The Portland daily press., 1871-12-02
THE PR ESS
The Conductors Story.
BY REBEccA HARDING DAVIS.

at il in the way OF scenery, IL 5 aS preIty
bit of land as you'll find In Kent county.
NOS q queer thing happened on the track just
there three years ago come Thanksgiving-as
oueer as ever came in my way since I've been
railroading. 1t occurred in this way: L IL
have time to tell it, l reckon. We have 10
switch off for the express at the next stalioh'
and lay by awhile.
This branch road, you see, was bullt lor tile
local peach business. l was put on as COLI
ductor of the first train that was run. by
George! how the engine WOKE the country
up! The Delawareans are genuine Southern
ers-lazy and hospitable. They were hospita-
BILE to the very train, in way commercial
people couldn't understand. 1t wasn't
matter of business; it was home affair to
them, like their church or their darkies
something to chuckle and gossip over and
boast about. The stations used to be crowd
ed with young fellows in fashy neckties, and
their sweethearts, nice, modest little girls.
loaded with cheap finery, who had made up
parties and come down from the interior to
see the train go by Every old farmer on the
route thought he owned the engine (the
General Jackson it was), and knew each sep
arate car as well as he did his own bulls and
sheep. They'd treat their wives to few
miles ride, as you town people would run
over to Europe with yours.
VI course, sir, was at home here on the
road in two weeks. Everybody called me
Dick. There were scores Of places where l
could drop in for an odd meal. L began to
doubt whether they were my uncles and
cousins or not. Besides, a man here, after
fifty has no other business but loafing. All
the old fellows got free passes over the road,
and forsook their corners by the tavern fire
for the baggage-car. There they smoked, day
after day, and told queer stories of their
neighbours families for the benefit of anybody
that chose to listen. / knew all the gossip by
heart directly. 1t was just when the peaches
were in bloom, too, when l went on the road,
and l soon was punching open buds with my
thumb-nail, and talking leanedly Of Early
Blush and Morris Whites with the rest. It's
curious sight to see that pink flush, above
the early spring mud, from one end of the
State to the other, and to think that crop is
the one matter of life and death to the peo-
pie.
The peaches had come and gone, though,
when one day, about month before Thanks
giving, an old fellow came on board with his
family, who had a pass for two down to ST.
Georges. l saw at glance that he was none
of my usual deadhead squad. thin, wiry
old man, white-headed, but active as boy of
sixteen, and with the true Delawarean knack
of finding friends and showing himself friend
~
penny paper, and had his notebook out every
minute, pumping me about the Wilmington
whipping-post, Sloan's fsh-breeding expert
ment, and the condition of the freed negroes.
"Makes items, makes itemsp' he said,
'ePushes the paper wonderfully into local cir
culation.''
He had been doctor, or lawyer, I forget
which, in New York, and was starved out, he
told me, SO took up journalizing He did not
impress me as man of ability; and besides,
the poor old fellow was worn out. 1t was
high time for him to lie by and loaf with the
others in the baggage car.
Newspaper work." he said, "pays hand
somely compared to my own profession. We
get on quite comfortably on my salary; quite
comfortably"
/ noticed, however, that both he and his wo-
men folks were thinly and shabbily dressed. /
did not pay much attention to the women,
but there was boy, Dan, the old mans
grandson-a little chap of four that took an
odd fancy to from the first. He had AN ugly
face, but think one of the most honest and
lovable / ever saw.
Tanner-that was the old mans name
told me that he had brought his wife and
daughter down to keep Thanksgiving in this
village, where they had lived years before.
I'VE were all younger and cheerfuler then
than now," he said, "and thought, maybe.
with the old place, would come back some of
the old feeling There are other WAYS of
keeping the feasts than with stuffing the
stomach, you know"
l thought to myself il would be as well if
the stomach had its share of rejoicing. Tan
ner, cheerful and chirrupy as he was, looked
meager and hunger-bitten. Four people
could not grow fat on eight dollars week,
which found was his salary. He hired a va
cant house for month There il is-that
one beyond the hill. The family went to
housekeeping in some sort of way in it, and
he used to run down Friday evenings to STAY
with them over Saturdays, which is the news
paper mems Sunday, as you know. We grew
to be very friendly. l fell into the habit of
watching with him for Dan, who always
came out on the porch to wait for him. his
mother holding him by the hand. l used to
wonder If the poor little widow ever let go
her hold of the child day or night, and once
remember thinking what she would do if the
child should die. One has those queer, idio
fancies, you know. But Dams mother was
one of those women who seem to have no life
outside of the one or two people they love.
Well! Thanksgiving eve came, and Tanner
was aboard going home, but had no time to
talk to him, as the train was crowded with
people who had been up in Wilmington lay
ing in supplies for the holiday. Even the
passenger cars were heaped with baskets and
bundles. Tanner had his little package, too
something for Dan. / saw him peeping in
to it with his eyes twinkling once or twice. l
how pleased he was when l
brought him monster turkey for Mrs. Tan.
ner. The old lady, although she had only
seen me on the train as it whisked by, had
taken an anxious interest in a sore throat |
had, and sent me bottle of myrrh-tea by the
old gentleman.
don't know whether it was because had
come from a part of the country where they
don't keep Thanksgiving, or because of the
horror that followed, but / remember that
afternoon as one of the brightest and cheer
fullest OF my life. The air was cold and crisp.
There was red mist over the hills; in the
cars and the stations there was nothing but
good humor and friendly good wishes. L
don't think much of serious things, yet it
seemed to me that day that the people came
with one accord nearer to God because of
thanksgiving. One old gentleman on board
had the same idea, l suppose; for, as | sat
Town behind him to count my change, / saw
him watching the passengers and houses we
passed with an amused smile, and, turning to
mis- companion, he said:
"Theres something very wholesome in the
effect of these holidays, Colonel. They ava
ken men to sense Of dependence and graft
tude, as years sermons cannot do"
Inc other was so long in replying that I
'When a man has home or homo +;es 70
give thanks for, the holiday is useful. no
doubt"
1t was so queer and cold an answer that I
FELT curiosity about the man. He went
back to his newspaper (which was an English
'ne, l noticed and began to talk immediate
y about the duties on silks and linens. l
oon found that he was largely interested in
10Th; had travelled over a good part of the
world, traded in China and Japan, and, as l
guessed, successfully. He had the air of
nan accustomed to command, and to life of |
Ease. He was middle-aged, stoutly-built |
nan, with clean-shaved, powerful face and |
'nrewd, pleasant eyes. Noticed that through |
sii ms conversation he tried to avoid seeing
the happy groups of people who were inces-
sanity getting on or off the train; and once.
when child in passing pulled at his cane. he |
urned his back roughly on it. Yet l had a |
ancy-I don't know why-that the people
md Thanksgiving mattered more to him than
my of us.
lot well, Colonel?" "Never was BETTER
But the truth is, Venn, this country is all IA
niliar to me, and anything which recalls old |
lines makes me nervous and irritable It's a |
weakness which l will outgrow probably. If |
QUILL excuse me, I'll go forward" He saw |
ne just then, and touching his hat, asked |
cave to ride on the engine, in order to see |
he scenery.
Now the rules of the road were slip-shod
nough, but that was thing never had al
owed. However, l had taken curious in |
crest in the man, and L liked his courteous |
manner, so nodded and went on before him |
trough the baggage car and over the tender /
, see him safely across. To my surprise
oe Fenton, our engineer, met him as an old
Joe had been private in his
'giment during the war. They shook hands
gain and again, and Fenton was in such a
urry to tell that he was married and the IA