The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-01-11

~ SeGm ID run III pGIpGlu8G
~ Q sunshine and roses. Some
H. e. are rounded 60 darker lines
E running always beside the
~YCT deeper abysses of tragedy.
NCS$| Some there are who live
their -cureescore and drop out of exis.
tence, and the memory of them for
good or iii, ceases with the tolling of
the bell that tells their going. Aud
there are some, short little lives, to be
sure, but so brim full of sweetness that
the sunshine Of them fingers in the
hearts of those who knew them long
long after the little lives are ended.
When Jack Conner was promoted to
the position of engineer on the Nash
vile and Chattanooga read, which cuts
the State of Tennessee from north to
south, he moved his family into the
pretty little cottage standing side by
side With crippled Jerry Cranes, on the
hill jus5 above the railroad track, in
the little village of Antioch. For the
engineer was from home most of the
time, and Jerry being a cripple, Jack
knew, would insure his own wife con-
siderable company and protection in
Jerry's wife.
The houses stood eide by side, and
both doors opened towards the railroad.
The village, indeed, was built So
straight dow the railroad, for the train
was about the biggest thing around
Antioch.
Jack Connor's cottage stood on a hill,
50 near to the track that he could speak
to his wife from his engine when she
stood in the door, as she usually did, 20
see No. 6 go by.
The tralnmen were pretty we'll &C,
Quainted with the Antioch people in
general, but there was not n among,
from conductor down, who aid not
know OK Connor's son.
Little jack" they called him; and
the train Y whistled for Antioch
bus they would look cut for the little
fellow hoiz5ed on the ~w0od-pile to see
i5tather's engine go by.
He SELDOM vent farther than the
Wood-pile: that was his mothers order,
though the brakeman and the train
butcher" would sometimes try 20 coax
him Gown 10 tna platform with apples
ana a5icks of striped candy. But he
would snake his elbow curls and throw
them q kiss as the long train pulled out
Sometimes his mother would take
him down TO speak to his father, and
the little fellow would almost go wild
over the pig engine and the glowing
furnace, the great bell changing q hasty
good by, and the shrill whistle,
which more than once he had been
permitted to pull"
Just naturally takes to the engine, ,
the fireman would often say gets thai
from his pappy."
And JACK did seen to have a natural
love for a locomotive. Jerry Crane
used to say:
Il can alIus tell when the cyars are
COming-there's a sapbang of neighbol
Connor's door, a click of the gate, and
ina minute a little yallow head top ov
q big pile of wood; and when I see it
allus say to my wife, Mary, the cyarc
are coming And she looks out, not al
the railroad track, but at the wood
pile, and says she, Yes, they are com
ing, jerry"
Sometimes a neighbor would pass
and speak to him:
any news today, jacks"
Fathers abroad to day, SIR" hE
would answer; or else, There's 6
bridge down between here and Chatta
nOosa;" or, mo 6 will be fifteen min
utes late to-day, sir"
Healways had something to tell, and
1t was mostly of the trains or the
track, engines or wrecks. Anything
that concerned the railroad was inter
es.lng &c Jack.
Hs had his fathers head, the train
men said, but the neighbOrs declared
ne had his mothers sunny, hopeful
helpful nature.
But n day trouble came to heE
Goor. Engineer Connor was brought
aome in a caboose, both legs mashed
aaa an arm gone, while his engine lay
u a ruined heap under a broken bridge
Just beyond the Tennessee River.