The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-02-10


to see the same man drivin' the hearse
longs they can remember and their
father afore them. It's borrowing to a
mans feelin's to think of hisself or
any of his friends bein' laid away by a
stranger; and it would take long
while jest to get rid of that feelin'. TO
sny nothin' of the ineNperiencc of a
young man. You're well out of it: but
you'll have full as hard work to get Il
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."
Aud as the belated car for which they
had been waiting neared the switch, he
went out and grasped the motor-crark
with the air of man who had put the
brakes on the career of a personal foe
Our friend seems inclined to look
on the dark side of things" said Mr..
Knight, with smile.
The man across the aisle leaned over,
his hands.
"lve 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 grumblc's as
stiddy as its tick
The gong sounded loudly as the car
rounded curve. and Mr.. Knight rose
aud nodded pood-by to his companion.
This was the chief point on the route,
and the transfer of passengers caused
delay Of several minutes. Among he
crowd on the sidewalk were a happy
faced woman, and little girl dressed in
white. One hand clasped her mothers
and the other excitedly waved a much
hcruilled blue parasol. The little crea-
ture was dancing mp and down in 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 fa-
ther!" Mr.. knight caught up his little
daughter in his arms for a 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 jingo!" 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 Chris
tian; and he's forgot to ring the gong"
The next time the sad-eyed Benjamin
had 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 nv
father home ~ 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
speechless, 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 trim.
One day that winter came the supreme
moment of Transformation in his life.
1t was bright afternoon in late De-
cember, and the air was full of Christ
mas sights and sounds. As car No. 8
came round the curve and started down
the slope, Ben saw a 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 little girl
fallen and hopelessly tangled in the rope
OF her sled. The women shrieked and
ma 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-
lete, grasped the child and jumped
aside as the car grated by with a 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
Il knew you wouldn't run over me,
Mr.. Lomison,' she said. "Will YOU
take me home to my father?" 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,
ana the travellers were no longer re-
galed by his gloom
wen, Benny, you seem to have for
got how TO grumble," said our friend of
the tin pail one day.