The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-01
EVENING STORY
The Purple Train.
(By Mahlin Gearhart. }

(By Mdnl1n Gedrhart.D
Miss 'Lizabeth had story. What
it was was a vexed question among
the Copperville gossips, some of whom
declared that she was once to have
been married; the guests were all in
the house; she was dressed and the.
preacher was waiting to Ierform the
ceremony, when uote was brought
her from her affianced saying he had
left, never to return, and asking her
to forget him. Others told of a drunk
en- husband, who had deserted her,
and then had tracked her 20 her pres
ent home, whittier she had fled bear
ing her maiden name to live down
her sorrow; and he now came back,
occasionally after dark. and gave a
peculiar rap on the window. which
she understood as a demand tor
money. They further told how to pre-
vent his proclaiming himself as her
husband she always gave him the sum
he required, altho she lived on but
meager fare for weeks afterward. But
the few who knew Miss Elizabeth best
declared that she was a gentle little
woman of refined tastes, who kept
her secret because it was sacred to
her, and not because of any disgrace
attached to it.
And so five years had gone by and
still Miss 'Lizabeths secret was dis
cussed by the gossips, and still the
only point they could agree upon was
that there was certainly man in the
case, when one day the news came
that at Z O'Clock that evening the lilac
train would pass thru the town, en-
route for Montana.
Every one in the little town knew
what the coming of the lilac train
meant, for it was no new thing, this
sending of carload of blossoms.
sometimes into the mining towns of
the North, where the breath from the
smelters destroyed every vestige of
vegetation sometimes to the towns
that nestled high up the mountain
sides and shivered with their summer
frosts and biting winds from the snow
fields around them. Only last year
Copperville had been frightened by
the coming of the purple train" for
so it was called. altho there were al
ways other kinds of flowers and
usually but one carload; but, tho
shelves at one end of the car held
potted plants and cut flowers of every
variety, it was the lilacs that were
loaded on by truckfuls. as the train
stopped at one station and then an
other.
That's a pretty custom you have
here in Utah." Miss 'Lizabeth mad
said to the neighbor who, in passing
had noticed her standing by lilac
bush, caressing a blossom she had
plucked, and had told Her about the
coming of the lilac train. They say
those other Montana mining towns,
there is not a tree, shrub OF plant
growing out of doors. Iheard Of one
small azalea that sold easily for $15
in Butte. What sight it must be
to those people to see whole car
load of blossoms coming into their
midsti'
THE say they are as delighted as
if a carload of gold nuggets were
being distributed Will you unload
your bush there for their benefit?''
Indeed, 1 shall be only too glad
lilaes," and as she stopped to pick
up the flower she had dropped, her
friend passed on, remarking:
well, must be Off" She did not
see the@tear in Miss 'Lizabeth's eye.
nor notice the tremor in her voice.
That night Miss 'Lizabeth sat alone
on her little front porch and watched
the moon come slowly up from be-
hind the great mass of the WahsatcE
range. and sail off into the blue vault
above. and as she watched she
thought:
yes, I'll do it. It can't do any
harm. If it falls into Billy's Lands,
he'll understand what it means If
it doesn't, why the blossoms will
cheer some ones heart, and the other
will just excite a little curiosity. Five
years ago, day after tomorrow. 1 got
up north The lilac train went lust
ahead of his. and I picked up one
of the blossoms that had fallen when
they were loading and handed it to
him. 1 don't know why did it, Billy
had never asked me for a promise Of
any kind, but I read something il his
eyes, all that year when l was Lard
ing at his mothers. And his treat
ment of me. too, was another thing.
He would come to meet me and walk
gently, if the day had been a hard
one. He was such q great, good
hearted fellow! No, 1 don't know
why 1 did it, but I handed him the
blossoms I said, I'll wait for you.
Billy. for years, if it is necessary.
waiting room, and his train was just
starting, so he could not answer, but
1 know his heart"
Then Miss 'Lizabeth heaved a sad
little sigh and sat tapping her lips
with the lilac blossom she had taken
from her belt.
.I wonder why he never wrote to
me-" she unused on presently. Il ex-
pect he failed in his mining and was
discouraged. 1 know Billy loved me-
and the little woman blushed as if she
| had been talking to Billy himself
Yes, he did. l know he did, and I'll
do iti'' and then she rose and went
into the house.
The next day Miss 'Lizabeth went
downtown looking her best in pref
| ty dark blue suit. with a neat walking
hat to match. and returned in an hour
with a tiny envelope in her hand. La
| ter in the day she started out with
1 two large punches of lilacs. and if
the gossips had met her they would
have noticed a certain guilty look she
wore, and would have declared that
the drunken husband had been
around again.
An impatient crowd of people had
| been standing in the rain since early
morning, expecting momentarily to
hear the whistle of the engine that
would bring the lilac car into the
Butte station. The noon whistles
sounded: still no evidence of the COM
| ing of the purple train; still a pour
ing rain, and still a waiting mass of