The Ordway new era., 1912-06-21

u1p Will CoS6OOo VI ASNspusAou $3.50 I
lionaires and their Lilliputian ladies.
Others were humble and shabby
linked-up day-coaches and dinsy
smoking.cars. packed with workers.
like ants.
Cars are mere vehicles, but locomo-
tives have souls. The express en-
gines roll in or stalk out with gran!
deur and ease. They are like en-
perors. They seem to look with scorn
at the suburban engines snorting and
grunting and shaking the arched
roof with their plebeian choo.choo as
they puff from shop to cottage and
back.
The trainmen take their cue from
the behavior Of thei, locomotives. The
conductor Of q transcontinental mods
to tho conductor Of a shuttle-train
with less cordiality than to brake
man Of his own. The engineers OF
the limiteds look like senators In
overalls. They are far-traveled men.
leading . mighty life Of adventure.
They arc pilots Of land.ships across
land.oceans. They have . right to
certain condescension OF manner.
But NO one feels or shows 20 much
arrogance a. the sleeping car porters
They cannot pronounce ''supercili.
ous." but they can be It. Their dis
dain for the entire crew Of any train
that carries merely day-coaches OF
haif.baked chair-cars. 10 expressed a
only . darkey in . uniform can ex'
press disdain for poor white trash.
OF all the naughty porters that ever
1l~ hA
was the dusky attendant In the San
Francisco sleeper on the Trans-Amer'
ican Limited. His was the train Of
trains in that whole system. His car
the car Of cars. His passengers the
surpassengers OF all.
His train stood now waiting to set
forth upon q voyage OF two thousand
miles, q journey across seven imperial
states. a journey that should end only
at that marge where tho continent
dips and vanishes under the breakers
Of the Pacific ocean.
At tho head Of his car. with his 1T
tie box.step waiting for the foot OF
the frst arrival. the porter stood. his
head swelling under bis cap. his
breast swelling beneath bis blue
reflections Of his own eyes. His name
was Ellsworth Jefferson. but he was
called anything from "Poarr.turr" tc
"Pawtah," and he usually did not
come when he was called.
Tonight he was wondering perhaps
what passengers, with what disposf
tions, would fall to his lot. Perhaps
he was wondering what his Chicago
sweetheart would be doing in the
eight days before his return. Per
haps he was wondering what his San
Francisco sweetheart had been doing
in the five days since he left her. and
how she would pass the three days
that must intervene before he
reached her again.
He had Othello's ebon color. Did
he have Othello's green eyer
Whatever his thoughts. he chatted
gaily enough with his neighbor and
colleague OF the Portland sleeper.
Suddenly he stopped in the midst
OF a soaring chuckle.
"Lordy. man. looky what's aeon
I'M"
The Portland porter turned to gaze.
81 got my fingers crossed"
Il hope you git him.
II hope l don't"
He'll work you hard and cuss you
out, and he won't give you even q
Much Obliged
That's right. He amt got a usher
to carry his things. And he's got
| enough to fill a van"
The oncomer was plainly Of Eng.
lish origin. 1t takes all sorts OF peo-
| pie to make up the British Empire.
and there is no sort Neutrality-suspicious.
| or pretty. or sour or sweet But this
was the type Of English globe-trotter
that makes himself as unpopular
among foreigners as he Is among his
| own people. He is almost as unen.
| durable as the Americans abroad who
twang their banjo brag through Eu'
| rope. and berate France and Italy for
their innocence OF buckwheat cakes.
The two porters regarded Mr.. Har.
old Wedgewood with dread. as he
| bore down on them. He was almost
lost In the plethora OF his own lug.
| gage, He asked for the San Fran.
cisco sleeper, and the Portland porter
had to turn away to smother his CUR.
Cling relief.
| Ellsworth Jefferson's heart sank.
He made a feeble effort at self-pro-
| lection. The Pullman conductor not
being present at the moment. he In
| quired:
Have you got yo' ticket?"
| "Of cawse."
Gould I see it?"
"Of cawse not. Too much trouble
to fish It out"
The porter was fading. DO you
remember yo' numba?"
| "Of cawse. Take these" He began
to pile things on the porter like n
| mountain unloading an avalanche.