Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-10-26

while chance travellers were generally
ready TO buy from his basket, and the
conductors and brakemen were always
willing 10 do him kind turn il they
could.
While his mother was grieving be-
cause her son was only train boy. he
was qualifying himself by thorough.
ness aud fidelity to be great deal
more by and bv. And his sandwiches
were very good. Kate took care Of
that
Arriving ut the station few min
utes before the train was ready Rob
found Mrs. waring waiting for
him. She was sitting in her pretty
pheton, her cream colored ponies fret
ting to be of, and she beckoned in q
friendly way to Rob.
dorothy is com ng home on the
down train. Rob. Please have an eye
to her. and help her with her bundles.
You know it W II be dusk before the
tran arrives but her father or l Will
be here to meet her. and We'll give
you a lift home"
In Rob's village the people were very
neighborly. and Judge Mainwaring
wife could be molherly even to the son
of her laundress. She had a genuine
respect for Mrs. Dayton, whose clear
starching. fluting and ironing were
done as only lady does her work.
with finish and nicely worthy of an
artist. She had known DR.. Dayton
and had suggested long ago that she
should take boarders or teach kim
dergarten. but she had agreed with
h er husband. the Judge, that Mrs. Day
ton was very sensible to do the work
she knew best how to do. and in which
she could succeed. Far from looking
down on her. she honOred her for her
persevering indie pendence.
Rob went up and down the cars. dis
posing of the goods in his basket. The
interval between the morning and
evening trains was brief. and when it
was time to return he looked for pref
ty Dorothy Mainwaring. found her a
seat. spread rug over her lap because
it was growing chilly. and from time
TO time said pleasant word to her. as
he passed the place where she sat.
Dorothy had been away at school
for month, and was gong home to.
day to STAY until Monday. Once a
month. on Friday afternoon. she had
that privilege. She was pretty little
girl. plump and dimped. with pink
tinted cheeks. yellow hair. and laugh
| ing brown eyes. When Rob had sold
his last sandwich, and his last apple,
he put his basket away, came and sat
| by her side. and the two children chat
tered precisely rs if Rob had been Dol
| ly's big brother, or rather. Dolly chat
ted and Rob listened, now and then
gravely putting in a word.
She was telling him of Oh CO, her
pug, and how glad he always was to see
her coming home. of the gold medal
she hoped to win, and of the severity
of her music master. mixing one thing
and another in Dolly's own way. when
suddenly the gay little tongue was
arrested. Thump! Bang! Bounce!
Something was the matter. The train
veered and swerved from side to side
with sudden sea-sick motion; lad les
screamed. gentlemen clutched the
backs OF seats-the train was of the
! track.
The stove! The stove! The cars
will b. on fret somebody shouted de-
| spairingly; but even as the stove trem-
bled and shook, and the red hot Goals,
glowing rs IN fiery furnace, threaten
ell to pour fourth stream of death
and destruction, that danger at least
was avertcd.
Bob Dayton had sprung to the res
cue. His strong hands were incase d
in leather mittens. but the mittens
were not strong enough to prevent the
brave hands from being desperately
burned. as the stove was steaded aud
held in its place for the minute or two
during which the train kept up its giddy
rocking and swaying. When present
ly the locomotive was stopped. and the
passengers. terribly frightened and
shaken, stepped out into the road. Bob,
great fellow as he was and with the
| pluck and nerve OF a grown man, did
what he never had done before, sank
back in a dead faint on the floor
! Fortunately the accident was due to q
looseDed tie had occurred near home,
and, as alarm 'Dg news travels fast, II
was not long before the news that
something had happened reached the
station, where the cream colored ponies
with Mrs. Mainwaring. were awaiting
Dorothy.
To put them to their utmost speed
was the work of an instant; and as the
| ph9ton drew up beside the way, and
| the motherly arms EMBODIED the sob.
bing little girl. all tremb bling with ex-
element. the story of Rob's heroism
was speedily told. He was carried
home in state, and there was no more
sandwich vending possible for many u
| dav.
But while the poor burned hands
were slowly healing. Rob had time to
read and study; time to pore over the
beloved chemistry which had alwa, 8
allured him; time to show Dorothy 8
father and mother that there was n
good deal more in him than they had
ever supposed. Rob's opportunity had
come. IL we do our duty in the place
where the Lord puts us. the opening TO
something wider always comes in the
Lord time. Ii we are diligent and
faithful in lowly calling, we prove
our worthiness of q higher. and are
certain. when God thinks it best. to
| find t,inho