The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-11-01


conveyancing and all that sort of thing.
/ will trust the affair to you, Steve"
SO next morning Steve found himself
on the Caledonia line, with e100 in his
pocket and valuable business on hand.
The first twenty miles out of Leeds he
enjoyed with all the abandon of bird
set free. Then be began to think again.
AT Crewe he missed the train, and he
wandered about the station, and fell in
talking with the engineer of the next
one, who was cleaning and examining
the engine with all the love and pride u
mother gives her favorlie child.
The two men fraternized at once, and
Steve made trip over the Caledonia
line In the engineers small cuddy. He
was fine young fellow, Zone of seven,"
tall engineers and machinists;" he was
only serving his time, learning every
branch of the business practically; he
had brothers who made engines and he
hoped to so some time.
In spite of his soiled face and oily
clothes, Steve recognized that refine
ment that comes with education and
when his new friend called upon him at
the Queens Hotel he would not be
ashamed of his appearance in the most
fastidious days.
"Mr. Dslrymple, / am glad TO see you"
said Steve, holding out both hands.
81 thought you would be here sir; it
is not often make mistakes in my lik-
ings. will go with you now to see my
fathers works, If it suits you.
Never had such place entered Stephen
Gaskill's conception; the immense fur
naces, the hundreds of giants working
around them, the clang of machinery,
the mighty struggle of wind and matter,
of intellect over the inanimate. He en-
WED those cyclops in their leathern
masks and aprons He longed to lift
their heavy hammers. He looked upon
the craftsmen with their bare brawney
arms and blackened hands, and felt his
heart glow with admiration when he
saw the mighty work those hands had
fashioned. The tears were in his eyes
when Dalrymple and he parted at the
gate of the great walled in yard.
"Thank YOU" he said, "you have
done me the greatest possible service. 1
shall remember it,
That night Steve formed strange but
noble resolution. First of all he devoted
himself to his wife's busin ess, and ac-
complished it in q manner that elected
Mr.. Barret's great praise and made
Elizabeth wouder if she might not spare
her agents fees for the future. Then he
had a long confidential talk with the
owner of the Dalrymple iron and ma
chine works, the result of which was
the following letter to Mrs. Gaskill:
MY DEAR Wife, shall not be al
home again for at least two years, for
have begun an apprenticeship to Dal.
rymple as an iron master. propose to
learn the process practically, l have
lived too long upon your bounty, for l
have lost your esteem as well my own
and do not say but that 1 have deserv
ed the loss. Please God will redeem my
wasted past, and with His help make 8
man of myself. When am worthy tC
be your husband you will respect me
and until then think as kindly as pos
sible of
STEPHEN GAsKILL.
The letter struck the first noble chor(
in Eizabeth's heart. From that houl
even her favorite maid dared not MAKE
little compassionate sneers at "poo
master"
Steve, in leather apron and coarse
working clothes, began laborious, happy
days, which brought him nights o
sweetest sleep, and Elizabeth began |
series of letters to her husband which
probably grew more imbued with thu
tenderest interest and respect. In few
weeks she visited him of her own fire.
will, and purposely going to the works
she saw her half-banished lord welding
a ponderous hammer upon bar Of whit
hot iron.
Swarthy, bare.armed, clothed in leath
er, he had never looked so handsome il
Elizabeth's eyes, and her eyes REVEALED
this fact to Steve for in them was th
tender light of love founded upon genu
inc respect. Steve deserved it. HI
wrought faithfully out his two years
service, cheered by his wife's letter
and visits, and when he came out G
the Dalrymple works there was n
more finished iron master than he.
He held his head up frankly now, an
looked fortune boldly in the face; h