The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1895-11-23
GRIPMAN M'CHUNK.

Through the rough wool and warp
that mndo up tho character Of Gripman
Andrew McChunk there ran silver
thread OF sentiment To those who sim
ply saw tho uncouth exterior Of the
man. as day after day no stood upon tho
front platform OF tho car over whose
performances no presided. playing rude
ly on tho alarm gong, swearing Mt the
truckmon who would block his trium-
phal passage this would have seemed al
most impossible But the thread was
there nevertheless and showed itself ON
every afternoon when ho was OF duty,
and with two youngsters, the property
OF his landlady. Mrs. Ilalligan. hang
ing to each hand, he left tho small fiat
on tho fifth floor OF 1904 Ninth avenue
and botook himself to Riverside park.
Gripman McChunk loved nature not
NJ she reveals herself in tho dollhouse
atmosphere OF tho so called gardens that
line the Harlem but as she discloses
herself on the Riverside. He loved the
broad, silent stream. the high. wooded
palisades, the green grass mt his feet,
the green leaves above his head. in
which tho birds chirpcd and fluttered to
and fro on tho balmy summer days.
Many a pleasant afternoon ns he stroll
ed along tho narrow gravel pathways he
would close his eyes to shut out the
sight Of the endless line OF equipages
rolling by. and trusting to the guidance
Of tho children at his side would listen
to the twitter of the sparrows and rob
ms and TO the swishing Of tho breeze
among the carefully pruned branches
and imagine himself back up country.
Now, had he not had some little senti-
mcnt no would have spent those same
afternoons sitting in his shirt sleeves by
the open window of Mrs. Halligan's
stuffy fiat smoking his pipe and gazing
stoidly down on the elevated trains as
they ratified along below.
To the man who delights in wander
ing among green trees and over green
grass, where he can see overhead few
thousand acres Of blue sky dotted with
white clouds, unsoiled by black smoke
and unbroken by the rough outlines Of
factory chimneys, the time always comes
when in imagination a purely ethereal
some one gazes with him on those same
beauties. Perhaps IL takes form of a crea-
ture clad in light, airy drapery, with
long, golden hair, deep blue eyes and
seraphic smile. Andrew McChunk. when
, no first began to stroll ON the Riverside,
went alone with the exception of the
two Halligan children. Then, as the
days flew by, the purely ethereal crea-
ton walked with him, and those were
, the times when he used to close his eyes
, and squeeze little Miss Halligan's hands
quite tenderly. Later the ideal form
took upon itself change; the golden
, hair assumed dull red hue; tho eyes
I once blue became snappy black; the
! form shortened little and spread out
in proportion; the airy draperies were
, changed into solid red calico. In fact,
r the ideal spmo one that once walked by
the side OF Andrew McChunk became
the exact counterpart of the buxom
> young woman who dispensed lemonad,
and knotty apples from a small stand al
, tho southeast corner of Trinity church
o yard.
I Who was this creature? Andrew Nc
Chunk did not know her name. He nj.
A ways thought Of her as "her" and
''she " Her customers know her az
Q plain Annie.
r McChunk had presided over CABLE
0 car for whole year before he first oam'
@ beneath her softening influence Fo
/, that year no had been the most daring
! gripman ON the whole line His con
Z science never smote him in the leas
: when he flew by forlorn females "a OF
rainy days they stood on the corners
frantically waving their umbrellas. M
look of compassion ever passed acros
+ his stolid face whom he left behind hin
T. truckman holplessly dancing abou
. broken wheels and axlos
a Then tho change came--slowly. sure
j. ". One day as his car was spinning b,
Q Trinity churchyard his eye fell upol
b the form OF her. She had taken tn
e place OF tho old woman who for year
= had kept the stand there and was sit
Q ting beneath the shade Of green Urn
g brolla With one eye she kept watc
. upon her glass covered case. in whic
q ghstenod tho surfaces Of numberles
o blocks Of chocolate Of various sizes
= with the other upon her customers,
l. whom she was dispensing and cen
n glasses OF lemonade. She was n shoi
n woman. not over 35 perhaps and IN
J. wavy red hair, n complexion not unlik
p that OF the apples In the basket befor
Is her and broad countenance beamin
y with good nature.
= Tho very next day ON his down tri
:" Andy McChunk looked her way agar
y and the next day. and the next day. unit
"a at length no acquired tho habit
straining his eyes to see her from sewers
blocks up the street But she never nj
tioed him until one day when passiu
y he petulently jumped ON the gong pin
I" Then she looked up. and their eyes me
e She smiled, and no smiled, and the ca
a. banged into truck A moment late
=, as be spun by Andy McChunk smile
III bis unconcorn ut profane and injur,
driver Ii was for tho first time In h
=. career on the road.
~ After that as he clattered along I
y, ward the ohurchyard he used TO poui
~ the alarm. Then she would look up M
90 smile. and bis JOY was complete Al
thus bis love grew VI ON him. TIT