The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1874-02-05
THAT ENGINEER.
HARTwEL1.

"Now, George" said mother, awheI
you run into Chicago to-day, | don't
want you to forgit that lambs wool.
Them storekeepers'Il try to put you
off, and say they don't have no such
goods on hand this time o. year, but ]
want you to foller 'em up, aud git 1t,
for / want to go right to knittin' your
socks for next winter. There's moth
in so good for mems socks as fine,
hard spun lambs wool"
ssNot even yak, mother ~ asked
George mischieyously, as he snatched
up his hat and belongings, as if the
alarm of fire was sounded.
81 don't know, nothin' about yak.
That may do for winners wear, but
Tor mems there's nothin' like hard spun
lambs WOOL"
"I1l remember promised George,
fully primed and charged. "Now,
good bye. Home on time at nine."
The old woman's cheek had a flush
like winter apples. George took a
hasty nip at 1.-THE always did when
be started on his trips-look at her
with his big cherishing eyes, received
a mothers nnspeakable reply, and
dashed Off to his engine.
It was a little after sunrise. His
boots rang along the pavement, and
his whistle rang along the breeze.
George was handsome and strong as
twenty-five has a right to be. He
wore blouse instead of business
coat; and that great, fresh, d0a0ny rose
--his face would soon be coated with
the locomotives breath. But'he was
a wholesome, splendid man.
Perhaps Jennie thought so. She
was sw eeping the front steps of her
paternal mansion as he passed. Her
hair was gathered atop her head in a
curly coil, some crinkles of it just
dropping over her forehead. The
sleeves were pushed back from the
pink, round arms-for women, as
well as men, when they go to work
with will, begin like pugilist. Jen-
ME had her morning complexion on.
AS her eye metGeorge's she put on an
additional morning complexion.
George touched his hat, Jennie bent
her head shyly. The young man
squared his shoulders and walked on
like brigadier general.
'sThat's nice GIRL he eommunica-
ted TO his sleeve. Mother thinks q
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 edi-
fed hiUa that he had not gotten Jennie
out of his head when he leaped on his
engine. But / expect if Inotber's ver-
dict had been against her, he would
have stood her lawyer. He was only
making mothers compliments his
choice. He was skulkiDg behind
motherI For some young men are
shyl
While he and his iron horse, and his
row of baggage cars and passenger
coaches rushed across the land that
hot day, nobody looked in the engine
cab for romance; yet there the fire of
the world was glowing under a dark
blouse. Nobody looked into it for in
tegrity aud worth; yet there stood six
feet OF Integrity and worth which had
come up to manhood through thick
and thin, and carried his mother to
comfort, and which Kept his character
like his FURNISHED engine. Neither
did any body look in that cab for hero
ism but it was there, potent and still,
like electricity in a cloud. All, my
arc capable of some
: AS for locomotive engineers,
/ 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 might say, IN more appropriate
figure, when train has gone over a
daal ~ rood cnnao Ysosnlto
generally arrived at.
So it came to pass, when George
dashed up street in Chicago after his
mothers lambs wool, while his engine
cooled, and the train was being made
for the homo trip, and he dived into
a jewelers. store, and asked sheepish-
" TO see some rings.
HRings, eh pv muFmured the sales
man, looking amiably at the man of
SCOT, For Chicago isn't afraid of coal
smoke. The men who bring her the
dollars do not always come in elabor-
ate toilet.
Rings" emphasized George, "and
don't be afraid of your high priced
ones, with stones in 'em."
= ("If I.give her one, in the parenthe-
sis Of his sleeve, 81 want it to be a
ring that'll last, and always be fine
aud handsome, and do to go down in
the family like mother's."
Diamonds, emeralds, opals, pearls,
were flashed in his face, but still his
fingers went searching.
What's this ?D he asked, picking up
O small, strong circle, with amethysts
set around it. "Looks like grape,
sort of when the sun shines through
it,
'That, oh, those are amethysts. Not
rs expensive as these jewels, but q
very nice firm stonc."
s'This suits me-" observed George,
diving for his wallet, "this is what /
was looking for"