The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-01-17
THE WATCHMAN'S BOY.
BY II. NJ. H0KE.


thought little Ike Timson, as he sa. one
morning before business hours, in the
office OF a railroad superintendent. The
brass pendulum came to its window
regularly, and appeared to look out at
him, but the time dragged heavily, and
1t seemed as if the great man would
never come. The coloyed man sweep
ing out the Office, said it would be "a
good bit" till he came, and Ike said he
would wait.
His business there was OF great i'm
portance. His father was employed by
by the railroad company to walk at
night along the tracks, to see that all
was safe for the trains that went rushing
and roaring over them. 1t was response.
bic and dangerous work, for which he
received pay barely ample to support his
family.
This changing the night, intended for
rest and sleep, into time for labor, was
wearing upon the Waterman, and he had
become almost too i'll to continue. Each
night, as he went on duty, and thought
OF the long, weary, drag s,ng hours,
with their dismal 10 lel ness, he believed
1t must be his last; but utter destitut on
to his family was as certain a suit of
his giving up, as horrible acc dent was
of an unseen break in the steel roadway.
So he manfully struggled on, walking
the track as firmly as he could, carrying
lantern-his only compan;on-with a
weak hand, through many gloomy
night when he should have been home
resting.
The Waterman had three children, of
whom Ike was the eldest. He was an
intelligent and active lad; too young
and slight, however, to ad, by work,
in the matter of bread winning. He
saw that his fathers health was rapidly
failing, and it filed him with anxiety.
After much worrying that he was unable
to help, an idea came to him, and he
quickly resolved to follow itup. There
fore, we find HIM on this morning, wait
ing to ask the superintendent of the road
for perm ,ssion to take his fathers place
for awhile. He had consulted no one,
and knew not how useless such request
would be.
The brass pendulum appeared at the
window many times, as if it, too, were
wat, hing for the superintendent, before
he came. He was large, rather fat,
hne-l looking man, very neatly clad in
black suit, white vest and tie. He had
commanding manner, face expressive
of tirmness, and bright, sparkling,
watchful eyes. lie walked W til a brisk,
business-like step to a desk, placed
pair of gold trimmed eve, glasses on his
nose with a cess, yet precise motion.
and began work upon pile of letters
placed ready at hand.
Ike was so frightened when he saw the
stern man, that he felt like going out
without making his request but the
superintendent, raising his head to think
more deeply about some point in letter,
saw the pa,e little fellow, called him to
his desk, ana asked:
"What is it, my little MANI"
Ike was so badly scared now that his
heart beat wildly, and he could not say
word. Seeing this, the superintendent
opened letter and read it, to allow him
time to regain his courage, which he
soon did. He then spoke Of his fathers
failing health, in what sad condition
their family would be should he be COM
PEELED 10 quit, and then timidy made
his request, showing plainly, though,
his confidence in the possession of ability
TO 40 me WORK.
The superintendent listened very at
tentively to this request, made through
boyish innocence and inexperence, and
then called John on, in obedience to
which. snowy young man hastily APP
pcared. To him he gave some direc-
lions, which Ike did not understand,
but in VIII oh he heard his father name
mentioned. He was then told that the
matter would be attended to- and that
he should call again the next day. He
went home with his boyish face radiant
with the hope that he had dispellcd the
dark cloud lowering over their lives.
and all would be right again
His young heart overlooked with
happiness, and he could not keep secret
what he had done. He pictured to him.
self how the troubled look on his fathers
face would change to chcerfulness and
hope, and how the wrinkles, which had
but lately appeared there, would dis.
appear at the good news. He was so
hllcd with Joy that it was difficult to
wait till his father rose from his daily
sleep to tell him of it.
When they were all gathered around
the supper table, except his mother, who
was putting up the watchman's lunch in
q tin can, Ike told what he had done.
But imagine the poor boys surprise and
disappointment, when his father, instead
OF being greatly re. DICED, let his knife
and fox ia ! to the plate, and gave q
deep groan when the can dropped noisily
from his mothers hands, and when they
all looked at him in amazemcnt.
"Went-went to the superintendent,
and-and told him that L! am too sick
to do my work?" asked the Waterman
excitedly.
"Yes, sir, answered Ike, beginning
to cry at such an unexpected reception o.
his great news.
Whatever did possess you to do tn,
like of that?" asked his mother, some
what angrily. 'Why didn't you ash
some one ti-st' But" she added in
softer tone to her husband, 81 suppos,
he d it, thinking he was doing right
and maybe there won't be any harm COM
from it."
eth just ruin us, replied the watch
man, utterly disconsolate. "Of cours
I'll be discharged to morrow, because
am unfit to do my work, and then what
Nothing but starve, or the poor house"
Such was the most reasonable out
look. Ike's news had burst upon then
like thunder from the already dark clou,
overhanging them. There was not
cheering CLEAN to indicate a silver lin
ing Their lamp was poor one; but
gave sufficient light to show the trou
bled looks on the faces of the father an
mother. The very shadows in the corne
seemed to have grown blacker. The 81
lence was only broken by Ike's sob,
The Waterman did not wish to p1nis
him, for he felt that the little fellow ha
committed the unfortunate blunder in
sincere attempt to help them; but dil
couraged indeed was he as he lighted b
lantern, and went on duty for the la
time, as he believed.
Though Ike was crying bitterly, ft
he now saw his mistake in the right ligl
if there was any light about it; it be
ing very gloomy one to them-hc sa
that his father staggered under his il
creased burden, and that he was total
unfit for his work uSunpose that