The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1912-08-16
CHAPTER XIV.
The Oormftory on Wheels.

human history, the sleeping car Is the
were not 50 used &c 1t. There can be
no doubt that We are the most moral
nation on earth. for We admit 1t our
selves. Perhaps we prove It, 100, by
the ArCadian prosperity Of these two
story hotels on wheels where mis-
celianeous travellers dwell In CON-
plete promiscuity. and sleep almost
side by side, in apartments. or COM
partments, separated only BY plank
and A curtotn. and guarded only by
one sleepy negro.
After the fashion OF the famous
country whose Inhabitants earned a
meager sustenance by taking In each
others washing, SO IN Sleeping Car
2athta We attain meager respecta-
bii!'y by everybody's chaperontng
everybody else,
SO topsy-turyiec. indeed, are our
notions. once We are aboard a train.
that the staterooms alone are regard
ed with Suspicion; we question the
motives o. those who must have a
ROOM TO themselves "A room with a
rea! door, that Jocks.
And, now. on this sleeping car, pref
tily named "SnowGrop,' scenes were
enacting that would have thrown our
great-grandmoJners into tlts-scenes
which, If we found them in France, or
Japan, We should view with alarm as
almost uncomfortable evidence OF the
moral Obii1uity OF these nations.
But this was our own Countrywide
part of it which admits that 1t Is the
best par;~-the moralest part. the
staunch middle west. This was Hi
nols. Yet dozens OF cara were behold
ing similar !nmadesties In chastest
Illinois, and Ill over the map, thou
sands Of people. in hundreds Of cars.
were permitting .otal strangers to
view preparations which have always,
hitherto. bean reserved for the most
intimate and iegalized relations.
The porter was deity transforming
the day.coach into narrow lano en-
tirely surrounded by draperies. Behind
most OF the por:ieres, futtsring In the
l:ghtest breeze. and perilously follow.
ing the hasty passer-by, homety Of
fees were being enacted. The pDpu-
lation OF this little town was going to
bed. The porter was putting them to
sleep as |! they were children In q
nursery, and he black NANNY.
The frail walls of little sanctlms
were bulging with the bodies OF peo-
pie disrobing in the aisle. with moth
ing between them and the beholder's
eye but clinging curtain that ex-
planned what 1t did not reveal. From
apertuSes here and there disembodied
feet were protruding and mysterious
hands were removing shoes and other
things.
Women In risky attire were scoot-
ing to one end OF the car, and men In
shirt sleeves, or less, were Fastening
to the other.
When Mallory returned to the
"Snowdrop." his ear was greeted by
the thud OF dropping shoes. He found
Marjorie being rapidly immured, like
Poe's prisoner. in a Jail Of closing
walls.
She was tnspeakabiy Ill at ease,
and by the irony OF custom, the one
person on whom she depended for pro-
lection was the one person whose
sontiguty was most alarming-and
all tor lack of brief trialogue, with
a clergyman, as the tertium quid.
When Ma.lory's careworn face APP
peared round the edge OF the partition
row erected between her and the
abode Of Or. and Mrs. Temple, Mar
jorie sh.vered anew, and asked with
all anxiety:
did you find minister
Perhaps the Recording Angel over
locked Mailory's answer: mot q
damn minister"
When he dropped at MarJorie's side
she edged away from him.. pleading:
"Oh, wha, shall we do?"
He answered disnally and inef-
fec,iyeiy: Wen. have to 90 on pre-
tending to be--just friends"
But everybody thinks we're mar
ried."
That's SOL" be admitted. with the
lmbecility OF fatigued hope. They sat
while listening to the porter slip
ping sheets into place and humping
pillows into cases, few doors down
the street. He would be ready for
them at any moment Something raust
be done, but whsrf what?