The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-02-08
BY Martha Edgerton Plassmann


- with my cousin, Col. Wilbut
4 IF. Sanders who had been sent cas-
on business. The Union Pacific
railroad, then recently completed
carried us through the same coun
TRY we had traversed ten years pre-.
viously in covered wagons drawn
by oxen.
Either on account of the season
or the newness of the railroad, we
Ihad but few travelling companions
in our Pullman only three that
| recall, one of these being veal
thy San Francisco girl returning
from Europe, where she had out
ragged the conventions by going I'm
chaperoned, and two Englishmen
One of the latter was a soclable
gentleman of a scientific turn OF
mind, a Fellow of the Royal Geo
graphical society, as we learned
from his card. He was interested
in everything he saw, and spent
many pleasant moments finding al
titudes; ascertaining the tempera-
ture, ETC., with all sorts of curious
instruments, and carefully noting
the results of his experiments. His
friend, however, was the typical
British tourist. All day long he
sat in the comfortably heated car,
wrapped about with steamer rugs.
reading the railroad guide.
He never removed during the
day the plaid cap he wore. Pos
sibly he slept in it. AS for any
thing going on about him, he paid
no attention to it. The sleeping
car conductor of those days felt it
incumbent upon him to entertain
the passengers. He brought them
books and pictures, and enlivened
the journey with conversation. But
never did he venture to break down
the barrier this Briton had erected
between himself and all mankind
with one exception, his friend.
At stated intervals the F. R. G.
S. would enter the car from the
outside platform, where he spent a
good share of his time, and cheer
lily remark to the swathed one
"Isn't it about the hour for 'alf
and 'alf?" and strange to say, it
always was, the porter obligingly
dispensing it, undeterred by any
prohibition enactment.
And again, on one notable occa-
sion, the scientific gentleman hur-
ried in to say "The conductor tells
me this is the highest trestle in
America. We are just coming to
it" Without laying down the
guide book, or manifesting undue
He of the Rugs languidly
turned his eyes without, then wear
lily stated, ooh, we have better than
that in the old country" and re-
oulIlSu TIC SuluC DOOh'
At Corinne, Utah, we left the
rain, as this was the initial point
IF our trip northward. The sole
MOTEL in town was wretched, un-
frame shack, and the food
was execrable. One corner of the
small dining room was closed to
he eye of the curious by dingy
ed curtain, behind which the Chi
lese cook functioned. Approach
ng this hidden shrine the waiter
.or there was but one = would
shout the order in stentorian voice
hat could have been heard a block
lway, but did not venture to raise
he curtain. Not alone the cook,
,ut everyone in the dining room,
lnew what you had ordered; moth
ng was left to idle surmise.
In this hotel I stayed for a cou-
lie of days, while Colonel Sanders
vent into the country to see one OF
lis clients, a Mormon bishop.
lad at first fireless room, and it |
oeing the coolest time of the year.
he wolf robe that covered my bed
vas white with frost in the morn
ng. Later, had spacious apart
nent containing a stove, but as it
vas above the bar-room, and the
floor being thin, it had its disad-
Santages. The next morning, |
when l was dressing, the door of
ny room opened and, to my great
discontinue, in walked the red
headed bartender, who had been
sent to build my fire. Finding it
already built, he considerably |
withdrew.
On Colonel Sanders return he
had a story to tell which, like the
most of his stories, is worth repe-
:ition.
When about to leave his Mormon
;lient, they went together to har-
less the horses to the sleigh that