The Press., 1919-07-17
hudd1ed against the platform with his

 tail safely between his legs,
 Just then the hog-back squealed in the distance, and the warlike mother set off to gather her belongings pre- paratory to boarding the train. She took down the bird cage, got an arm about one clock, seized the um- brella and bag again, gave vociferous commands to the children to "git them things and git on that train," and mar shaled them in a long line by the track while No. 1 came clattering in. Most of the passengers were in no hurry to get aboard, as No. usually stopped an hour or two-long enough for drummer to "work" the town and catch the same train for the next.
 But today, those aboard had been there so long they were anxious to get off, and soon the family phalanx was broken up by the crowd. After the drummer and had secured seats, we looked out and saw the woman, with the clock and caged rabbit, racing up and down the platform, calling at every jump: "Jerri-mi- -aah-hh
 AS this was a new name, we soon figured that the husband had escaped while she had been looking for the missing Buster. The drayman emerged, and out of pure good will began to call Jeremiah also. Several boys took up the cry, till the town rang with the chorus of shouts for that namesake of the weeping prophet.
 Finally, the woman collected her children, clocks, rabbit, etc., in a knot near the train, and gave out in sten- torian tones that she would "stay right there till the cows or Jerry came home."
 I'm betting on the cows in that race" remarked the drummer, and then he settled for an hours doze be- fore the train started.
 After while we were all awakened by jerk of the train, and the renewed cries of the moving woman, who seemed to think the cows were about to win.
 Jeremiah had not yet appeared, and the engine had finished its switching work and backed up to get the train for another start.
 Several of the children added to the hubbub with their frantic yells for father, and just as the bell began ringing for the departure of No. 1 the missing hero came around the corner of the depot scowling furiously at the uproarious family.
 Cant feller git away long enough to have smoke In peace" he growled, referring to the twO-fOr-a-nickel cigar protruding from his overgrown beard. He went into the depot again for the tickets, but the snorting little hog began grunting off down the track, leaving the moving-woman the picture of wrath and despair as she clung to her clocks and rabbit, groaning:
 'T knowed it.! knowed 1t! I knowed he'd git left l"
 A new disturbance at the rear of the invesriga ton, we found Buster, the, dog and the hoe, mixed up in row with the brakeman. The boy and the dog had slipped onto the rear of the train, while others of the family were calling Jerry.
 Il tell you, bub," declared the brake man, you can't bring that pup on this carl"
 "Well, he's on here ain't he? re- torted Buster.
 Well, take him to the baggage car and express him through! He can't stay on this car! Where's your ticket?"
 Paws got it, reckon"
 t'Where Is he? Hunt him up quick 1"
 The boy tried to leave the dog in the corner by the stove while he went to show the brakeman the holder of the ticket, but the trick failed. The dog followed, and, when assaulted by the brakeman, started bowling down the aisle with the hoe catching in the seats and hitting the passengers.
 Boy and brakeman tried to stop the fugitive. They caught him at the door just as a passenger who had been out on the platform started to enter and had dodged back in time to let the dog out. The hoe caught in the door.
 Just then the train lurched into stop at the water tank. Dog, boy, brakeman, and passenger finally un. tangled themselves, and Buster, still holding to the hoe handle, remarked, Il guess my paw ain't on here"
 Well, I guess not" snorted the brakeman, rubbing his shins, land, bub, next time you try to take ride, bring your dad along, instead of that pup, and get a ticket, too."
 "Huh," replied Buster, as he alight- ed with his dog and took up his march back to town, T beat my paw this lime. Must think I never moved be- fore!"