-
pers, he woke little.
The other men came trooping
round, like sheep at a herd-boy's
whistle or chickens when a pan OF
grain is brought into the yard. The
train butcher" had nasal sing-song,
but his strain might have been the
Pied Piper's tune emptying Hamelin
of it's grown-ups. The charms of fir
tation, matrimonial bliss and fem
mime beauty were forgotten, and the
males flocked to the delights of stock
market reports, political or racing or
dramatic or sporting or criminal
news. Even Ashton braved the eyes
of his fellow men for the luxury Of
burying his nose in fresh paper.
Papers, gents? Yes? MOI" the
train butcher chanted. salt Lake pa
pers, Ogden papers, all the latest pa
pers, comic papers, magazines, pc
riodicals."
Here, boy" said Ashton, swapping
his fingers, what's the latest New
York paper?"
Last Sat'day's."
"Six days old? l read that before
left New York. Well, give me that
Salt Lake paper. 1t has yesterday
stock market, l suppose"
"Yes, sir" He passed over the
sheet and made change, without abat.
ing his monody: Papers, gents. Yes !
No? Salt Lake pa"
"Whesh latesh from Chicago?" said
Wellington.
Mondays"
81 read that before-that breakfast
began" laughed Little Jimmie. well.
give me Salt Lake Bazoo. It has bashe.
ball news, l s'pose."
YES, sir" the butcher answered,
and his tone grew reverent as he
said: 1.-THE Giants won. Mr.. Mattyson
was pitching. Papers, gents, all the
latest papers, magazines, periodicals. "
Wedgewood extended languid
hand: whats the latest issue OF the
London Times?"
Never heard of it."
Wedgewood almost tainted, and re.
turned to his Baedeker of the United
States.
DR.. Temple summoned the lad: 81
don't suppose you have the Ypsilanti
Eagle?"
The butcher regarded him with pity
and smiled: II carry newspapers, not
poultry"
We'll, give me the" he saw q
pink weekly of rather picturesque ap
pearance and the adventure attracted
him. 'Tll take this-also the Out
look" He folded the pink within the
green, and entered into a new and
startling world--a sort OF journalistic
Summing tour.
Give me any old thing" said MAI
lory, and flung open an Ogden jour
nal till he found the sporting page
where his eyes Frightened. by jove
ten-inning game! Matthewson IN
the box!"
Matte Is most intelleckshal pitch.
er In the world" said Little Jimmie.
and then everybody disappeared be.
hind paper ramparts, while the butch.
err fingered to explain to the porter
the details Of the great event.
About this time, Marjorie, tired OF
her pretence at slumber, strolled into
the observation car, glancing into the
mems room. where she saw nothing
but newspapers. Then Mrs. yelling.
ton saw her, and smiled: Come in
and make yourself at home"
Thanks" said Marjorie, bashfully
II was looking for my-my-"
'Husband?"
MY dog"
How is he this morning?"
my dog?"
"Your husband"
"Oh, he's as well as could be ex.
pected."
'fWhere did voi, pet that love of a