The Southern herald., 1898-03-25

b ior funeral when they've been used
10 see the same man driyin' the bearSe
longs they can remember ard their
father afore them. It's borrowing IN a
mans feelin'S TO think of bisself nr
any Of his friends bein' laid away Inv
stranger; and it would take lone
while jest to get rid of that feelin', 10
say nothin' OF the inexperience of a
young man, You're well out of il: but
you'll have fun 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 ear for which they
had been waiting neared the switch, he
went out and grasped the motor-crank
with the air of Il 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
swinging his tin dinner pail between
his hands.
I've 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. lie
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 a 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
delay Of several minutes. Among the
crowd on the sidewalk were a happy-
faced woman, and little girl dressed in
white. One hand clasped her mothers
end the other eXcitedly waved a much
beruitled 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
ther!' 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 uu-
noticed by the crowd, and even the mo-
torman looked after the group without |
irowning.
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 a Chris
tiln; 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.
lie 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 ?" 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 II became a common
thing to see a small and excited figure
rush ont TO Mr.. knights gate and wave
her chubby hand at the motorman.
Somehow the sight so warmed the
grutf old fellows heart that he often
forgot to grumble for a whole trip.
One day that winter came the supreme
moment of Transformation in his life.
1t was a bright afternoon in late De-
cember, ard 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
on the track some distance
ahead. lie 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
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-
Icte grasped the child and jumped
lside as the car grated by with rasp-
ng sound like the snarl of am angry
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,
'ir. Lomison,' she said. "Will you
AXE me home TO my father?" And
Benjamin Lomison spent the rest of
hat day with the Knight family, laid r
III on tull pay.
As the weeks passed by it was OBJ
eryed that his expression had changed.
md the travellers were no longer re- =
yaled by his gloom.
"Well, Benny, you seem TO have for r
rot how to grumble," said our friend of i
he tin pail one day. il
"Yes, have" replied the motorman. {
i tell you when a man has it given him s
0 save such a child as little Mary Y
Knight, he amt no room to complain |
bout nothin'. There's only one draw II
,ack," and the old mournful look stole Y
,yer his face, "if her father had only S
ook to undertaken. Krape's dead and Il
is such a payin' business. But you d
ant have eyerything."-N. Y. Inde- a
ICndent D
Steamed apple PuddinE.
Line a mold with slices of bread and y
~. ia =. n 1o,.or ~ - anal . .-r.ton | II