Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-09-24
That Engineer.

you run into Chicago to-day, | don't want
you to forgit that lambs wool. Them
storekeepers III try to put you off, and say
they don't have no sech goods on hand
this time O. year, but | want you to foler
'em up, and git it, for want to 60 right
to knlttin' your socks for next winter.
There's nothn' so good for mems socks as
iue, hard-spun lambs WOOL
Not even yak, mother ?" asked
George mischevously, as be snatched up
his hat and belongings, as if the alarm of
dre had been sounded.
Il don't know nothin' about yak. That
may do for wimmens wear, but for mems
there's nothin' like hard-spun lamb s.
WOOL"
"Ill remember" promised George,
fully primed and charged. Now, good
bye. Home on time at nine"
The old woman's cheek had flush like
winter apples. George took hasty nip
at it-he always did when he started on
his trips-looked at her with his big,
cherishlng eyes, received a mothers un-
speakable reply, and dashed off to his
engine.
1t was little after sunrise. His boots
rang along the pavement, and his whistle
rang along the breeze. George was hand
some and strong, as twenty-five has a
right to be. h wore blouse instead of
a business coat and that great fresh,
downy rose-his face-woud soon be
coated with the locomotives breath. But
he was wholesome. splendid man.
Perhaps Jennie thought SO. She was
sweeping the front steps of her maternal
mansion as he passed. Her hair was
gathered atop her head in curly coil,
some crinkles Of it just dropping over her
forehead. The sleeves We're pushed back
from the pink, rouud arms-tor women, as
we'll as men, when they 60 to work with a
will, begin like a pugilist. Jennie had her
morning complexion on. As ber eye met
Georges, she put on an additional morn
ing complexion.
George touched his hat, Jennie bent her
head shyly. The young man squared his
shoulders and walked on like a brlgadier-
general.
That's nice GIRL" he communicated
to his sleeve. "Mother thinks heap of
her. She's got more sense than half of
'em, mother says. And she's smart and
modest like in her ways. Mother says
she's uncommon pretty, too."
These opinions of mothers so edited
him that he had not gotten Jennie out Of
bis head when he leaped on his engine.
But | suspect, if mothers verdict had been
against her, he would have stood her
lawyer. He was only making mother
compliment his choice. He was skulkiog
behind mother! For some young men
are shy!
While he and his iron horse, and his
row of baggage.car and passenger coaches
rushed across the land that hot day. no.
body looked in the :engine-cab for ro-
nance yet there the fire of the world
was glowing under dark blouse. Nobody
looked into it tor integrity and worth yet
there stood six feet of integrity and
worth, which had come up to manhood
through thick and thin. aud had carried
his mother to comfort, and which kept his
character like his FURNISHED engine.
Neither did anybody look in that cab for
heroism; but it Was there, potent and
still like electricity in cloud. All, my
countrymen are capable of some things !!
As tor ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, l suppose
there are men not of the best among them
as among parsons-but the deeds of some
do speak for them. Now when ones mind
has run in one channel for length of
time-or l might say, in more appropri-
ate figure, when train has gone over a
great deal Of road, some results are gen.
orally arrived at.
So it came to pass, when George dashed
up street in Chicago after his mothers
lamb's-wool. while his engine cooled, and
the train was being made for the home
trip. that he dived into jewelers. store,
and asked sheepishly to see some rings.
Rings, eh 2" murmured the salesman,
looking amiably at the man of SCOT. For
Chicago isn't afraid of coal-smoke. The
men who bring her the dollars do not al
ways come in elaborate toilet.
! HR'ngs' emphasized George 'and don't