Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-04-16

seemed that the locomotive was 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 sEowbank and blinked ct 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 o'clock.
He lodged 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 'em q hand--and you fellows
down there get 'em started"
A riot ensued, punctuated by shrieks
of. "Oh, it's so terribly high" Take
Willie first! Wil-l-ee! Stay away
from the edge of that platform"
"Ob, I've dropped my bag!" why
don't they have steps here? should
think there would be steps!"
Bellfire, being large, soon found
that he was doing most of the heavy
work. The process of boosting num-
berless women, each weighing twenty.
five pounds of furs and other wraps
above normal, is exhausting. When
Belltlre 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 on the
last platform Of the local that had
pulled N. Nd i
When he had become petrified to his
knees another headlight loomed up
and dashed by without stopping. II
was an express train temporarily out
of its orbit because of Bellfires fro
zen train. BY the time another ap-
peared Bellfire was ice to his neck
Stithy he stumbled on board and
dropped himself against a door. He
CiN No
firmly convinced that If he did so he
would splinter into icicles. When he
had thawed out enough to have hui
man intelligence Bellfire 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 protested
raucously.
Nope" said the conductor This
train is a special and doesn't stop
again till it gets to F1owerdale at the
end of the line"
F1owerdale is exactly twenty-one
miles beyound Rellfre's station. A
veil will be dTes. over the commun-
ion that Bellfre bad with himself dur
ing the trip out ths dismal wait and
the trip back o. lscal The very
least and mildest thing that he could
imagine Mrs. Bellfire doing was dis
mantlins the fiat and packing her
trunk.
At ten minutes past Bellfire skunk
into his apartment. The worst was
confirmed, for there were no lights.
Emily" he began huskily, listen
while l explain, won't you?"
There was silence as he turned on a
light. Then he saw a penciled scrawl
In the mirror. She had left him, he
knew! Finally he summoned enough
courage to read his wife's message.
Dear john" 1t ran, mother phoned
for us to come to dinner tonight. Come
on over"
"Oh, pickles!" exclaimed Bellfre,
thankfully. Then he went out to the
pantry and made q ham sandwich
Chicago Daily News.