The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-02-23

sort OF way In II, ana he used to run UP on
Friday evenings to stay with them over
which is the newspaper
mems Sunday, as you know. We grew
to be very friendly. Ifellinto the habit
of watching with him for Dan, who al
ways came out on the porch to wait for
him, his mother holding him by the
hand. used to wonder il the poor lit
tie widow ever let 60 her hold Of the
child day or night. She loved the
child.
Well. Thanksgiving eve came, and
Tanner was aboard, going home, but
had no time to talk with him, as the
train was crowded with people who had
been up in Wilmington, laying in sup
plies for the holiday. Even the passen-
ger cars were heaped with baskets and
bundles. Tanner had his little package,
too-something for Dan. | saw him
peeping into it with eyes twinkling once
or twice. / remember how pleased he
was when brought him a monster tur-
kew for Mrs. Tanner. The old lady, al
though she had only seen me on the
train as it whisked by, had taken an
anxious interest in a sore throat l had,
and sent me bottle of myrrh-tea by
the old gentleman.
/ don't know whether il was because
had come from n 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 cheerfullest of my
life. The air was cold and crisp. There
was a red mist over the hills; in the
cars and the stations there was nothing
but good humor and friendly good
wishes. Idon't think much of serious
things, vet 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
idea, suppose; for, as / sat down be-
hind him to count my change, / saw
him watching the passengers and houses
we passed with an amused smile, and,
turning to his companion, he said:-
"There's something very wholesome
i'm the effect of these holidays, Colonel.
They awaken men to q sense of depend
ence and gratitude, as years sermons
cannot do"
Tho other was so long in replying that
/ looked up at him.
"When n man has a home or home
ties to give thanks for, the holiday is
useful, no doubt"
1t was so queer and cold an answer
that l felt a curiosity about the man.
he went Ddtk 10 HIS llGMEDdDcl AMAllill
was an English one, noticed,) and be-
gan to talk Immediately about the du-
ties on silks and linens. / soon found
that he was largely interested in both;
had travelled over n good part of the
world, traded in China and Japan, and,
as / guessed, successfully. He had the
air of a man accustomed to command,
and to life of ease. He was middle
aged, stOutly-built man, with a clean
shaved, powerful face, and shrewd,
pleasant ewes. Noticed that all through
his conversation he tried to avoid seeing
the happy groups of people who were
necessarily getting on or of the
train; and once, when a child in pass
! ing pulled at his cane, he turned his
back roughly on it. Yet | had fancy
! don't know why-that the people
and Thanksgiving mattered more TO
him than any of US.
His friend said to him presently,
''You're not well, Colonel ?' "Never
was better, but the truth is, Venn, this
country is all familiar TO me, and any
thing which recalls old times makes me
nervous and irritable. It's a weakness
which I will Outgrow, probably. If
you will excuse me, Tll go forward"
He saw me just then, and, touching his
nat. aSkeu leave " IlQc Ou lilt tllElllc,
in order TO see the scenery.
Now the rules of the road were slip
shod enough, but that was a thing l
never had allowed. However, had ta
ken a curious interest in the man, and /
liked his courteous manner, so | nodded
and went before him into the baggage
car, and over the tender to see him safe
ly across. To my surprise, Joe FentOn,
oil
auaintance. Joe had been q private in
his regiment during the war. They
shook hands again and again, and Fen
ton was in such hurry to tell that he
was married, and the father of twins,
that he stammered. The Colonel
laughed, and looked as pleased as Joe.
He was n different man from the one
had seen in the car. / waited a moment
/ to point out Brooks model farm to him,
when Joe said:-
"You used to come down to these
parts for fishing often, l remember, Col
onel ?"
"Yes."
"Where is your good lady now, Sir !?
And the child? He was as pert young
ster as ever knowed."
The gentleman replied but by ges-
| ture of the hand.
W leAAf b0th EdolNA 0ONs AtNtAA.
The Colonel did not speak for a min
ute, and then he said, qnietly: "My
wife was with me in China. She sailed
with the child for home on the Petrol.
was to follow six months later The
Petrol went down. There was no one
saved"
Joe said nothing; but presently he
put out his hand and smoothed the
other mans sleeve. 1t was just such a
thing as a woman would do.
The Colonel added hastily, as if afraid
| he would betray any emotion: "rm on
my way West now, in search of my
father, who has left New England.
People are easily lost sight of in Amer
I ica.n
'Thats fact, Sir" said Joe, and he
and l began to talk about the engine,
glad to get back to her. We had no
right to NEEDLE with grief like that
went back on the cars again, until
we came to that hill half mile beyond
Tanners house, when l stepped back to
the engine. / had an uneasy feeling
somehow about leaving the man there.
We had lost time, and We're going at
full speed, when Joe gave horrid oath,
and at the same moment something
fluttered down on the track from the
bank, not twenty yards ahead. The
next, l saw that it was a child,-it was
Dan, laughing, and running, with both
hands out to meet us. had time to
hear Joe's shrill whistle for "down
brakes" shrieking out through the hills,
and to think il was like the yell of a
devil, and to thank God that Tanner
was in the back of the train, and could
not see what We would have TO see, and
yet il was all but breath of time.
1t was too late. The engine did not