, 1883-06-30

"Ihen the train stopped, snatched
back from the pits mouth, and they
took my boy from his pOst-'faithful
and true 2
at was long time before Jacks
burns were healed. The road-people
came often to see him-nO men could
have been kinder-and every week
his wages came in full.
"But one evening, after he had be-
gun to get out little, one of his
mates came in. Come Jack, old fel-
low, you'll be moped to death here ?
he said. you want a change. There's
big meeting of the road-folks over
at thd hall tonight. Pm just on my
way. Come alongp
what sort OF a meeting?' said
Jack.
"'O, can't say eXactly-something
interesting, they told me, and every
body invited
"EIe stole a queer look at me, and
knew. he wanted me to help him.
So, as really thought it might do
Jack good, l said:
&" 'Yes, Jack, go along with Tom.'
But Pm not presentable with
this face = said Jack.
".Pshaw, man it's evening, and
nObody'n notice. Leastways, they
needn'tp ?
"With little more CoaXing, Jack
set off with him. Ihad hardly heard
the gate click, when the door opened
again, and Jenny Brown came in
like a sprite,
Quick quick, Mrs. Burton
Put on your bonnet ? she whispered.
%" where? What do you mean?' l
said, for l was frightened.
TO the meeting! Hurry, or we
shall be later
"She was tying my bonnet-strings
under my chin, as she spoke, and she
had the hOuse-dOOr locked and me
down the gardcn-path and out of the
back-gate, fairly without my will.
She hurried me across the square,
and pushed me through the crowd
around the hall-CntranCe.
81 was out of breath with nerv-
BUSINESS and fast walking, so we sat
down in a back seat. The room was
full. There were a great many ladies
there, and on the platform sat the
Superintendent and several Of the
Directors Of the road. Everybody
seemed to be whispering and smil-
ing and looking backwards towards
the door, and looked too, though |
didn't know why.
'Thcn the door opened and Jack
came in with Tom. l heard some
body on the other side Of me whisper,
That's he = and another and anoth-
er, and a rustic crept through the
place, and then, all at once, such a
cheer went up as, l can truly say, !
never heard in all my life before-nO,
not even when the troops came home
from the war. The people stood up,
and the ladies waved their white
handkerchief.
"The Superintendent tried to
speak, and raped on his little table,
but all in vain, until the crowd had
had their three times three. And
through It all watched my boy. He
looked around him, dazedat first, by
all the tumult, and trying to know
what it meant but wherever he
might turn his eyes he met a hun
dred others smiling on him, and a
score Of hands stretched out to him
as he passed, and, all at Once-he
knew!
80 sir, l cannot tell you about it
How they cafricd him up to the
front, though not on the platform
there be would not go-how they
fOund'me out and made me sit be-
side him how there were speeches
and hand-shakings and laughing
and crying.
"And, at last, the Superintendent
said tn at there was a little child there
the granddaughter of the President
of the road, who had been with her
mother on the train that day, and
that she had been selected by many
grateful friends to present a little
token to the man whose faithful
courage had saved so many lives.
"Then beautiful lady, all in soft,
rustling silk, came up the aisle, lead
ing the loveliest child l ever saw,
with a great glory of golden hair
around her head, like the picture of
an angel. l felt Jack start, for 1t
was the very child whose face had
come to him in that awful moment
on the flying engine.
"The little thing let go her moth
er's hand as she came near, looking
up with shy blue eyes, and in her
small fingers was purse Of gold.
You could see the great coins shin
ing through the silk netting. She
held it up to him, and all the room
was as still as death. l heard one
great sob rise in my boys throat,
and then he lifted the child in his
arms, and stood up, holding her,
straight and tall.
"But he did not take the purse.
NO, darling ? he said, in low, ten
der voice, so clear that everybody
heard. Tfen he kissed her, and lift
ed one long curl from her neck.
This is the only gold 1 want ?
he said, and looked at the child's
mother with a question IN his eyes.
'The lady nodded, and my boy
took out a little pain of scissors from
HE x.oof nOolyaf and o,,f tIn rY,rl ~