The Era-leader., 1918-10-31
He Fell Down


frOwning, sighed deeply and refused |
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 |
off! 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't!" the bachelor
promptly protested. "They were very
nice people. And they were here just
fifteen minutes. Now it does seem as
| though l should be able to engineer
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
gloonily, "when the fifteen minutes
are spent in a railway station!
"I 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 gibberlng idiot!
"My goodness says Genevieve as
the train pulls out and John fades
away in the distance, Y think I 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
1t 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 30 glad to see her.
well, hello, Jen! J. cry. Hello, Joe!'
says she. We shake hands fervently.
Then we look at each other and smile.
"Did you have good trip? l ask.
Fine' says she. Train was on time: ::
7 I offer brightly. yes, it Was, says
Genevieve.
"We look at each other again. It's
just fine you could get down here to
see mer Genevieve begins. Great! |!
, 1 say. I've been crazy to see your
"'So've II! says she. Awful dusty
tripr WAS the car crowded. ask
. anxiously. 'No-not very says she
We walk up and down. My, but it's
fine to see your say.
II scramble wildly, trying to think
Of all the things l had planned to ask
: and tell her. Nothing doing. Sim
ply great to see your It's just splen
8 did you could get down here! sht
: counters. We walk up and down.
' look at my watch.
!: "'Genevievev shrieks her mother
suddenly appearing, If you don't hur
:, ry we'll miss that other train! Where
!: upon l grab suitcases and sprint hur
Genevieve and her mother onto thei
!. train and wave sweetly at them a
y they pull out. I depart feeling vague
ly like twenty-nine cents and activel.
disgruntled with Genevieve. She i
not the girl / thought her-and II
hate to say what she's thinking abou
= me.
'. "Or else I promise to see her of
It when she departs for the East. Their
are five or six other people there dc
ing the same thing. Genevieve, al
e dressed up like horse and buggy
n with huge buncn If orchids tina
l. some other fellow has sent ner, beam
q at US NIL. We stand in semicircle.
l. "'Sure your trunk is checkedY
:. asked. Sure your tickets are al
n rlght?' inquiries Jones brightly. Hop
(. you have a good trip offers smit
t. enthusiastically. Long silence. Some
s, body coughs.
Al "'Sure you don't want some mags
10 zines? began again. Hope the ca
isn't crowded. Smith offers dubiousl,
h. He coughs. You'll be there at jus
~ 1928 tomorrow says Jones, frownin
ic at his watch. He coughs. Looks a
le though lot Of people are going
I'd say desperately. This train always 1
| iron