The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-11-02

VIZ with an air which
V \ said as plainly as
though he had spoken, 81 was not
asleep, ladies and gentlemen-just
thinking!" and he took a 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 ranchers on the great plains of :
Western Texas called the Estates. "
There were only n few through pas
sengers, and they did not interest
him.
The oncoming train-boy did, or at
least the pile of ruddy-cheeked apples
in one corner of the basket he carried
did
81 swow!" muttered 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 in all the years of his
exile.
".Apples, sir?"
It 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 a tempt
ing specimen of the fruit. -~,-
"They are delicious eating, sir-the
most delicious of favors-can recon-
mend them. Two for five cents"
Recommend them, do your" said
Eben, quizzically.
eyes, street."
"Eat 'em yourself?"
81 might say that 1 was raised on
those apples, sir. They grow on our
place. l live mile from Talbot, the
next station beyond-get off there and
take the west-bound express back tc
Clinton. Have some, sir?"
"Hhey look nice, said Eben, medi
tatively. "What variety are they?"
eve call 'em the sheepfold ap
ples?"
WHAT
The exclamation came with sucl
suddenness that the boy started bacl
and glanced at his prospective custom
er apprehensively.
Eben had sprung from his seat, AM
his sinewy fingers were clutched abou
the lads arm in a wise like grip.
"Say that again! !" he cried, "Nc
sheepfold apples?"
That's what said, answered tn
boy, recovering his courage after on
glance at the Texans good-nature
face. "Only please don't grip my ar
so tight. 1t hurts.
J "Oh-ah-forgige mel 1 forge
myself" stammered Eben; and /
sank back in the seat again "Bu
that name and the sight of those al
pies carried me back great man
years, to people and place that /
S He did not finish the sentence, fC
f there was a sudden jar, grindin
wrench that seemed to twist the Ion;
! straight car to spiral, and Eben, I'll
u train-boy, the basket Of fruit and COZ
fectionery, the car seats, Eben's tv
valises and a confused mass of broke
q timbers and bent rods and girde
we're crushed together in an indisti
! guishable mass of wreckage.
u The New York and Chicago Limit,
}, had jumped the track, owing to d
# fective rail- and the six cars compc
ing the train had .tumbled over
. steep bank, and lay wreck in t
II rocky ravine at its base.
lie Eben Hallett was momentari
rs stunned by the shock, but he speed
= recovered himself, wormed his W
Z out from under the debris that "
Ut piled upon him, and crawled throu
OF a shattered window of the car,
n. ''That was a close shave!" he {
n claimed, recovering his wonted co
ness as soon as he discovered til
eu with the exception of few scratch
oi and a slight cut on the back of
lat hand, he was uninjured. "GraciC
Dl- me-the apple boy"
With the instructive chiyalry o
r brave man, he had leaped down up
Isl the car again, upon finding that
as was unhurt, eager to render assistal
to his less fortunate fellow-passenge
who we're moaning with pain or sho
10 ing with terror under the heap
,all Wreckage.
Tho first sight that met his eyes