The Van Buren press., 1898-03-12


for funeral when they've been used
to see the same man drivin' the hearse
longs they can remember aud their
father afore them. It's borrowing to
mans feelin's to think of hisself or
any of his friends bein' laid away by
stranger; and it would take long
while jest to get rid of that feelin', to
say nothin' of the ineXperience Of a
young man. You're we'll out of it; but
you'll have full as hard work to get a
start in furniture. I've known others
to try. | wish you luck; but you can
mark my words, Krape knows the town
and the town knows Krape."
And as the belated car for which they
had been waiting neared the switch, he
went out and grasped the motor-crank
with the air Of man who had put the
brakes on the career Of a personal foe
Our friend seems inclined to look
en- the dark side of things" said Mr.
Knight, with a smile.
The man across the aisle leaned over,
swinging his tin dinner pail between
his hands.
Eve been going over this road every
day for five years, and have yet to see
the time when Ben Lomison wasn't
complainin' or tryin' to discourage
somebody. We all know Ben. He
means well. Ben's as faithful as an
eight-day clock, but his grumble's as
stiddy as its tick
The gong sounded loudly as the car
rounded curve. and Mr., Knight rose
and nodded good-by to his companion,
This was the chief point on the route,
and the transfer of passengers caused a
delay of several minutes. Among the
crowd on the sidewalk were happy
faced woman, and little girl dressed in
white. One hand clasped her mothers
and the other exeitedly waved much
beruffled blue parasol, The little crea-
ture was dancing up and down in a rap
ture of delight and singing to herself:
Father is coming, dear father Oh!
| can hardly wait. There he is, mother
Look at me, dear father. Oh, dear ia
therl" Mr.. Knight caught up his little
daughter in his arms for moment, and
then the three moved away, the hus-
band and wife talking quietly together
while the child danced along between
them, kissing and fondling her fathers
hand. The little incident was not un-
noticed by the crowd, and even the mo-
torman looked after the group without
frowning.
by iingo!" laughed the man with
the tin pail, slapping his knee, "if old
Benny hain,t clean forgot hisself. He's
smilin' at them Knights like a Chris
tan; and he's forgot to ring the gong"
The next time the sad-eyed Benjamin
had a chance at The new man, Mrs
Knight was with him, and the small
Mary sat demurely between them. The
car stood on the switch as usual, and
the motorman occupied his corner.
He began with a heavy sigh, but
stopped when he saw the child whisper
ing to her father.
THAT is Mr.. Lomison, Mary" said
Mr.. Knight
Are you the man that brings my
father home p she said, in clear, sweet
voice. I'm going to watch for you
every day and wave my hand" And
the astonished Benny found himself
speeches., and, smiling at the little
maid, without trace of gloom on his
countenance, while she chatted away
in her childish treble till the car moved
on. After that it became a common
thing to see small and excited figure
rush out to Mr.. Knights gate and wave
her chubby hand at the motorman.
Somehow the sight so warmed the
gruff old fellows heart that he often
forgot to grumble for whole trip.
One day that winter came the supreme
moment of transformation in his life.
1t was a bright afternoon in late De-
eember, and the air was full of Christ
mas sights and sounds. As car No. s
came round the curve and started down
the slope, Ben saw heap of something
struggling on the track some distance
ahead. He rang the gong loudly and
put on the brake; but he knew the car
could not stop in time, and, to his hor-
ror, the struggling heap was a little girl
fallen and hopelessly tangled in the rope
Of her sled. The women shrieked and
hid their faces, and the men groaned
and swore under their breath. The
old man on the platform rose to the
heroic. 1t might mean death, but he
bounded down the track like an ath-
lcte, grasped the child and jumped
aside as the car grated by with rasp-
ing sound like the snarl of am angry
monster. The passengers crowded
around, but he had no eyes for any
one but the child who was patting and
kissing his big hand,
81 knew you wouldn't run over me,
Mr.. Lomison," she said "Will you
take me home to my fatherP" And
Benjamin Lomison spent the rest of
that day with the Knight family, laid
off on full pay.
As the weeks passed by it was OBJ
served that his expression had changed,
and the travellers were no longer re-
called by his gloom.
We'll, Benny. you seem to have for
got how to grumble," said our friend of
the tin pail one day.
"Yes, l have" replied the motorman.
81 tell you when a man has it given him
to save such a child as little Mary
Knight, he amt no room to complain
about nothin'. There's only one draw
back" and the old mournful look stole
over his face, "if her father had only
took 10 undertaken. Krape's dead and
it's such a payin' business. But you
can't have everything."-N. Y. indie