The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-04-10
ON A SUBURBAN TRAIN.


AS the two girls passed through the
waiting-room on the way to their
suburban train, they were talking
earnestly.
81 wouldn't have believed it possible
that Gene could be guilty of such a
dishonorable action!" Ethel exclaimed,
and her. dark eyes flashed ominously.
cit doesn't seem at all like her, y
Jessica said. Don't you think there
must be mistake somewhere,
Ethel"
81 might think so if anybody but
Grace Dunbar had told me about it.
But you know yourself, Jessica, that
Grace isn't the kind who tells such
things unless she is sure Of her facts. .
That's so,' Jessica said regretfully
as she swung herself up the car steps.
They found the train nearly full
and were Obliged to content them
selves with the small, lengthwise seat
at the end of the car, directly behind
the open door, AS the train pulled
out slowly through the yards Ethel in
the corner leaned forward to enjoy
the Whit of fresh air that came
through the slit between the door and
it's frame. Her face grew interested
then amused.
Look, Jessica! See what a funny
view you get of things! See those
wires that cross the slit? And now
that tall pole that fills up the whole
space? It's the mast and rigging OF
that schooner that is lying in the
river, but how funny it looks!"
Jessica, too, was watching the mar
row panels formAH by the slit in the
door.
81 suppose that dull red is freight
car, but what are those iron zigzags
farther away?" St
For moment the two girls were
puzzled, then Ethel said trium
phantly: - :
That's the framework that carries
the semaphore signals!"
And Jessica laughed back:
"Of course! But you never would
have guessed it if you hadn't had a
picture of the whole thing in your
mind. The bit that you see through
that slit in the door wouldn't help
you much if you didn't know already
what semaphore bridge looks like. >
Until the conductor came through
and shut the door, the two girls found
much amusement in watching the
roadside objects through the narrow
slit and trying to guess what they
were. A distant bridge was identified
through their familiarity with the
neighborhood, but confused tumble
of steel rods and trusses defied their
guessing powers as the train sped
swiftly by.
ut might have been the wrecking
train," suggested Ethel, cor one OF
those travelling cranes that they have
for unloading freight"
I'VE won't know unless we see IL
again tomorrow morning. It's funny
isn't it, Ethel, how different things
look when you see just bit of them
at one time? What we see is all right
as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far
enough. If you didn't know already
what schooners and bridges look like
you'd certainly get a queer idea OF
them through this slit.
AS the conductor, entering the cal
with his warning Tickets, please!'
closed the door and so spoiled theil
entertainment, Ethel picked up the
evening paper and glanced over the
headlines. But her companion was
still thoughtful.
Probably you'll laugh at me, Ethel
but that opening in the door set me
to thinking about Gene. ] know Grace
is usually sure of her facts before she
says anything, but maybe she got he1
facts through slit, and while they're
true as far as they go, you don'i
know, what's on both sides of them.
Ethel laid down her paper with al
amused exclamation.
'sJessica Weber! You certainly have
the strangest fancies! The idea o.
working out a comparison between
what Grace said about Gene and wha
we saw through the opening in tht
door"
Gradually. the amused look will
which Ethel had laid down her papeI
gave way to a more thoughtful one
1t flashed across her that perhaps
Jessica was right, that Grace's facti
while true in themselves might Civ
too narrow a view to make it safe Il
Judge Gene by them.
e~-e