The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-08-08
PATSYS RED STOCKINGS.

How Little Boy, Left Alone at a sta
ton, Gave the Signal of Danger to IA
Passenger Train.
Eigh,-year- old Patsy was tending
station" The consequence was that
eight-year-oId Patsy felt exceedingly
grown-up.
Not that there was anything under
the light OF the sun for him to do in
the little out-of-the-way railway sta
ton. If there had been, Patsy would
not have been left there to do it.
The way of it was: Years ago, be-
fore there ever was such a boy as Patsy
Green, Mr.. Thomas Green had been
appointed station agent at Green 5
Corner; a post which he had filled for
years. But when Patsy was five years
/ old, God had a higher station for his
papa to ILL., and 50 he took him home
to Heaven.
Now, Mrs Green had always helped
| her husband in the duties belonging to
| the little station, and had even learned
10 tclegraph; so when she was left
| poor widow with her fathcrlcSS boy to
/ care for, and clothc, and bring up, and
| educate and make u. man of, the rail
| road company had asked her to fill her
! husbands post at the station. And she
| had been glad to take the place, which
she had filled ever since.
All that was the very beginning of it.
/ But the way Patsy came to be tend
| inc station all alone this afternoon was
! this: Mrs. Green had received word
that her mother was very sick at the
| other end of the village, and az she
| could get no one to take her place
while she ran over there. she had vent
ure to leave her boy alone for little
| while Besides there was nothing
/ whatever to do, and wouldn't be until
/ the six o'clock train was due. SO
| Patsy whose name wasn't Patsy at
all, but Alexander duly installed
and felt extremely important. SO
much so in fact that he felt at once
ent with his new position in life.
Therefore he hurried upstairs, for
they lived over the depot, and donned
his hest shoes and his one darling pair
of red Stockings Then he walked
maiestically down stairs and about the
platform for several minutes: for he
now felt that he filled altogether too
important a place among men to run
and pley like boy.
Fer some time Patsy squeaked slow
ly about in his new shoes, trying to be
dignitied. And although it was hard
work he was determined not to give up
and play. So he finally went into the
waiting room and seated himself on
one of the long settees that ran around
the room.
"'Taint no matter if lie down a min
utc," he finally said to himself. "They
do sometimes, = and he stretched his
heavy shoes and red stockings out on
the seat, and tried to look as long a.
possible.
The afternoon was very warm, and 4
drow>y feeling was in the air. A BIC
boJtlc-Ny came buzzing monotonou,ly
around the window nearest Patsy. The
sound of the mowers scythes in the
ncghboring fields came floating in upon
the Stiffness The crickets, too, chirpcd
their sleepy song.
think il must have been the blended
hum of all these sounds. mingled with
the excess of dignity that Patsy was
trying to bear up under that did it.
Anyway, in about two minutes from the
time Patsy lay down he was sound
asleep.
a long time after, he was awakened
by grul' voices and steps on the plat
form. The first words he heard caught
his attention. "That'l be the end OF
that bridge! An as for the train
Whc-c-w!"
Are We sure the Grand Mogul II be
on the train? 1t nd be a pity to smash
up the train for nothin'."
Sure, is it? An didn't hear hin
say for sure he'd be on that train? III
pay him for turnin' off his honest help
When they strike them rails where there
isn't any -"
Come, come" replied the other
ncrvously, "We'd better be gettin' on
O this. We don't want to be caugh
within five miles o that Perry Bridge. >
'Sh! don't talk so loud. You don
s'poSe the kid in there can hear, dc
your
Sound asleep" was the answer
"Bc,ides he's too little to know what
| it means. Come, come, hurry" AnC
then Patsy heard the footsteps as they
cruuched on the grayclly railroad track
For a few minutes Patsy lay still. H'
had heard the talk only as one hear,
in q dream, but soon the words came
back TO him with terrible meaning
at 'ud be pity TO smash up the
train. "Whcn they strike them rail
where there ISM t anyn'
Patsy, Young rs he was, had hearC
ali manner OF stores about accidents
how wicked people will sometimes
wreck u whole train. killing scores O
people, to crafty Il spite against on
man. Might this not be what wa
meant by these rough men talk?
Perry Bridge? 1t was mile below tn
station in an unfrequcnted swampy re
gon. o dear! what could such it'll
fellow do? All his pomposity had van
ished. He now felt himself to be q yer,
small boy indeed. If his mother woulC
only come Patsy was one Of thos
boys who believe in their mother, an'
he felt sure she would know just wha
to do. But she didn't appear. Pats.
got up and stepped carefully to tn
door Looking up the track he coul'
see the forms OF two tramps disappear