The Red Cloud chief., 1884-09-05
toms No.

A fine Young tcliow was Tom J.frrvs.
strong. pleasant and r,od look ~ IL"
ws> "a eighteen when hc lTst bcgan
railroad NJ. bat hr could ..t - htaks
with The best When hs ,l,ag deep ,oi,.s
announced the stat ons. p~Hplesl = suc,i
and made ne m.stalr Uii ladies cauvat
the CLEAN ni nis pleasant eve. and Il
him help them on aud oil vita I ai.ful
surprise. Mothers with morc chlldf,a
than the, cou Il manage. tired women
bunilc-ladcn aud old nlcn n, osuis~i n
frien1 and made use % him. Nor Scts
the railroad officials b.. nj o. The yoany
mans h~clpfulnc.s aud l~opulatt Is. ausi.
although Ton did not dream ii Il, bis
was one on a list of names that meant
promotion.
The Young brakemans going
good nature. however. VA. dfa~ laSE
IN "nc direction lie dislilei io say no.
When a ira n reached Boston hc ALWAYS
had two hours Ia spare. Ia taat Time
some n of the boys Vas surs Z q say.
Come. Tom. lets 10 TO q BARRIERS"
Now this sounded very innoesnt. 80,
ia the BARRIERS back room was a gfs.c
door which opened on a stairway ltai-
ing down INTO n drinking saioon Hero
the men used to gather. a fcw At atmc.
and take "a III. j. something
Tom usually said his good huuor~j
no. that meant n reluctant YES. and
ended by going. lie never feli wholly
at ease when taking hi- beer. lie would
not have gone for IL alone. Over aud
over aga u be Acknowledged tn himself
that IL was the laughter # his chums
that took his courage AWAY. and So
things went on. A year sii ped by and
beer had become almost an every day
drink with bin. when a sdiernoon ha
was summoned from the ''bzrlser
shop" to the Office.
Jeffrey said the Superintendent,
when be- en;e-ed. II have teen tef,
much pleased with the way in which
your duties have bcen performed on th..
road % the past and ] find ~ need
another condu tor The gen,lema.i
su denly stopped AMI the pleasant smile
Wa gone. Mr.. Jefre >. your breath
tells me that YOU have been drinking"
Only = little beer. sir sald f.~yr
Tom. flushing crimson.
." am very ,orTy.' replied the Supsr-
iuisndent. hut that will bc all to-day;
you may GO
The young man left the Office down
east. Il shsartsned. Wba; he had leru
wishing for. what he bad ~ neatly
gained, had been lot through hi. oNn
misconduct. A. he thought 81 IL tbs
good naiurcd iips took on a firmrr
curve. The neat dag one of the toys
said: "fomiu over To the ~isaFbsrss'
M" rvpi ed Tom
'ph. come On. whats struck ys.2''
THAT barber has shaved IN. al! bs
ever sill' was the ansAs
Although Toms no. seemed very To-
terrniued in lie sound. Their. vas .et
something wanting In IL. tie feb, a..
and wien after n few days the real
longing for n glass II H,uor begsn To-
would be yes. 10 spite Of himself.
mo use Ia IockIn' the barn ddyr
now,' said biz chum: .ihs hos ls stole.
the super knows you We taken y
smile now and then. and he'll never for
get H. Better be young. while you can."
Tom still! said no. but iLs Istl. nsgs-
tive grew weaker and weaker the next
thing u would be yes. When thi. Vas
almost accomplished. spurred By his
danger. and remembering his early
train. ng in the right. he went into an
empty car. and kneelin2 on the bsro
floor. prayed for strength Ia resist.
And them be sa 4. II irsrosd 10
speak . no that; al the men On the road
couldnt turn into n yes-"-coagyeSs-
fsozactlss.