Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-11-18

{ BY mail, or of druggists answered.
CNJO4N4NN-NON-~4O-NSOIN Address in confidence
LYDIA E, PINKHAM MED, Co.. Lynn, Mass
darted into the open door of the engine
room and sat down in the rays of heat and
light that came through the open furnace
door.
How delightful it was! The world was
a very different place from what it had
been when he sat on the dock in the cold
wind.
The man came into the engine room in
few minutes and lighted his pipe, with
out speaking to the boy. He picked up
bunch of cotton waste and began wiping
off the cylinder In a moment Ed was on
his feet, and, reaching out hand that
suggested skill rather than strength, Ed
said: ~ - Is
"Let me do it, boss. can, beautiful"
The man gave up the waste and sat
down in the greasy chair that stood by the
door.
The boy worked very quickly and skill
/ fully, making the polished parts of the en-
CINE look like silver.
"Where do yer live?" asked the man at
last.
"Nowhars," was the answer, without
any stopping of the busy fingers.
"WheTe are yer goin' to stay to-night?"
asked the man. who was the fireman, with
a good deal Of interest.
81 was goin' to stay h'ar,' was the hon
est reply but made with good deal of
timidity.
'What cheekr' was the fireman's com
ment, but there was a merry twinkle in
his eyes. Ed flushed under his copper
colored skin, and fastened to explain.
81 wuz goin' to lay outside de do
The twinkle died out of the fireman 5
eyes, and he looked out of the window
where the new moon hung low in the sky,
and the stars were beginning to twinkle.
"Well, l wouldn't wonder if you could
stay inside said the fireman, slowly, as
! he lighted lantern and hung it from a
hook in the ceiling. Ed gasped ,sbut did
not speak; he rubbed the cylinder until it
reflected the lantern hanging above it,
81 wonder if yer could watch things
while l went up the dock to buy some
l grub?" Ed nodded.
+ 81 think III lock this door, as there may
t be some providers round, and We don't look
in good ightin' trim" The fireman
7 laughed as he shut the door and locked it
l leaving Ed to enjoy the delicious warmth
4 The boy never stopped working; he rubbed
D.. the inside of the window, the woodwork
. the brass railing that separated the engin,
e room from the fire room, the greasy chair
y and, having found an old broom, he swep
4 the floor of the engine room, and whel
i Joe, the fireman, got back he found EC
e sweeping up the ashes in the fire room.
!. "Well, yer amt lazy, be yep was hi
t comment as he looked at the ragged boy
g who was now so warm that he was glat
n when the cold air struck him from the opel
)! door.
d "Come to the kitchen, COON" said tn
d fireman, adjusting his bundles, which wer
e many and of a queer shape
II Ed sprang up the stairs and hurried aft
d er Joe into a kitchen that was Just bi
If enough to hold small stove and table
e Joe threw down his parcels, saying; "No'
ID Wen get some grub ready"
d Ed took hold of the first parcel and dis
e. covered two pink slices of ham. 1t wa
1t all he could do to keep from eating pieC
Of of it at once. He took down brOier an
ID deity put the slices in place ready fC
lg broiling. The quart of potatoes wei
at washed and put on to boil, and, turnin
rs suddenly to Joe, Ed asked:
ed "Does yer like pancakes"
t; ''You bet, was the short reply.
re "Has yer got flour and baking powder
nd ! see yer got eggs"
re Joe pointed to a brown paper bag on
81 shelf above the table and went outside.
he "That boys hummer"
Joe sat down on the rail of the boat al
he watched the shadow come and go on Il
W. little kitchen wall. At last the ragged CT
S. appeared, and Ed asked for dishes to S
nix the table. Joe went to the door and poir
nd ed to the small closet that hung on Il
Ed wall. In a few minutes the ragged G.
L. ,,,1t l.
70 supper was ready. Oh, how good ever
Ip- thing smelled! The boy could hardly Ike
III from eating. Joe sat down, and Ed coo
ed ed the pancakes. They came to the tai
Ter light crisp and brown. Joe ate witho
at, comment, and, standing up, he said: SO
ahead, coonS I'll 20 and smoke
he made no comment when he came ba
ed and found everything eatable had disa
&c, peared. A man can be gentleman ever
" his clothes are covered with coal dust a
cry ashes. In a short time a small boy, W
ne. looked more like a bundle of clothes tn
Int a boy, was curled up asleep on the fl
he room floor, while Joe, from the cha
he where he sat smoking, would mutter on
in in a while, "Poor chap! mighty hard up
it a boy to be turned adrift. | wonder whe
rec he belongs?' Joe had not asked any qu,
)ut tions. The next morning Ed was up a
by creeping toward the kitchen to get the I
ok ready for breakfast. Joe said "Good MOI
id- ing' so heartily, Ed felt as if he belong
m. to somebody at once. Joe went up
un dock after grub" as he called it, a
1T when he came back the little kitchen
hat galley" as sailors call it, was as Gle
did and neat as a woman could make il.
in, The boat steamed out to begin her VIC
get long before the roar of the great city
gan, but it had on board a small colo
on; boy, whom the men called Ed, who l
md won their respect and admiration by