Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-10-08

fAR ss.sa;sT he was taking.
EgryINNs NsiyII1 He started IL p
with an air which
though he had spoken, 81 was not
asleep, ladies and gentlemen-just
thinking!" and he took quick sur
vey of the Pullman car, in which, af-
ter an absence of eighteen years, he
was being whirled back to what his
fellow rauchers on the great plains of
Western Texas called the estates"
There were only few through pas
sengers, and they did not interest
him.
The oncomins train-boy did, or at
least the pile of ruddy checked apples
in one corner of the basket he carried
did.
81 swow !" muttercd Eben, rubbing
his eyes, ''Those look like the sheep.
fold apples that used to grow on the
old farm. How little Annie Davis and
/"
He stopped very suddenly, and his
bronzed face grew stern and grave.
1t was the first time that name had
passed his lips i'll all the years of his
exile.
"Apples, sir?"
1t was the train-boy who asked the
question, for his quick eye had seen
whittier the burly passengers glances
were directed, and he held up tempt
ing specimen of the fruit.
"lhey are delicious eating, sir--the
most delicious of tiavors- can recon-
mend them. Two for five cents"
Recommend them, do you?" said
Eben, quizzically.
Eyes, street
''Eat 'em yourself?"
81 might say that I was raised on
those apples. sir. They grow on our
place. live mile from Talbot, the
next station beyond-get off there and
take the west-5ound express back to
Clinton. Have some, sr?"
"They look nice, said Eben, medi-
tatively. "What variety are they?'
"We call 'em the shcopfold np-
ples?"
"What?"
The exclamation came with such
suddenness that the boy started back
and glanced at his prospective custom
er apprehensively.
Eben had sprung from his seat, and
his sinewy fingers were clutched about
the lads arm in wise like grip.
''Suy that again - lie cried, "Not
sheepfold apples?"
"Ihat's what said," answered the
boy, recovering his courage after one
glance at the Texans good-natured
face. "Only please don't grip my arm
SO tight. 1t hurts"
"Oh-ah-forgive mo! I forgot
myself" stammered Eben; and he
sank back i'll the seat again. "But
that name and the sight of those ap-
pies carried me back II great many
years, to people and place that /"
He did not finish the sentence, for
there was II sudden jar, n grinding
wrench that seemed to twist the long,
straight car to spiral, and Eben, the
train boy, the basket OF fruit and con-
fectionery, the car seats, Ebcn's two
valises and II confused mass OF broken
timbers and bent rods and girders
were crushed together in an indistin-
gulshable mass OF wreckage.
The New York and Chicago Limited
had jumped the track, owing to de-
fective rail, and the six cars compos-
ing the train had sstumbled over a
steep bank, and lay wreck in the
rocky ravine ut its base.
Eben Hallett was momentarilv
stunned by the shock, but he speedily
recovered himself, wormed his way
out from under the debris that was
piled upon him, and crawled through
shattered window OF the car,
"That was close shave!" he ex-
claimed, recovering his wonted cool
ness as soon rs he discovered that,
with the exception Of few scratches
and slight cut on the back OF his
hand, he was uniniured. ''Gracious
me-the apple boy!"
With the instructive chivalry of a
brave man, he had leaped down upon
the Cur again, upon finding that he
was unhurt, eager to render assistance
to his less fortunate fellow-passengers,
who were moaning with pain or shout
ing with terror under the heap OF
wreckage.
The first sight that met his eyes as
he peered through the window was the
face of the train-boy, half hidden
among the debris.
1t was white as death, and Eben's
heart throbbed sympathetically and
sorrowfully.
Those seats pin him down." he
muttered. "I'll soon have him out.
Hope he isn't dead"
he seized hold upon the wreckage,