MR. CALTHORP AND STEENIE
Some days later a very weary gentleman in blue goggles and a restless little girl in queer attire, occupying a section of a railway sleeper, heard the welcome announcement of the guard passing through the train: “Next station will be Jersey City. Jer-sey-Ci-ty’s-the-next-sta-tion!”
Then followed the expressman with his insinuating question of, “Baggage, sir? Delivered any part of the city—baggage?” And the newsboy with his patois of, “N’ Yo’k pape’s? Pos’-Sun-’Elegram-World! Pape’s? N’ Yo’k pape’s?”
By that time all the passengers were in a bustle of excitement,—women hunting and strapping stray parcels; men standing up to stretch their cramped limbs, while smiling congratulations to one another that their three-thousand mile journey was safely accomplished.
Cries of, “Porter, my coat!” “This way, Joe! give me a brush next!” “Oh, we’re almost in! See?” echoed here and there. Now, through rows of houses, crowding faster and faster upon one another; and then over a net-work of iron rails, between numberless cars of every sort,—constantly threatening a collision that was always avoided,—pushed and panted the great “Overland,” like an exhausted living creature longing for rest.
All this was very familiar to Mr. Calthorp, but quite new and formidable to his little daughter, who nestled a bit closer to his side, and looked about her with wide, observant eyes.
“Are you not glad, Steenie, my darling? A few more trifling changes to make, another two hours of railway journeying, and then we shall be at Old Knollsboro, at Grandmother’s.”
“As glad as anything, Papa dear, only—” She checked herself suddenly, remembering her farewell promise to Kentucky Bob that she would “keep a stiff upper lip, an’ not let the ‘Boss’ see her weaken, no matter if she did get homesick!”
“Only what, dear?”