Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1889-11-30
OLD P0MFRET'S PRIDE.
BY ELLA GUERNSEY.

depot for an out-o'-t he-way place
like Pomfret. an it's all OWN to
Pomfret's PRIDE" said the janltor oil
the village station, where we waited
for the next train, as he "chucked''
the fire, and lighted the evening lamp.
Outside the sleet was falling fast, so
doubly welcome was the comfort and
warmth, which awaited the travellers
who waited in the "Glen" waiting
room.
"Pomfret's pride?" we repeated
wonderingly. "Yes'sum. My name Is
Jones, an I've ben born an raised in
these parts, an EN- capable OF tellin'
you jest who he was.
"a hero, dyin at his post, a sweet
souled gen'rous boy, fairly dotted on
by everybody that knew him.
'Look out through the east win
dow, you can see, tho It's sleetin', the
white monneyment markin' Ernest
Benn's grave, or where it ort to be.
That stone was paid for by the peo-
pie, with small contributions.
"Across the way, is the Penn home
place. Dick Penn is the telegraph op-
orator now, Ernest's younger brother,
but la he haint to be compared with
Pomfret's pride.
"Ernest's daddy was the first oper-
ator here, but he kept things IN bad
shape, folks complained OF his bad
ways. The comp'ny hated to turn
him off, as he'd had his head hurt by
collision. an they had to do some
tain for him.
"Finally he got too bad to send
straight message, an doctors said his
brain was disordered. Just then Ern
est, tall and strong, tho only thIr-
teen, came to the superintendent, an
showed him he really could tend the
Glen office, an he'd coax his father
to leave things to him, an he'd not
suspect he couldn't be trusted.
ERNEST proved to be q better oper-
ator than Bird Penn had. ever been,
an he persuaded the comp'ny to
fix things up considerable, an
finally, they built a new depot,
givin' him permission to fix up the
waitin' room as he wanted to, an bein'
real handy at bracket-makin', an
handin tools, he made tine wall peck
cts, waste baskets an letter cases.
An thar's the canary that he trained
to do lots O cute tricks.
'The old wimmen travellers liked
Ernest, he was obligin' to old folks,
while the youngsters tho't an apple
or sing, was incomplete, unless Ern-
est Penn was the foremost fellow there.
"He had loud clear voice, an no
body could keep goin'-bashful young
folks-as he could, when playin 'the
needles eye that does supply the
thread that runs it thoroughly, it's
many beau that I've let go because
wanted July, or that romyin game,
here comes three ducks a-rovin'.'
cat seventeen, he'd come to be the
choir leader. Seems as if | could shut
my eyes an hear him rollin' out the
words OF his favorite hymn, Thus lar
the Lord hath led me on.
'sWhen he was sixteen h5 Vas offer
ed better place, an a salary of for
ty dollars monthly, fifty miles from
here.
Il was disappointed that he didn't
take it, an one evenin' made it my
business to tell him forty dollars ev
cry month was considerable money,
an life wasn't all fun an rompin', ]
must say his answer set me back.
" Pm sorry, Uncle JONES' said he,
firm as adamant, that you think me
such a light, triflin' sort OF Il Teller, as
to be thinkin, only of the present be-
cause | laugh so loud, an tend all
the merry makin's. I'm Jest aChin'
to 90 to the station that s been offered
me, as. if | suit there, I'll have anoth-
er promotion soon. But Uncle Jones,
can't you see that fathers lost all his
ability to do things right! lie needs
constant lookin' after, an with all
the help | can give her, mothers wear
in out under the strain. I'm tralnln'
Dick that he may take my place here.
Yesterday father slipped to the key,
and sent q message in good style, but
twas one that would have run to-
pether the north and south bound &C
comodations, il / hadn't been at
hand to correct it. I'm not the son
to forcit the father an mother
that's cared fer me in my hours OF
helplessness. Fathers wound in the
head was received in a great battle,
it's an honorable hurt, an his craZl
ness is nothing to blush for. Wouldn't
| be q selfish cad to desert father
like mine, that | might earn q lew
more dollars? For little while long
er old Pomfret folks must put up with
my society" - n;;, i,
ewes. though he laughed as jolly as
nobody but him could laugh.
1.-The very next week, there was
big celebration ten miles from Pomtret
IN Beach Grove. All the Odd Fellers
in the hull country gathered there,
an Earnest was kept busy most the
hull day.
"At five O'Clock, q sudden hail an
wind storm came up, causin' lots OF
damage to property, an we Weren,, {
surprised to hear that Langdon S
bridge had gone down, an with IT,
into the bellerin', foamin' river,
train OF excursionlsts.
! .Iangdon's was only four miles
from Pomfret. Ernest lett DICK at
+he kew. telin' his mother to keep the
news from his father, an to Keep
strict watch over him, and not let
him get at the key. Then he set out
for Laugdon atoot, carrying with MN