The Washington times., 1921-04-05

he might have seen a covert grin on
her battered face so neatly covered
with a becoming blush. A natty little
conductor from Jacksonville was in
charge and a humpback was his as
sistant.
PORTER MAY DESERT.
The conductor has been lost long
ago. but George, the porter. is still
with us. He hints that he leaves at
Petersburg, but he may continNe
right on to New York. He may even
trail the gang all around the circuit,
SO attached has he become to them.
Yes. 1t Is gay life on the Hotel
Marley. On Easter morning the old
girl was left strapded at Palatka,
Fla, a mile or so from breakfast. AS
the boys tumbled out of their private
rooms, they discovered that some
bold thief in the night had stolen all
the water from the Marley. A cor
rect imitation British army in
Flanders Immediately ensued, ball
players having considerable fiuency in
certain lines, aside from baseball it.
self.
The natty little conductor reused
George, the huge black man and made
him tote water from somewhere so
that the slaves of the magnates might
caress their noble cheeks with safe
ties. But it was cold water, yes it was
colder than that. and there was much
indigo phrasing around the hotel.
After several hours the old girl was
hitched to a freight and rolled over
to East Palatka- where she rested
again for a couple of hours. Then she
was fastened to a local and dragged
across the St Johns river and headed
for Daytona.
EXERCISED HER PREROGATIvE.
Sure. she got in there late. That is
one other ancient prerogatives. She
can make more noise and more
screeching and less time than any
rattler ever glimpsed on land or sea.
And she can be lost. too, right in
broad daylight She is like Will o. the
Wisp. Just where you think she IS,
she isn't Just where you imagine
she cannot possibly be. you bump into
her.
After that slaughter at st. Ausus-
tine, where the amateur champions of
Florida were frightened out of their
nine senses and one ball game, the
Griffs trooped down, studied the yard
map and finally found the Marley.
The old girl was right where she
wasn't expected, and the gang filed
where she had been all night and, as
IL on second thought, got "a hustle on
her and started for Jacksonville. The ,
Florida metropolis was but one hour
away. and the gang all wondered why
the Marley had delayed 30 long.
NOTHING wRONC-MUCH.
wen have the tank repaired at
Jacksonville" said the natty conduc-
tor. "and there is something wrong !
with the airbrakc, the exhaust, the /
carburetor. and the left lung. Leave
it to me; I'll have them all o. K when |
you leave"
Two days later. as the Griffs lolled |
about the platform waiting to leave
for Birmingham, squad of mechanics |
came down the platform and began |
tinkering with the old girl. They ex-
amined her liver and her carburetor, |
her kindney and her exhaust. They
pounded on her tummy with big ham
mers. They dug holes in her sides. |
Then they pronounced her cured, and |
the engine driver footed his whistle
and way she went on the long climb |
over the Georgia hills to Birmingham,
Ala
Open windows refused stubbornly |
to be closed. Curtain rods, banged |
and battered by a thousand grimy |
paws would not keep out the bitter
blast. Feet curled up and toes al
most fell off here and there. Strong
lads shivered and shook and shrieked |
in their torture. 1t was wild ride
down tho hills into the fiat lands of
Alabama and to Birmingham. And
in the morning that chilled and shiv-
eYinK host found some ice water left |
in the drinking water tank available
for their shaving purposes. All the
bammering and the biting and the
banging in jacksonville had gone
for nought- The poor old girls liver.
kidneys carburetor exhaust. left
lung, and air brake still needed some
Lydia Pinkham dope. She fairly wept
In her grief /
SHOWED SIGNS OF LIFE.
They must have done something
with her at Birmingham. because she
was almost jaunty as she pulled out
on her way to Chattanooga, but
under the shadow OF the frowning
Mountain they gave her an
awful ride for four or five hours.
Shunting engines bounced her all
around the yard, knocking her this
way and that until everybody awoke
and swore in the mighty chorus.
One perfectly delightful night was
spent at the Hotel Patton in Chat
|
ride through the Tennessee mountains
on the old girl, who just wouldn't be
shaken off.
Back through the mountains from
Jackson to Knoxville has come the
Hotel Marley. filled with grouchy,
swearing men. In daylight hours
she Is draughty and dirty. Through
the long night watches she becomes
a refrigerator. and embalming box.
equipped with million groans and
shrieks.
The Griffs will be glad to part with
the old girl tomorrow at Petersburg.
But tonight they face one long, last
ride with her, fifteen hours Of con-
centrated misery. before sighting
Petersburg. Tonight the left lung
win quiver. the carburetor will COLI
lapse. the chill winds will play havoc
with the light sheets and the frozen
toes beneath. the aching incsndes-
cents will sputter and die away as