Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-04-03
anistellanu.
7 he Conductors story.
BY REBECCA HARDING DAVIS.


as queer as ever came in my way since We
beeu zailrUadIug. lr occurred 10 tn way
I'll have time 10 tel IL, | reckon We have
10 switch IF Tor the express al the next sta
zion. and Iie bY awhile.
This branch road you see, was built for
the local peach business was put on as
conductor Of the first train that was run. BY
George how the engine woke the country
up The Delawareans are genuine South
erners-lazy and hOspitable. They were
hospitable to the very train, in way COM
mercial people couldn't Understar d. Ii
WASH a matter Of business it was a home
affair to them, like their church or their
darkies something TO chuckle and GOSSIP p
over and boast about. Tne stations used u
be crowded with young fellows in h4shy
ncckties, 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 20 by. Every old
termer on the route thought he owned the
engine CHE General jackson 1t was and
knew each separate car well as he knew
ll7 own bulls and sheep. They q treat their
wives 10 lew miles ride, as YOU town
people would run over to Europe with yours.
on course, sir, [ was at home here on the
road in two weeks. Every body called me
Dick. There were scores Of places where
could drop in for odd meal. | began to
doubt whether they were my uncles and
cousins Or not. Besides, a man tere. after
l.rv. has no other business but IoaIiog. All
che odd fellows got passes over the road, and
.9--JJs their corners by the tavern fire for
the baggage car. There they smoked day
alter DAY. and told queer stories OF their
1e.-h5lrs families tor the benefit Of any b Jdv
tlat cuJ-e To listen. | knew al the gUssII
I7 t,art directly. Ii was Just when tie
peaches were IN bloom, too, when | went on
ILe road, ahd lsJOn was punching open bu is
RlI. DDS ibum5 nail. aud talking ItarnedIv
yt Eal.y Bl4sl and Morris W mites with TIE
rst I-- curious sight u rec that plnk
dl-a. above the early sIrIng mud, iron on
end OPP Iac >ctJe 10 the Otler, aud To think
tac cIuI is the one matter ol lie and death
4. -hc Ie.Ilc
Ia, p,oel es bad come add gone, though.
wien .Ie dty, about d mouth before thuuks
giving. au OIL fellow came ON board with nIs
fanny, Who had pass Tor Two Gown 10 81
Georges I saw aJ glance that b. was
i. D, oi my usual deadhcad sguad, but active
as b Boy .l -Ixleen, and Win the true DcId-
vaI,on kra %. finding friends and showing
Lm-,.i .r4eLdly. lie was reporter on sOmc
F-i'aLeIpalt penny paper, aud ID his note
Book uuJ ty1y minute, pumping me about
the NumIuzLJn whipping PJsC, Sloan . fish
b.ceIlug X erineuJ, aud tue condition OF the
Itel negroes
Makes items, makes items be said
e Pushes tie paper wonderfully into IOcaI
circulation
lie lad been doctor, OF a lawyer, forget
Hllca. iu New York, aud was aryeI Ult.
BIZ ID me, =J t-OA up JJuruaLIzIng- lie dId
NOT luIresz me as IL man OF aJuHy and
3 it-, t.e poor old fellow Vds Worn OuJ. l.
wa- LIgu uule lOr nun 10 lie by and loaf viii
tac cotuer- Iu Sine b4E-ase-car.
N,.E-rrsFer pgln lC ruiI, E
Handsomely, compared to my own prof s7iOn
"a e get on qglte comfortably on my salary
4lllr cUuuIOl IauIy
IuoIIc,d. however, that both be and his
WuIu, ID ID Ks NtIe tuIuly and suabbIy dressed.
dld not pay much attention u the women,
tut there was boy. Dan, the oId mau
grandsOn-a IIJtie chap ot IOur that took al
odd fancy - from the first. lie n4d an ugly
face, but think one The most honest aud
lyyabIe / ever stN.
Tauner-JuaJ was the old man 5 name
told me he hac brought BIS vile and daughter
down 70 Keep thanksgiving 10 this village,
where they had lived Years before. We
we're all younger ami cleertuIler than now,
he sad, " and / thought, maybe, with tne
old place, would come back some of the Old
feeling. here are other ways OF keeFiny
thc !e3-ts thau WI.h >tuthag ting stomach, you
know
u
the stomach had IJs share ot rejoicing. Tan
uer, cheerful and chIrIupy as ne was, looked
meager and hunger bItten. Four people
could not grow fat on eight dollars a week,
which | iOund was his sdlgry. He hired
vacant house Tor = month. There ltis-JhRt
one beyond the hull. The family went t.
Housekeeping n sUme sort Ut way In l., ami
he use q u run down Friday evenings = stay
with them ovr Saturdays, which Is news
%
grew 10 be very friendly. 1 fell into the
habit of watching with him for Dan, who
always came cut on the porch to wait for
him, hIs mother holding nlm By the hand
] used TO wonder 1t the poor little widow
ever let 20 Ter hold of the cnlld day or night,
and / once remember thinking what sue
would do It the child should die. One has
those queer. Idle iaucIes, you know But
D-u's mother was one Of those women who
seem to have no Ike outside OF the one OF two
people they love
Well Thanksgiving eve came, and Ian
uer was aboard going home, but / had no
tuc % talk TO him. as the train was crowded
with ueoule who had been up IN Wilmington
getting supplies Tor the holiday. Even the
pa-reu-er-cars were heaped with baskets anG
bundles. tanner had bis little package too
- metLIpg for Dan. | saw him peepng
into DC with MS ewes twinklIDg once or twice.
] remember how pleased he was when |
brought lin a monster turkey tOr Mrs. Ian
ner. The old lady, although she had only
seen me on the train az 1t whIsked by, had
taken an ANXIOUS interest in sOle throat
LaI, aud sent ne bottle OF myrth-tea by tue
Oh gentleman.
dom L know whether IL was because had
clme irum d part Oi the country where they
dJu c seep Thanksgiving. or because Ot The
horror mat followed, but | rememDel tha'
afternoon as one vi tie brIGhtes- ana cheei-
Iulle-L of my lie Tne air Was cJld and CRISP
There was a red mist over tie hills ID the
Gals anu the station there was nothing Dui
god numOr and lrieLdly gOoo wishes.
don I think much Oi serious things yet II
se,m,d Ia me that dav that The people camt
with one accord nearer to OOu becdusF
Ihauks,tvIug Oue old gent on boart
al the came idea, | suppose; Tor, as l sa
down behind lin 10 count my Change, ea"
him Watching tie passengers ana houses "'
weIe rass.ng win an amused smile, and
turning 10 nIs cUmIaulon, he said
= Heres something very wholesome IN TN
effect ui tht &c LOlidays, Colonel Ihey a"ak
en- men 10 the seuse vi dependence aud Eratl
tude, as q veal . seTmOns cannot do.
Ihe othtr was 80 long In replying that
looked up at him.
!. Wnt. A man has a home or home ties
10 give thanks Tor, the holiday Is useiul II
douOL
IL was so queer and cold an answer that
fet IA curiosity about tie mar. lie wen
bacs. 10 lis paper (Which was an EuglIsl
one, ot.ceu), aud began to tax immedI
ateiy tbCuJ the duties On silks and linens
j sOOn found that lie was largely interested
in both; had tIa,eltd over good part o
the world, Traded III China anu Japan, an,
as l guessed, successfully. lie had the al
OF a man accustOIDt 10 command, and 10
life vi ease. lie was a middle aged. etOutl
built man, with c can shayeu, powerlu
face and shTeWd fte.Saur eyes 4 nuttre-