The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-03-17
must have that. Marvin make Jackins
an elegant acknowledg ment. but he hes

dA c1cSdnl dChHOWIcuSlueHts DuL AS AeS-*
itated abaut leaving the others.
When the train was about to start
Jackins called them 'all young ras-.
calls, and said next time they'd deserve
to be thrashed, but he'd see what he
could do. He hurried them into the.
caboose, and ut every station he lee
tureds them on their folly. rs
DR.. Shoreditch made them refund the
price of their ride, and they gave Jack
ms testimonial in the shape of book.
which Jackihs looked at queerly, and
said he reckoned there was some
nightly good reading inside.
After this Jackins never passed the
campus without peculiar whistle, a
sign that he remembered his friends,
so that one afternoon a long wall from
the throttle was something out of the
ordinary. @... (. @> ...,
The boys stopped their tennis long
enough to ask: whats up with Jack
ins?"
That night at table the doctor re-
marked to the head-master: II hear the
North & West is about to institute
the educational test among it's en-
ployes. All who are found deficient will
be dismissed"
ut only goes as far as an ability to
read and WRITE" replied the younger
man. Few will lose by it,
Eyes. One exception, perhaps, with
us-that's Jackins. But he has been
one of the most faithful and valued
men in the service for 30 years, ever
since this branch of the road twas
built. These reforms are often hard in
individual instances"
Afterward Marvin, Gregory and Tup-
per went down to look for Jackins,
who lived in little bit of house back
of the station. From the door he could
see his engine on the track.
His wife made cookies for DR.. Shore
d;tch's boys; now she was away, and
he sat on the step alone. He laid his
pipe down on the step and looked de-
jectedly across the rails at the shining
brass bell and throttle.
Marvin had suggested that unless
Jackins had mentioned the subject it
would be better not to speak of it; but
Upper brought it about unconscious
ly by saying: 'What sort of signal
was that you gave us to-day? Was there
anything wrong?"
Jackins began his explanation cir
cautiously: "When I was body we
didn't have all these schools and COL
leges and one thing and another to
learn people in my country. I lived
near where the people was called crack
ers.' My mother was a widow-woman,
with three head o. children to look out
for, and the first thing I remember is
diggin' alongside her in the cornpatch.
An by an by she grew weaker an
weaker-yo' see she was sickly-an'
then there was more diggin' for me by
myself, cause the children had to have
something to eat an to wear, an it all
had to come out of the ground.
'They set up school for three
months in the winter" he proceeded
1.-THE children went, but I didn't have
any time. Somebody had to stay around
home. I picked up some spellin' from
the rest OF 'em, an after awhile moth
er died, an we stayed together until
the youngest went off to the mines an
sister got a home of her own. worked
around until ], found myself up here. I
was hand in the yard first, then fire.
man, then engineer, an engineer I've
been ever since-for well-nigh 30 year
l can't think somehow o. bein' anything
else"
He took up his pipe, but laid it down
again, and went on apologetically. "You
see, I've never had much time for books
Not but what after married Jane !
mightn't "a learned some on the
evenin's instead o sittin' still an
hearin' her talk; but didn't. And
the consequence is I amt much of
reader; but don't know as I'm any
the worse engineer on that account.
They amt been an accident on the
Short Line in all these years, unless
we CONT Mr.. Lawrens' cow
Its too bad Topper whispered.
"Oh, no. It's all right. When a COM
pany makes rule all it's men ought tc
abide by it. Iain't sayin' nothin' against
that. But-you see, think heap O.
that engine, as if it was horse, an it
will come strange to see anybody else
cleanin' the brasses an drivin' her
down the road. l reckon I can get
plenty O. work elsewheres, but when
a mans stuck to one thing for 30 years
he wants to keep on to the end"
when does the new rule go into eff
fect?"
"Abont April"
''Then you have nearly six months"
six months is an awful long time,
Jackins," said Topper; couldn't you
brush up bit?''
Jackins had hid the morning paper
behind the door when he saw the boys
coming. He drew it out and followed
the headlines with an awkward fore
finger.
II was thinkin' about it myself; an
got this paper that somebody throwed
away an set to work. But all these
words is strangers to me. Now an
then I see some old acquaintance.
Here's and, Was, b-e-e-n, an SO an
if. remember them. But what's this
A-r-b-i-t-r-a-t-i-o-n?"
"That's arbitration. You must take
one syllable at time"
''Then again. said Jackins, "the old
er yo' are the harder it is to get things
like this through yo' head. That's why
I always tell you boys to study every
thing you can get hold of while yo're
young"
Mrs. Jackins came up with a basket
of sugar and spices on her arm. She
entered into the subject at once.
II tell Jackins not to give up. Any
man as can run engine like, him can
harm tn read newSDaper in five