The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-08-27
chow I CHANGED COACHES. D

ne Top o. the morning to you, Mas
ter William see you are on your way
to school, with your satchel of books. So
you've changed your mind, it seems
Well, come into my Office, this afternoon,
on your way home, and I'll tell you hov l
changed coaches.''
This salutation from Mr.. Dana greeted
the ears of tBilly Stokes" as he passed
the lawyers office on his way to school,
and 1t was most refreshing to him, 50 sell
dom was he called anything but ''Billy
Stokes" or spoken to in the language of
I kindness.
! Flushing and stammering mos pain
/ fully, he replied F.Yes, sir, I've conclu-
ded to try my hand at study once more,
but dent much think anything will come
of 1t, there's SO many thiugs against me-
"Well, drop in, my lad, this afternoon,
and we'll talk about these $50 many things
| Will you come ?''
eyes, sir, if you are willing to be
plagued with such an awful greenhorn.'
81 haven't time to contradict you. Mas
ter William, for l hear the second bell;
but give me a call this afternoon, and
we'll talk about greenhorns, among other
things"
''Well, declare" said Billy Stokes to
himself, as lie hurried on to school, GIVE
always took that man for tremendous
great gentleman because he drove such q
splendid team, and had such a grand-look~
ing driver, but hadn't no thought he was
SO good. Inviting me, Billy Stokes, cow
boy, to give HAN call Did ever hear
the like? Well, III go any way, for it'll
| be better than show to hear him tell
'how he changed coaches 1 reckon,
though, II he ever expects to see me
| change coaches, he'll have to wait
| while"
When Billy Stokes entered Mr.. Dana's
office in the afternoon, his first greeting
was:
$50 you've come, Master William, to
hear how 'Oid Ragbag' changed coaches,
have you p
"Well, I'd like to know" replied Billy,
with an embarrassed manner and awkward
smile. ''lt must be good story
That 1t is, my boy but l can't tell
you the whole of it this afternoon, for it is
too long. l can tell you enough, how
ever, to satisfy you that just as good a
story may be told about you. some time
or other. We'll, the first thing l want to
tell you is, that l came to prosperity step
| Gy step. didn't wake up, on fine morn
ing, and find myself grown up and riding
! round in coach, but tCo7iked ma 1cay-
and that's another thing | want you to
notlce-up to prosperity and into my
coach. 1t was long time before ceased
TO be old Ragbag' and gave up my cart.
And now do you want to know what was
the first turn in my fortnne Well, it
was this: | was riding along in my rag
cart one day, when saw an unruly COW
chasing a young lady, and she was run
ming as fast as she could run, while the
boys in the street stood and laughed, for
they thought 1t was great fun. AS soon
as saw what was the trouble, l jumped
out of the cart and pursued the COW, call
ing cut 10 the young lady not to be afraid,
for was used TO COWS and could manage
dozen.
Look back at the cart and see the
rags flying called out one of the boys.
Lock Old Ragbag.'
"'Never MUD about the rdqS flying l
answered coo;ly, as returned and took
I
flying, and that's enough
''OH drove, with as independent and
klngly an air as if were in triumphal
car; and | think held my head little
higher than usual because | had refused
to take the young lady's money that she
offered me. She was determined to paw
me; but although l was 'Old Ragbag,'
and drove cart, | had quite an idea of
gatlttntiy, and great aversion to being
pad for it. Not penny of her three
dollars had | taken, an2 drove off, much
more satisfied with myself than should
have been if had had the three dollars In
my pocket But the young lady was not
SO satisfied, and it wasn't long before she
gave my mother new spring calico dress
and me a half dozen fine white pocket
handkerchiefs. l went home one day to
dinner, and my mother said to me, point
ing to the open package on the table,
why didn't you ever tell me that you
drove off a COW that was running after
Miss Fanny Barber?
"sOh, it wasn't worth telling said
"'But this dress and those handker-
chiefs are worth having she answered,
NDNe LAO EaO<eoSN L4S SO III Il
long timo.'
"Well, they pleased me tco, Master
William, and had a chance that summer
to be pleased over and over again, for there
was no end TO Miss Fanny's kindnesses.
She gave my mother, and me too, a great
many presents, and furnished my mother
with sewing, and paid her the highes;
price for it,
"We lived near AIR. Barbers, fortu-
nately, and l was never out of profitable
employment after l sent that ugly cow
flying. Miss Fanny was always wanting
me TO do sJmethiDg for her in her flower
garden, and MIR. Barber wanted me to
take care of his strawberry bed, and dc
many other things which, he said, he
knew I would 60 faithfully. Oh, how
happy 81 was under such treatment and
with such confidence placed in me. Well,