The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1919-06-28
Moving
the Movers
M
BY J. L. JAMES


toopyhshU
was sitting in the stuffy little depot
Of a prairie town. A "norther" was
providing around outside, and whistling
mournfully about the caves. lone
drummer, two or three farmers. and
myself, were waiting for the local 60
ing west, a swaying combination Of one
rickety passenger coach, any number Of
freight cars, and sputtering little hog
back engine.
The train made daily trips, but on
its return each afternoon. or midnight,
becameNo. 3 instead of No. Its west
bound cognomen.
The road boosted of another train,
subject also, to daily change Of num-
bers-No. 2 and No. IA real passen-
ger train, due late In the afternoon,
and likely to arrive at any time there
sitter.
On this particular morning, No. 1,
known by the boys as 1.-THE Great Un-
limited" was also late. No one was
surprised. The drummer, who had
"oAACu thC WAOlC tOWu SluCc UIcdh-
fast and had then defeated all the local
checker champions, was trying to kill
time BY doing In q corner, or slapping
at some stray fly.
had kept awake watching his an
tics for q while, then discovered dirt
daubers nest on a horseshoe over
door, and for an hour or so divided
time between wondering how that indi-
vidual discovered that q horseshoe
brought good luck. and listening to the
progress Of a domino game in the office,
between the agent and the only dray-
man in town.
Suddenly the outer door opened with
4 crash. A man, a woman, and several
children entered, showing by all signs
in sight or hearing that they were emf
grants, or, as locally termed, movers"
The woman was carrying, In one
hand, an old umbrella, frying-pan,
and bird cage with half-grown rab-
bit in it. In the other hand she had a
hatbox. Under one arm was a square,
boxlike old clock and from her wrist
hung bag that bulged with conglom-
GRAFTON of articles.
Behind the woman came q girl Of.
perhaps, eight years, carrying another
clock of different shape. and an anx-
ious-looking gray cat that seemed to
have its attention divided between fear
Of falling and the desire to eat the rab-
bit.
The man carried nothing but a big
fat. bawling baby Of two years,
wrapped up in red and green
blanket. Other children followed, some
carrying various articles. some crying,
others eating peanuts.
The children all came into the depot
readily enough, but seemed to have no
further idea what was expected Of
them, and stood gazing at the lurid
posters, maps and excursion notices, or
stumbled over seats and suitcases.
"Now, set down. commanded the
mother. land don't stand around gapin'
like a lot O. eegiots:.
The youthful movers" broke ranks,
some to Chamber into seats, others to
20 on a tour Of inspection Of every
thing within range. The mother pushed
one clock under a seat, found lamp
bracket for the bird cage, and sat down
with the baby and the other clock in
her lap, having deposited the bag on
the seat beside her.
Then the clock under the seat began
to strike Justify. As it finished the
thirty-seventh stroke, the alarm in the
clock in her lap went off with such a
bang that the baby took fright, and fell
of its mothers lap onto the floor with
fresh yells Of terror.
I stole look over the top Of my
magazine, behind which had been try
ing to screen myself, and vainly tried
to catch the drummer's eye but he was
gazing out Of the window pinching him
self to keep from disturbing the peace.
The baby, in falling, landed some
where near the middle of the catch-all
bag, and the mother made plunge for
1t as If the child were on fire. Then
the clock in her lap began striking
come unknown hour.
"Now, Elviry," she shrieked, there
you've went and done It! I bet you
broke 20 paws mushtash-cup."
The guardian of the household ef-
fscts had just rearranged the baby, the
bag, and the clock, when her wander
Ing gaze missed her first-born, a shock
headed boy who had not remained In
the waiting room long after the arrival
Of the family.
The baby was at once deposited
upon the floor, where it beloved
wrathfully. The panic-stricken wom-
an sped for the door, jerked it open
and set up shrill:
"Bus-s-terl You Buster! Bus
ter-r-r-rW winding up with an ear
splitting whoop.
The wind made straight in at the
door for the papers on the agents
neglected desk. The freight bills few
over the office and disturbed the check
er game long enough for the agent to
interfere with the remark: Here, I'll
bust you'll"
Then. as he leaned out Of the ticket
window far enough to see that the Of
fender was a woman, his chivalry got
the better Of him, and he toned down
a bit, saying: Madam, IL you don't
Rhut that door 7 ,,ou,% houn ponar