Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-21
THE EVENING STORY.
Caper Sauce.
BY HELEN HAINES,

4
BY HELEN HAINEs.
| A way train was waiting ON a siding
for the Savannah train to pass.
:! In primitive days an old freight cal
served for baggage and conductors rest
ing place: it was called the caboose.
| Inside 1t held an indiscriminate assert.
| ment of luggage mail sacks, tools, links
pins and lanterns-its big side doors rolled
back for light and air. The furnishings
were simple-two or three old, cane
seated office chairs and clumsy, wooden
4 shelf with pigeonholes above at which
| the conductor stood to write his train re-
ports.
single track, interminable delay.
| Two men-Enoch Springer, station agent
at Catchup, and Jack Bailey, a freight
clerk from Savannah-lounged inside the
| caboose. their chairs drawn close to the
| opening 10 catch the fitful breeze.
| Railroad gossip was worn to q fragile.
| Springer was asleep and Bailey was read
| ing a Week-Old New York paper.
| Then from the caboose doorway came
the station agent. leaping suddenly
| through the heated air and landing feet
| foremost on the main track, Immediately
awake and alert.
The certain jump OF a somnambulist.
Immediately followed the freight clerk,
tumbling over cross-ties, biting the dusty
| roadbed, clutching at the clumps of
burnt grass as he rolled down the en-
bankment.
The stumbling jump of telepathic fright.
Up hurried the conductor from track
pacing and patient waiting for the be-
lated train.
Up sauntered the negro brakeman from
straddling the switch ties.
Bailey, bewildered. scrambled to his
feet and toiled back-to stand lettering
on the track. nursing scraped shins and
! an already purpling eye
He faced three grins.
Fob lands sake. Springer asked the
conductor, anxiously, what's grong with
you fellahs?"
You see. cap'n.' said Springer. still
grinning at Bailey, Il wuz a-dreamin' .
| wuz a-dreamin tibet tibet train We ben
waitin fob KUN along. m ruined inter
tub to save meh life, but now I'd like
tub know, Misteh Bailey. I'd like tub
Iknow"-Springer's grin became sardonic-
'.Wot n thunder you jumped foh!
Hostilities began.
The tired. dusty passengers tumbled out
of the car ahead. glad of any Interrupt
ton to relieve the tedum Of delay.
But all attempts at pacification were
coming train was heard, demanding a
clear track.
The outraged Bailey took his torn
clothes and bruised bones back to Savan-
nah, and medltauVeiy che"eu the cuu
| of vengeance
| low, brick wall, surmounted by
wooden palings. then surrounded the
! freight yard In Savannah.
! Inside was the great, uncovered cotton
MIA tform. built of wooden planks on
stringers: on it, and bounding 1t, were
, tracks for the speedy handling OF cotton.
| In the summer time. the cotton bust
ness over for the season, 1t was deserted,
| the sun beating down on it's vast wooden
acreage.
| Here and there a lazy negro lolled
asleep. unmindful of the beat, and the
goats from the shanties outside the yard
roamed maraudingly in and out the open
gates through which, In the busy sea-
son. great drays piled high with cotton
bales kept up a ceaseless rumble.
In the dull summer afternoons the
freight clerks gathered outside the long.
low freight house where its roof cast
sharp shadows.
An empty freight car, it's door hos
pitably open, stood on nearby track.
Bailey, still bearing the marks of con-
fiict, sat in his shirt sleeves, meditatively
watching the goats Looking up. he
ton. born of his necessity to get even
with Springer. came to him.
Say, boys" he said lets pack those
goats into that empty and ship 'em to
Springer. l owe him one. and they're a
blamed nuisance round here anyhow.
and it'll teach those Micks to keep em
at home. Only wish l could be there
when he opens that car door,"
Bailey's suggestion was received with
uproarious applause, and the men left
their shady resting place and toiled in
the hot sun to lure the goats from the
cotton platform into the car
The sleepy blacks We're impressed into
service. and, by fair means or foul, some
twenty-five unsuspecting animals were
finally tolled in. the door was shut on
them. the car chalked for the morning
way-train to Catchup. On one corner
Bailey scrawled. in irregular print,
Lambs.
Enoch Springer was a lover but his
slightly with his wooing DELAYED trains