Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-10-21
A Trip Worth While
(coatinssd from page 81

with the SINKING OF INC sun
Suddenly the screen door slammed,
and Mrs. Sims dragged her rocker on
to the porch at this crucial moment.
Her mouth was opened TO give audible
and voiuble thanks upon the tasks OF
another day being finished, but before
she could get the words out OF her
mouth "Pa" Sims spoke in an eager
and almost husky voice.
Betsy" said PA" what do you
say to a trip to Chicago"
"Why, for the love o mercy, Peter
Sims, are you gone plumb crazy. Don't
you know it's gettin' along towards
fruit time, and what with every last
one o. the jars empty this summer, and
the geese to be picked, and ALL
don't"
NOW, Ma" interrupted her hus-
band, with a. sort OF dry chuckie'
Don't get all het up and excited.
You're the beatenest woman, Betsy, to
ruffle up your feathers over nothin.
What's TO hinder YOU and me taking
that little trip to Chicago?. Amt we
alters talked about it? Let Mary Jane
out I'D the fruit. She's growed up,
amt she? Amt Jake Fuller settin' up
with her, and do you want your only
daughter to get married off without
any experience in canning and preserv-
ing by herself? Amt the corn and
oats and wheat and alfalfa the best
we've had in years? Amt | got all
nv notes paid off at the Smithville
Bank. and blamed many years they
been holdin' 'em, too Amt ! got
nice little balance there? Amt we
alters said we wanted to get acquainted
with Mr.. Harris of Harris & Hahn,
where we've traded so many years"
"Well, Peter, | suppose if | must,
must, but if we don't have fruit this
winter don't for goodness sake lay the
blame onto me, and, if you are set on
goin', Mary James jist picked out a
real pretty white dress in the new cat
alog, and we might as well go right
in the store and buy it ourselves"
To Mr. and Mrs. Peter Sims, the
long Journey to Chicago had been both
unreal and uncomfortable; unreal be.
cause of the constant kaleidoscope OF
marvellous fleeing sights; uncomfort-
able because of the everlasting. unsee-
ing ewes of strangers Now at last the
goal was in sight For what seemed
TO Pa and Ma Sims hours and hours,
the train had been passing by innum-
cradle and crowded houses, by smoke
stacks by tan yards, by streets, by mil
lions of motor cars, and street cars.
and horses and drays and hordes OF
shouting, hurrying people.
The descent from the smoking tram
was both difficult and puzzling. The
ewes of the two Smithville faces en-
countered an array of human beings
all struggling to make his or her way
and looking neither to the right nor
the left. Pa Sims looked in vain. tor
single welcoming glance or one fleet
ing, kindly smile. Could this be Chi
cago, about which he had SO often
dreamed7 However, by careful steer
ing and maneuvering, he managed to
make path in the forest OF humanity
which seemed intent upon blocking his
way, and the first taxicab that opened
its doors was the one in which Mother
Sims was deposited. The driver took
the luggage with a look of high dis
dain, and never even remarked upon
the condition of the weather In the
meantime, the meter licked away, while
the Sims tried to decide Just where
they wanted to put up while seeing
Chicaoo The driver. acting upon the