The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-09-11
4 No THAT MEANT no,


fine Young fellow was "Tom" Jeffreys.
strong. pieasant and good looking. He was
but eighteen when he first began "railroad-
ing" but he could set brake with the best.
When his clear, deep voice announced the
stations. people listened and made no mis-
take. Old ladies caught the gieam OF his
pleasant eye, and let him help them on anu
off with grateful surprise. Mothers with
more children than they could manage, tired
women bundle-laden, and old men, recoS-
nized friend and made use OF hlm. NOR
were the railroad Off ,ials blind to the young
mans. helpfulness and popularity. ana
although Tom did not dream it, ne was on
list that meant promotion.
The young brakeman's easy going good
nature, however, was drawback IN one
direction. He disliked to say "no.' When
the train reached A. he always had
two hours to spare. In that time some OF
the boys were sureto say: "Come, Tom, let's
90 to the barber's."
Now, this sounded very innocent, but IN
the BARRIERS back room was green door
which opened on stairway leading into
drinking bar. Here the men used to gather,
few at the time, to have "a little some
thing" -,
Tom usually said his good-natured mo"
that meant reluctant ''yes," and ended by
going. He never felt wholly ut ease when
taking mis- beer. He would not have gone
for II alone. Over and over again ne
acknowledged to himself that 1t was the
laughter of his chums that took. his courage
away, and so things went on. A year slipped
by, and beer had become almost an everyday
drink with him, when one afternoon ne was
summoned from the 'barbers shop" TO the
office.
:.Jeffreys," said the superintendent, when
Lo,- Dl6AE60
with the way in which your duties have been
performed on the road in the past. and find
we need another conductor" The gentle.
man stopped. and the pleasant smile was
zone. "Mr. Jeffreys. your breath tells me
that YOU have been drinking"
"Only a little beer, sir said poor Tom,
II am very sorry," replied the superin-
tendent. "but that will be all to-day. You
may CO."
The Young man left the Office down-east,
disheartened. What he had been wishing
for, what he had so nearly gained, mad been
lost through his own misconduct. As ne
thought of it his good-natured lips took
frmer curve.
over to the barber's?"
''No!' replied Tom.
"Oh, come on, what's struck you?'
THAT barber has shaved me all he ever
willI' was the answer.
Although Toms mo" seemed very. de.
termined in its sound, there was something
wanting in il. He felt it, and when after a
few days. the real longing for glass OF
liquor began to make itself felt, it seemed az
if the "no" would be 'yes" in spite OF him.
SELF .,
"No use in lockin' the barn door: now"
said his chum: ''the horse is stole; tne
.snner' knows you've taken smile now
and then. and he'll never forget it. Better
be young while you can.
Tom still said ''no," but the little negative
grew weaker and weaker: the next thing 1t
would be "yes." When this was almost ac-
complished, spurred by his danger and re, re
said an earnest prayer for strength.
And then," he SAID, II learned to speak q! a
mo- that all the men on the road couldn't
turn into YES"