The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1912-06-28
Wasted Effort

"And," Mrs. Bellfre added with =
slightly acid touch. you might be-
here on time, for q change"
Bellare qualled, az q well trained
husband should have done under the
circumstances. For on the previous
FIVE evenings dinner had waited, cool
ed, collapsed into a sodden mess be.
cause of his %nonarrival at the prop
er time.
81 will be home tonight" he assured
his wife, "at s o'clock. I shall start
in plenty of time to allow for distrac.
tions-and, anyhow. l don't think I
should be blamed because an old
friend sprung up out Of the earth and
talked a half hour, or for q slow
watch or for a slow client! However,
barring earthquakes and commissions
Of nature. this evening will see me
here when you expect mel"
II certainly hope &c." Mrs. Bellare
told him. II am sure the cook will
leave II it happens again!"
Bellf1re started that evening for the
suburban express train, which left at
5:25. He was going to make a good
job Of 1t and arrive home with fifteen
minutes to spare. It was bitter cold
and the train so crowded that the best
he could do was to wedge himself to
lodging the rain Of cinders.
Ordinarily 1t took the express train
fifteen minutes to make the run. It
had been travelling five minutes when
1t stumbled and then stopped. It did
not resume its progress. Men began
to fold their newspapers and scowl.
Then they began to investigate. It
seemed that the locomotive wal frozen
up! A roar Of indignation arose from
the passengers. Somebody scratched
the frost from a window and announc-
ed that they were nearly opposite an
intermediate station. Then a local
train pulled in at that platform.
In the exodus which ensued Bell
fire found himself crushed OF on the
snow covered ground. He stood knee
deep in a snowbank and blinked at the
distant platform, the trainmen swing
ing warning lanterns and ordering
their escaping trainload back. Then
he, too. began hopping over %interven-
ing tracks. He might lose his life,
but he had to be home at 6 O'clock.
He lodged a through train, knocked
down a fat man and Joined the shiv-'
ering crowd clustering about the
wrong end Of the local platform. The
ascending spirals Of frosted breath
that went up from every individual
looked like dozens Of little campfres.
On the end Of the platform the ever
present busy person was giving or.
ders.
"Now. we've got to get the ladies
up here!" he said. "This man and I'll
give EN- a hand-and you fellows
down there get 'em started!"
A riot ensued, punctuated by shrieks
of, ooh. it's so terribly hight" Take
Willie first! Will-ee! Stay away
from the edge Of that PLATFORM"
ooh. I've dropped my bag!" why
don't they have steps here? I should
think there would be steps!"
Bellfire. being large. 0 o found
that he vas doing most Of the heavy
work. The process of boosting num-
berless women. each Weighing twenty
I've pounds Of furs and other wraps
above normal, Is exhausting. When
Bellire at last clambered up he was
disheveled, putting. limp. He dragged
himself to that level just in time to
see the last Of the crowd swing N the
last platform of the local that had
pulled in.
When he had become petrined to his
knees another headlight loomed up
and dashed by without stopping. It
was an express train temporarily out
Of its orbit because Of Bellhre's fro
Gen train. By the time another up.
peared Bellire RAJ ice to his neck.
Stifly he stumbled on board and
dropped himself against q door. He
did not dare sit down because he was
firmly. convinced that Il he did go he
would splinter into icicles. When he
had thawed out enough to have hui
man intelligence Bellnre observed that
the train was making no stops what
ever. Just as this fact dawned upon
him the lights Of his own station ap-
peared, blinked, vanished. He
grabbed the conductor and protsst6
.Nope.. said the conductor. .This
train u 3 special and doesn't stop
again TIL II gets TO F1owsrdale Of the
end Of the line"
!. stesLMakIno Town BY Night.
Those who have lived In steel-mak.
ing towns never forget the sight OF the
great mills In operation at night. The
tall chimneys that point their black
fingers sykward by day At night turn
into wonderful candles, each with Its
waving, many colored fame fickering
against the black sky, The iron
sheathed buildings seem to reject j
white glow from every opening, and
every window is spot OF light Now
80 kAn.f3n h,,~ak - Aa-~ 49,. ~ ii