The Era-leader., 1921-10-20
lje Fre Fell Down

The popular bachelor sat down
froWning, sighed deeply and refused
to be c0mf0rt@d.
"Nothing.' he observed. nothing
makes one 50 dissatisfied With himself
* what Eve just been doing-unIeSs
it IS going to the train to SEQ anyholy
Oft! I've merely been down to meet
some people going through, and hcav,
en knows that's bad enough"
"Nere they here long?" Sympathot,
ically asked the girl VINO was trying tC
be especially nice to the popular l@"I"
Ior. "Some people are so tiresoino" :"
"Oh, these Wcrcn't" the bachelor
promptly protested. "Thcy were very
nice people. And they were here just
fifteen minutes. Now 1t does seem as
though l should be able to engineer q
spriGhjly conversation for fifteen min
utes. doesn't it," he inquired in an
injured voice.
"Ihe very idea Why, Of course -
declared the girl who was trying to be
nice.
"You know better" he told her
gloontly, when the fifteen minutes
are spent In a railway station!
~ don't know what it IS about the
atmosphere Of trains and to0tings and
engines and suitcaSes humping your
ShinS-but you know perfectly well
that it transforms the most intelligent
person into q gibbering idiot!
"'My goodness" says Genevieve as
the train pulls out and John fades
away In the distance, I 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 he.
tween Geneyieve and John! Or else
it is John going through town, and
as Genevieve waves farewell from the
platform he smiles dutifully and then
retrns 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. l brisk
into the station spick and span and
smiling and when Genevieve appears
on the platform my whole heart surges
In my throat, l am 40 glad to see her.
We'll, hello, Jen' cry. Hello, Joer
says she, We shake hands fercently.
Then we look at each other and smile.
"'Did you have a good trip? I ask.
Finer says she. Train was on timer
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 me' Genevieve begins. 'Greatr
I say. I've been crazy to see your
"So've II says she. Awful dusty
trip" Was the car crowded. l ask
anxiously. 'No--not very says she,
We walk up and down. My, but tt's
fine to see you!' I say.
81 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.
Gid you could get down herer she
counters. We walk up and down.
look ut my watch.
"TonevieFe!' shrleks her mother.
suddenly appearing, If you don't hur.
ry We'll miss that other trainr Where.
upon ! grab suitcases and sprint, hurl
Ceneyieve and her mother onto their
train and wave sweetly at them as
they pull out. l depart feeling vague.
~ like twenty-nine cents and actively
d;&EHiintied with Genevieve. She is
II the girl thought her-and I'd
J4te to say what she's thinking about
he.
"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 Ike horse and buggy,
with huge bun"n # orchids that
some other fellow has sent ner, beams
at us all. We stand In a semicircle.
"'Sure your trunk is checked? /
asked. Sure your tickets are all
right? inquiries Jones brightly. Hope
you have a good trip offers Smith
enthusiastically. Long silence. Some.
bod? coughs.
"'Sure you don't want some maga.
zlres? began again. Hope the car
Isn't crowded. Smith offers obviously.
He coughs. You'll be there at lust
1928 tomorrow says Jones, frowning
at his watch. He coughs. Looks as
though lot of people are going I |
say desperately. This train always Is |
m fima' vOlNrtooro Io,o.