A rather hard rain, to escape which I enter Haas' hardware store on Rhode Island Ave. There are several others in the store, all apparently there to keep dry, as none is buying anything. I speak to Haas regarding the bad effect the rain is having on his business. Haas tells me about the trouble a certain person has had with motor oil (this person evidently had previously told me his side of the story, though Haas doesn't know this, and is telling me chiefly to pass away the time). In order to explain the matter, Haas takes 3 cans of oil from the shelves. These cans look like huge coffee cans, and it is plain from the appearance of the lid of each that all have been opened. He places 2 of these on the right hand counter but before putting the other one on the left hand counter he cranes his neck in order to see past some obstruction. There is a newspaper on left hand counter and this seems to complicate matters considerable. In telling the story he laughs occasionally, as if to show that the person having the trouble wasn't very smart. I now realize I should go to toilet, and start for the back room. Before entering the "booth" containing the toilet I stop to fix my shoe which is wet and with laces untied. As I kneel down to work on shoe, a young fellow in light colored trousers pushes by me into toilet. I use a very strong profane word, probably "G-damn it." I wait and wait but the young fellow doesn't come out, and I know that another nearby toilet is occupied by a person who has no intention of coming out for a long time. I finally decide to leave store and catch a street car. It seems likely that I'll have to wait about 15 minutes, as I had heard a street car pass only a short time before. On leaving store I pause by a low iron fence to fix my shoe, as while I'm doing this a small girl watches me. Suddenly I see a street car coming from west and just about to stop. I try to run across street but my way is blocked by autos. However, I feel confident of catching the care as there are a considerable number of people waiting to get on. I somehow get across street and around front of car -- a lady and 2 little girls are just disappearing inside and I might have missed the car but for a lady who is making motions of getting out. I squeeze in the car (a center entrance one). A lady, perhaps the one I though was trying to leave the car, is orating, in flowery and extravagant language, on the beauty of the mountain scenery here about. She points her hand out of a window at one of these beautiful mountains. A man on a nearby seat (one of the double seats at middle of car) begins to mimic the lady who gives him a reproving and icy glance. The car is crowded, but presently I notice a couple of vacant seats, one on each side at front of car, but before I can reach them a couple of roughly dressed men crowd past me and sit down.  Next, I am on a passenger train. Red plush seats. The car I am in is only moderately full, though I am having plenty of trouble finding a place to sit down, as the only vacancies are on seats already partially occupied by colored men, who are scattered here and there throughout the car. Finally, I notice a double seat one seat (which is occupied by a black man and I sit down on empty seat opposite him. He immediately starts to tell me something, in a low, guarded voice, and with lips scarcely moving (seems to be important that no one notice him talking). His words are indistinct but I know he is informing me that there is a government law prohibiting the association of black and whites, and the penalty for breaking this law is severe on both parties. I therefore leave the seat. There is a man at end of car doing something with door, but he stands aside as I approach. I then find myself on the rear platform of the train which is backing into a station. There are numerous buildings on each side, and far ahead I see 3 or 4 locomotives, one pulling a passenger train. Just before backing into station I notice a sign, apparently describing the train I am on (Missouri Pacific), on our track and about to be crushed by the rear car. Just in time a man with the typical conductor's cap (stiff black bill, etc.) steps up and pulls sign away. The town may be Nearby City in my home state. There is a train man on rear platform with me.