Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-02-12
True Bravery. .
A STORY FOR THE YOUTH or THE
TINE.

A STORY FOR THE YOUTH OF THE
TINE.
One or two young men came out OF
the Academy of Music when the opera
was over and fingered in the lobby TO
watch the passing OF the.crowd. Young
Fred Saulter came up to them while
putting his pear lorgnetts IN its case.
Nice house, ehs' he said languidly.
Very we'll dressed. See Fanny Swan.
Wretched taste for young girls to wear
diamonds! What dye think Of the
new tenor, eh? Miserably, 1 say
The older men answered him civilly
|and walked on, leaving him with some
lads of his own age.
What weuld Miss Swan say ii she
heard that cub criticising herT said
Pomeroy. THE most insufferable
creature in the world TO me is a conceit-
cd boy, assuming the tone Of man o.
,sition when be has not yet proved his
saiss to be alive
Il thought young Saulter had mon
ev.' said one of the party. He drives
fine horse, wears clothes made by
be tier tailor than l can afford and lun-
chease at the best restaurant
Money! said the doctor angrily.-
Why his father IS head bookkeeper
tor Smiles s. Son, with family of six.
He strained every nerve TO educate this
boy. who now looks upon every practl-
cal way of earning his living as plebean.
I'll warrant you the fellow never had
twenty cents in his pocket OF bis own
earning. His restaurant and liyery-sta-
BILE bills come into his poor old father
at the end of the month";
Meanwhile, young Saulter stood COM
placenty twirling his opera hat and
watching the pretty girls as they passed.
He caught glimps of his dapper little
figure in a great mirror-the waxed
mustache, lavender gloves, wired roses
in his button hole, and looked ptingly
after the doctor and his friends.
How those old fellows must envy
US :, he said. Wine, with life in its
sparkle and dregs, ,ch? Oh,by the way,
saw a curious thing to-day. Dick
Knight-you remember Knight in our
class. who took the scientific course TO
fit him for civil engineer? Well, it
appears that, times being so hard, he
could get no proper work to DO so he
has taken to improper. Instead oflay-
ing by, as 1 have done, waiting quietly
for an opening for an educated man to
step INTO, he actually ls-Pm ashamed
to tell it =
What? What is he? asked his
listeners.
Driving an engine on the Central
road! Factl I saw him all grimy with
smoke in his little caboose to-day
Good heavens = I said; Knight,
you ,,,od9'
Not mad enough to starve,' hO-snid'
laughing.
L asked HIM why his father did not
support him and keep him from such
DEGRADATION? Then he was mad.'
DO you think I, with my big strong
body. will be a burden on an old man "
he said; and began to talk nonsense
about laziness beng degrading; that no
man was ever degraded by honest work.
with more of the same sort Of bosh, all
very ridiculous and very disgraceiul--
You'll see HIM tonight if you'll take
the IL p. NJ. train.
Tut! tut!' the lads said; Poor
Knight he was good fellow {! pre-
ciscly as irhe were dead.
Indeed, from the light and. .brilliancy
of the scene about them-the music,
the beautiful low-volced woman, them
selves daintily attired, that gay and
happy part OF the world-there was a
Gulf like death to the grlmy englne-drl-
YER in the dark depot, gulf which none
but a madman, they thought. would
willingly cross.
They sauntered out of the opera house
and few minutes before IL reached the
depot. IN time for the train that ran of
TO the suburban town where they lly-
cd. c,
There be ISL whispered Saulter.-
He took our train out, but the engine
is not put to it,
The engine was on the siding, puinng
and splitting little jets of steam' and
Dick Knight, tall manly young fellow .
was comiug at the moment from the
superinterdaut's room. He caught sight
Of his old classmates, laughed, hesltated
and raised his hand to his hat.
Going to speak to him, hey" said
little Billy McGee, anNiously.
The young men grew red and embar-
rassed. Some Of them nodded to
Knight awkardly, and seemed inclined
to 90 and meet him.
Z say no psaid Saulter pcremptorliY'
sIfhe chooses to leave the companion
ship ofgentlemen, l shall not follow
him. 1 talk to mechanics and that sort
ofpeople who meyer had chance to be
anything better, but knight isa social
suicide, sir!'
That's true,' said McGee. How
we'll Saulter puts thingsv he added,
aside Social suicide! Well, l shall
not bring him to life.'
Knight saw that the young men wish
ed to avoid HIM and turned aside with
bow and heightened color, while they
hurried into the train.
n