The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1894-01-20

urSt WOruS Oh encouragement hc hou
ever received, and there was some sub
tie, indefnable quality in her words
that gave them potency and force
The next two days were important
ones in Butchs history. An obvious
change in his demeanor was inaugu-
rated. People to whom he had been
impudently saucy noticed that he was
now deferentially polite. Such irregu-
| larities as dirty hands and soiled coll
lars were modified. he appeared with
his shoes brightly polished, and, in
stead of the slouching, loose way, he
held himself in manly manner. He
made the round trip to Chattanooga
once In two days. When he returned
to that city he found the Red Birds at
the train to meet him. "Pve backed
out boys he said, decisively, and then
in tone of fnality: "I'm not gong"
His decision was so manifestly ulti-
mate that the boys did not argue with
him. On the second morning the school
girls besieged the train rs usual. Butch
was on the lookout, but was disap-
pointed to see that Miss Sadie Stan
ming, for such he had learned the name
of his young friend to be, found seat
with the others. He passed through
the car and was delighted to see that
she recognized him. He tipped his hat
politely
During the year that followed Butch
made no visible progress toward the
goal of his ambition. He became
brighter. cleaner, larger, more polite
and popular, but remained news
\, &.,1,x .<s1 L..
aged, although half of the time Sadie
Stannings school was closed and she
ceased to ride on the train altogether.
He got glimpses of her now and then
as the train rushed through Marietta
and she would seemingly wave her
handkerchief in answer to his saluta'
tion. II guess she thinks I'm fraud"
he reflected sadly; 81 told her was
going to be conductor at twenty -one.
and here | am news-butch at nearly
eighteen"
| just when his hopes were lowest
what he had hoped for happened.
PRESLEY, Capt. Dicks baggage master,
was promoted to the conductorship
of freight train, and Capt. Dick
recommended Butch for the vacancy.
for the youth and saw in him the MAX
ing of man. In few days Butch
was given the place and became rail-
roader. He was wild with hope; the
! first taste of success fired him to
stronger endeavor and he worked
| harder than ever. The worst feature
of his new position was that it kept
him confined to the baggage car, and
then he could never see Miss Staining.
1t became a habit of his to stand in the
door of his car of mornings and seem
ingiy bow to her Hoskins, the flag
man, was an accommodating fellow, and
Butch would call him into his car and
ask: "If Miss Staining was sitting with
anyone?" If Hoskins shook his head,
there would be an ipsta-nt excla4ge OF
caps and places and Butch would pro-
ceed through the car. In this way he
saw her frequently, but she discour-
aged his visits. saying: You'd better
get back to your carif you expect to be
a conductor at twenty-one. You look
that old now"
The hope that Butch fostered of some
day being conductor had something
more fascinating behind it than tho
mere realization. AS the months
heightened into years he began to
realize what this was With his aspira-
tion Miss Staining was inseparably
connected. Without her he would
have been-a Red Bird. And without
her, being conductor was scarcely
preferable to being a Red Bird. He
weighed the matter over many times
in his mind Each time he reached the
conclusion that Miss Staining had
been and must continue to be the
strongest factor in his life.
Her school days were over, but she
was occasionally passenger on his
train. He seemed an object of less in
terest to her now that he was fairly on
the way to the attainment of his hopes
than he had been when mere news
butcher. She always talked to him
frankly, cncouragingly. He felt that
with her always by his side to inspire
him he could do even greater things
than becoming conductor.
Butch reached his twenty-first year
without receiving his promotion. For
three years he had toiled with trunks
and reports and added to his stock of
patience. 1t was hard work, but he
did it cheerfully. The year wore away
without q sign of his advancement.
He wondered what she thought of it.
He knew he had done his best; he had
worked hard as slave; he had been
arraigned before the superintendent
for some apparent remissness, only to
be .ave9 by Capt Dick, his stanch
friend. 1t was his purpose to go at
once to Marietta when he received his
promotion and ask Miss Staining to
be his wife, but it was so long delayed
that his patience at last gave out. One
day he asked that man be put in his
place ior one trip, and when he said
that he was going to Marietta, Hos
lins winxed violently.
! was bold proceeding, and Butch
began to realize it when he reached
Marietta. AS love making goes, he had
never made love TO Sadie. He had
! talked with her Il great deal, but their
conversation had been on topics widely
removed from the tender sentiment.
Yet he was not without hope She re.
ceived him with cordial surprise
"You are too young to marry she
said calmly. after listening to his
avowal, much too young. You have
scarcely laia the foundation for youl
future yet. In five years you may be
in a different position and of far diff.
fereIit mind"