The Southern herald., 1914-05-08

"Just run over somebody one Ol
them asked the conductor, as a purst
of general conversation came through
the partly open door.
mo" he said, surlily.
well, what is that in there-sun'
day school convention, or trade union?
the other man asked facetiously
The conductor ran scornful eye
over the indignant suburbanites WIN
in.
There's twenty-six of them, ne
said, disgustedly, "and they're as crazy
as a sky-rocket in snow storm he
refused to explain further and went IN
to collect the fares in moody silence
There had been some demur about
the second fare, but after consultation
1t was decided to pay It,
The passengers were becoming Det-
ter acquainted. When a messenger
boy took a flying leap and managed to
scramble to the platform, he beheld
the amazing spectacle of a car full OF
people in animated conversation with
one another.
Say" he said, pointing through the
glass of the door, whats the trolley
party?'
Lot of damn lunatics," snarled the
conductor, and lapsed into morose ST.
lence.
At the end of the line the conductor
opened the door with jerk.
"All out" he said. This car is
going back to town."
"Well get off at Wilkinsville, and no
place else," said one firmly, and amid
silence broken only by the swapping
of watch cases as the mutineers con-
suited the time, the car started back
to town. The Man came in and sat
down not far from the Girl, but she
only chatted pleasantly with the little
widow across from her.
The conductor and motorman were
not so mirthful now; there was an air
of grim determination about the twen-
ty-six that made the cold night air
warm and comfortable by comparison.
In the meantime common trouble
was bringing the people inside closer
together 1t developed that the woman
with the baby had cloth bag inside Of
her coat containing three hundred and
fifty-fve pennies-"one for every day
of his life," she explained amiably; II
brought them along, 1t isn't safe to
leave them"
So the pennies were brought out and
suitably exchanged, and the next time
the fares were paid in copper, leaving
the conductor white with rage and WIS.,
IDLY bulging.
1t was eight o'clock when the car be-
gan its next trip from town. The pas
sengers were growing hungry, and
when the last transient had gone, leav-
ing only the steady occupants, the
Man conversed secretly with the ba-
ker's boy. AS a result the white GOV.
cred basket was passed around, with
bag of apples from one of the mar.
ket baskets.
Two passengers weakened at the
, end of that trip and got off, leaving
; only a space of empty seat between
: the Man and the Girl. The little widow
, eyed the gap disapprovingly, but the
, Man stonily read the advertisement fol-
} somebody's pork and beans, and the
: car, after another request from the
conductor, little less courteous this
{ time-that they move into the cal
3 ahead-started back to town.
: The Girl was feeling very lonely ant
t unhappy. Once or twice she looked a
r the relentless profile near her, but Il
was unresponsively classic. Not fol
9 worlds would she have shown lesl
, spirit than the other women in thu
: car, and got out. But she was stiff
Y from sitting, her head was aching from
+ excitement and hunger-and Just
little from the quarrel.
o AS for the Man, it is very possible Il
= gaze stonily straight ahead, and ye
t see clearly every movement of a cir
t some distance to your left. He had al
ache, too, but it was a lonely sort O
o heartache.
l. AS for the little widow, she pulle
e her black veil over the rim of her hal
J. feeling very sad and alone, and wor
dering if she had ever been so foolis
e when she had some one to love her.
J." At the barn the car switched off an
d rolled slowly, echoingly into the din
ness of the building. There it wa
t. stopped with a jerk, the conducto
3. switched off the light and heat, an
i with the motorman made his way t
II the Office.
The little widow shivered. What
d the Man should go? 1t would be s
e like man to leave at this psycholog
cal moment, when the Girl was hui
II cry, and lonely, and forlorn; for tn
Z tired eyes and the quiver of a prou
chin had not boen lost on the woms
a. behind the veil.
10 The committee shuffled out an
struggled through the darkness towar
the faint beacon Of the office ligh
ct After a time they reappeared, led b
II an apologize man with lantern.
10 Across the aisle some one sighed
IN she could have sworn It was the Gi,
s. And then in a great burst the ligh
came on again. The little wido
Id gasped and smiled. For across II
't way the Man and the Girl sat, side
r. side THAR facas ro dto.4