The Denver star., 1917-12-01
He Fell Down

to be comforted.
Nothing" he observed, nothing
makes one SO dissatisfied with himself
as what I've just been doing-unless
it is going to the train to see anybody
of! I've merely been down to meet
some people going through, and heav-
en- knows that's bad enough"
"Were they here long?" sympathet-
ically asked the girl who was trying to
be especially nice to the popular bache
lor. "Some people are SO tiresome !"
"Oh, these weren'tl" the bachelor
promptly protested. "They were very
nice people And they were here just
fifteen minutes. Now 1t does seem as
though should be able to engineer a
sprightly conversation for fifteen min
utes, doesn't it?" he inquired in an
injured voice.
"The very idea! Why, of course !"
declared the girl who was trying to be
nice.
"You know better" he told her
gloomily, "when the fifteen minutes
are spent in railway stationl
ST don't know what it is about the
atmosphere of trains and tootings and
engines and suitcases humping your
shins-but you know perfectly well
that it transforms the most intelligent
person into gibbering idiot!
"'My goodness! says Genevieve as
the train pulls out and John fades
away in the distance, I think have
been mistaken in that man after all
He has no brains, intelligence or SYM
pathy in his composition, and now
think of it his necktie was atrocious" "
The ensuing crash you hear is the
breaking off of diplomatic relations be-
tween Genevieve and John! Or else
it is John going through town, and
as Genevieve waves farewell from the
platform he smiles dutifully and then
retires to the smoker for two hours to
mediate on why in creation he ever
thought he fancied that tiresome girl.
"Or this is what happens. I brisk
into the station spick and span and
smiling and when Genevieve appears
ON the platform my whole heart surges
in my throat, am so glad to see her.
Well, hello, Jenv cry. Hello, Joev
says She We shake hands fervently.
Then we look at each other and smile.
"'Did you have a good tripr i ask.
Fine! says she. Train was on timer
offer brightly. Yes, 1t was,' says
Genevieve.
1--WE look at each other again. its
just fine you could get down here to
see me! Genevieve begins. 'Greatr
I say. I've been crazy to see 1onr
"'So've II says she. Awful dusty
tripv Was the car crowded? ask
anxiously. 'No-not very says she.
We walk up and down. My. but it's
fine to see you! I say.
II scramble wildly. trying to think
of all the things had planned to ask
and tell her. Nothing doing. Sim
ply great to see your It's just splen-
did you could get down hereH she
counters. We walk up and down. I
look at my watch.
'Genevieve! shrieks her mother,
suddenly appearing, If you don't hur-
~ we'll miss that other train' Where
upon grab suitcaseS and sprint, hurl
Genevieve and her mother onto their
train IND wave sweetly at them as
they pull out. I depart feeling vague
ly like twenty-nine cents and actively
disgruntlel with Genevieve. She is
not the girl l thought her-and I'd
hate to say what she's thinking about
me.
"Or else I promise to see her off
when she departs for the East. There
are five or six other people there do
ing the same thing. Genevieve, all
dressed up like horse and buggy,
with a huge bunch of orchids that
some other fellow has sent her, beams
at US ALL We stand in semiclrcle.
"'Sure your trunk is checkedr I
asked. Sure your tickets are all
rightr inquiries Jones brightly. Hope
you have a good trip offers Smith
enthusiastically. Long silence. Some
body coughs.
"'Sure you don't want some maga-
zinesY I began again. Hope the car
isn't crowded. Smith offers dubiously.
He coughs. You'll be there at just
u :2S tomorrow says Jones, frowning
at his watch. He coughs. Looks as
though lot Of people are going I
say desperately. This train always IL
on time volunteers Jones.
"'Don't forget to write says Smith.
"'All aboard! shouts the conductor
and we hustle Genevieve on board
with sigh Of relief in spite Of the
fact that we're all crazy about her