AN HOUR AT THE DEPOT.
What Can Be Seen Among the Bus-
tling, Hurrying Crowds.
"I've been watchin' em for nigh on to two hours, now," and his face lighted up with a nod of his head, the crowd of humanity pouring through the gates at Union depot. Attention had been drawn to the stranger, but the clear honest look in his brown eyes, as he gazed with unmistakable interest at the shifting throng before him. He sat n a truck, one booted foot swinging carelessly back and forth. Everything in the man's make up, the tanned face and hands, the blue handkerchief knotted about his neck the broad brimmed hat, the air of careless grace that marked every movement, and above all, the clear, fearless glance of his eyes, bespoke a life lived in the open and away from the congested cities.
"It's better than a circus," he continued. "Why I've seen more different kinds of people in the last two hours, than I ever saw in my whole life before. You can just stand here and watch 'em comin' and goin' til you're certain you've seen everything from a Chinaman to a Russian. Do you know, if I was one of these here authors, or whatever you call the fellows that write books, I'd never go off to no furrin country to get stuff to make stories out of. There's been enough things happened just since I've been watchin' here, to make a good story. Did you ever watch 'em?
"Look at that fellow just commin' through, the big man with the cane. Now I figure that that fellow's well fixed. Ain't got a care nor nothin' to worry him, just enjoyin' life. But the little dago woman with the kids, sittin' over there on that bundle of clothes, say! Don't she look lonesome like? Kinds look like they was half starved, too. See the little old fellow with the big grips, some sort of business man, I suppose. That's his wife there, the big woman. See how she bosses him around. Ain't it funny how a fellow bosses all his hired help around the ranch and then goes home and gets bossed by a woman? Well that's the way they've been comin' ever since I've been here. Some of 'em looking glad, nothin' to worry 'em, others lookin' like they didn't know where the next meal's commin' from. Well, so long, I see the Santa Fe's pullin' in, reckon I'll have to be goin'."
And my new found friend walked off, with one lingering look at the mass of struggling humanity pouring onto the depot platform.
