Page 80 - 1923 VES Meteor

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Once we passed a fa11n<'r dri,·ing au old ttag hit(·hcd to a rattling buggy. Th<' 110ise of the passing train is not enough to interest hiw, for lte doe::;n't c\·eu glance up. On his head is a shnpclcss, dusty f<'lt hat, JHlllcd down O\'Cr his cm·s. lie hus n gtnmy sack wrapped ar01md his knees nud n !ti'C,Y scarf arouud his neck. The reins nrc stuck in the pocket of u faded black coat which meets his hat except for a few inches in front. Even the horse is dejected, for sl1e alllbles along, jerk- ing and starting at e,·ery toss of the reins.
Finally the brakeman solemnly announces "Lynch-burg," with the "bnrg" stretched over half of the car. The pnssenget·s stir, some wearily, some regretfully, but all glad to move at all. Squat and dirty, the station seems to draw up alongside and stop. The trip is over. Everyone piles out and with grim determination grasps his luggage and climbs the foot- worn stairs just as the delayed storm begins with a few falter- ing flakes.
2. THE START
Not a soul was to be seen on the straight, clean streets. The doOl's of all the houses were shut in spite of the oppressive heat of the summer evening. The whole populace had col- lected at the leveo where the broad, brow]\ river slipt along by inches. From the opposite bank came the strangely distorted shouts and splashes of the dirty gamins as they bathed in the torpid water.
A few blocks away could be beard an occasional shout rising abo,•e the confused mtll'muring of the vast crowd of waiting people. All were there, the rich and poor, ;voung and old, black and white. They stood patiently on the sloping levee, watching. Every now and then some little boy clothed in blue overalls and brown shirt, with black face set in a negro smile, came squirming and pushing his way between your legs. An attempt to grab the frayed suspenders and arrest
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