Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-11-26
GOOD MIR. SPRUE.


"HURRY up there, and get your tick
cts, gentlemenl" shouted a man in blue
coat and brass buttons, with the COM
pany's badge on his coat.
There was q general scramble for the
head of the line, and hurried falling
back to less eligible places by those who
failed to secure the first.
never had any luck in gaining
good place in crowd. A tall man, with
high hat, always aCOUld go in between
me and whatever sight was to be seen.
If it rained at the circus, the inevitable
fat woman, with the green umbrella, al
ways bounded my horizon. In the rush
to hear popular preacher, l hare been
fortunate enough to secure a camp
stool at the far end of the aisle, but,
most commonly, have had to put up with
standing-room " in the third or fourth
rank, catching here and there a word of
the discourse, but not glimmer of the
sense.
This time 1 Jared as usual. Elbowed
out of every attempt to gain a better
lodgment, found myself at last at the
extreme end of the queue.
Hurry up, say!n kept shouting he
in brass and blue.
But in spite of all, the line shortened
slowly. l was getting nervous. The
next day was Thanksgiving, which l
had agreed to spend at Deacon Patchin's,
between whose daughter Polly and my
self certain tender negotiations were
then in active progress. To miss the
train involved the choice of either Civ
ing up my visit, or waiting several hours
and arriving just in time to find Polly in
the pouts and take longing look at the
cold remains of that especial turkey of
whose growth in fatness Polly's post
scriDts had kept me from time to time
advised.
"Hurry up!-less than minute till
the gate closest" admonished the blue
and brazen official, as at last reached
the ticket-window.
"Ticket to Hugginsport, said hur-
riedly.
"fwo dollars" replied the ticket
man, slapping down his stamp on
piece of cardboard with the heel of his
hand.
"I've lost my pocket-book!" I ex-
claimed, quickly withdrawing the hand
sent in search of it.
Here was a fix! had started with a
liberal supply of the one thing needful
for Thanksgiying-at least so far as ma
terial pleasures go-and here l was
without penny to pay my fare, and
not half minute of spare time!
looked around helplessly.
"I perceive your embarrassment,
sir" said a grave looking gentleman,
whose white choker and long-skirted
coat left no doubt of his calling-"I
perceive your embarrassment sir, and
will be glad to relieve you of it. Get
your ticket out of this; you can hand
me the change and remit the rest"
AS he spoke he placed a twenty-dol-
lar bill in my hand.
"But my dear sir" l began.
"Pray don't waste time in compli-
ments. My name is Rev. Speedwell
Sprue, of Chapelton, to which address
you can remit the trifling sum advanced. |
| ask no better guaranty than your coun-
tenance."
81 accept your favor" 1 replied,
"with warmest thanks. My name is
Hodiah Trimbley, white-goods clerk
with Twist & Bobbin of this city,"
"Come, sir, do you wish the ticket |
or notP" demanded the man at the win
dow, with his thumb on the spring that
held up the slide.
l threw down the bill, he hastily |
counted out the change, and handed me |
it and the ticket. The former passed
to the obliging stranger, whose hand |
had barely time to press in parting, as l |
left him waiting for another train.
The gateman was in the act of clos
ing the passage and the last bell was
ringing, as l hurried through and Jump
ed aboard, with views of human nature |
considerably elevated by the trusting |
confidence shown by the Rev. Speedwell |
Sprue-though | doubted whether it |
would do to sell white-goods on the
same credit system.
From Mr.. Sprue and his childlike
faith, my thoughts gradually turned to
Polly Patchin, and had already laid |
the ground plans of several fairy cot
tages, in which, with Love and Polly to
lend their charm, could have laughed
at the proudest prince in his palace.
"Dickervillel'' sang out the conduct
or, as the whistle blew and the train
slowed up at the first stopping-place.
Two men with lanterns-it was a
night train-came bustling through the
car, scanning the passengers closely.
Hal this looks like himl" said one
of them, holding his lantern to my face.
"Fills the bill exactly!" said the 9th
er, glancing from me at a paper in his
hand.
"Come, sir" he continued, placing a
hand roughly on my shoulder-''if if I'm
not mistaken it was you who bought the
last ticket for this train" '.A
"It was, answered, looking up as
tonished.
"And paid for it with twenty-dollar
BILL" he added, receiving the
change"
l acknowledged the fact, but with no
abatement of surprise.
"That bill," he proceeded, twas a
counterfeit, and we've been telegraphed
10 arrest you"
l endeavored to exposulate, and ex-
planned, as well as my confusion would
permit, the circumstances under which
got the note.