Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-28

/<T 7 ULLO! 50 your name is the
same as mine!" exclaimed
a young fellow to his seat
4 4 mate in an excursion train
crowded with Eastward
bound Westerners a few weeks before
Christmas. ITS odd" he added.
But was it odd2 For the letters on
his companions suitcase were nothing
more out of the common than u. A.
JONES'"
The older man turned on him pair
Of questioning. dog-like brown eyes and
said: Il beg your pardon"
The young man, who was excitable,
repeated his remark loudly, and was an
Swered II hear now. sir. 1 am slightly
deaf. The coincidence is curious"
The lad liked his seniors face and
gentle manner, but Mr.. Jones became
more than slightly deaf when worried,
tired or nervous, and his new friend
had to pitch his voice so high that con-
.Versation was strain to every one con-
cerned, and any attempt at confidence
would have involved taking the whole
car into the secret he burned to tell.
Owing to rain, waShouts and snow
,otorms, the train was hours overdue
when it reached North Bay, and Jones
Junior was much perturbed. but worked
of some of his restleSSneSs by sending
kilograms catechiZing the trainmen and
Consulting all who claimed to know the
country as to the condition of the roads
in the northern part of York County.
It was tedious journey, and by the
time they were within 20 miles of the
anxious travellers destination the wise
acres had convinced him that the train
would stick fast in "the drift at Mer-
ton Cut" This alarmed him so much
that when the train stopped at Kings
hill "a small town miles north of his
goal Merton flag station) he hastily
decided to hire sleigh and go by road.
While collecting his belongings he tried
to explain his program to the elder
Jones, but only bewildered him.
It proved that the tcrrors of the
Merton Cut had been exaggerated. The
engine pulled and painted, but got
through. pausing 10 minutes later to
set down the deaf man at the lonely
flag station. A red-cheeked lad, hailed
as Ned" by the conductor, stood on
the platform and the friendly brake
man shouted into Jones ear, Some
one for you, sir"
"Mr Jones?" questioned the boy
ooh, the name is on your suitcase The
trains terribly late, but anyway, they
can't go on without YOU" And he
chuckled.
1t was a wild ride They flcundered
through drifts, bumped into holes,
slithered into bitches and galloped
whenever possible.
But this breathless performance was
nothing to that which followed their
arrival at big, square, brightly lighted
= house on the top of little rise. AS
they reached the door, youngster
spring to the horses head. Ned hauled
out the SUITCASE. seized Jones by the
arm, dragged him into the hall and up
the stairs. shouting as he went:
Here he Isl Get ready, everybody"
Jones heard the cry and vaguely
wondered. He caught strange glimpses
of girls in gala dress, of cleaning
table with a mighty erection of white
sugar as centerpiece, of green arbor
beneath the arch dividing the great
parlor, and his wonder grew.
But Ned hustled him into a bedroom
and gave him 10 minutes in which to
wash himself and tidy his hair.
Stimulated perhaps by bewitching,
dark-eyed vision (seen from the Stairs)
which took his thoughts back to days
when he was no older than the other,
Jones the traveller had transformed him
self when his guide returned into an
impressive figure in evening clothes.
Grinning appreciatively, Ned exclaimed:
Fine! / tell you. you look the part.
But come along-the Rev. Miller is
raging to get away to see some one on
his way home"
What &c you mean? Where am I? |