Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-08-20
bins house rose up almost beside them


"Why," she cried, "there's Daddy
Hunt down on the track! How doyou
ever suppose he got there?"
Daddy Hunt was an old blind col
Ored man who lived alone in tumble
down hut near the railroad, refused to
go to the poorhouse and would have
died of starvation long before had it
not been for Mrs. Stebbins, who was
wont to declare that she hated beggars
in general. never gave them anything
and hoped this one in particular would
die, with the very same breath in
which she asked what clothes he
needed or gave him the run of her or
chard or kitchen garden.
The old man stood in the middle of
the tracks, tapping fearfully about
with his worn old cane and grasping
by legs lively and defiant chicken,
who was persistently doing her best
to bewiider and annoy her present
owner.
"Guess he must have tumbled in,
said Gus languidly, as he pointed to
q place where the embankment gave
evidence of a recent slide. Hello,
Daddy, where'd you steal that
chicken?"
81 didn't steal him, replied the old
man Indignantly, "Mis' Stebbins just
dun glib him to me, al 1 wisht you
uns d come down here and kill him.
1 darsen't le' go m stick. an he gifts
tive IL m legs SOS 1 can't walk no.
how. Keep still dar!" And he gave
the offending fowl shake which sent
it into series of frantic squawks and
struggles.
"Throw her away then, Daddy. she's
no good," suggested Gus, and the
young folks laughed as the old man
set up loud and indignant protest.
But as the sound died away they
turned to each other with strained
white faces, for coming toward them
was another sound, swiftly rushing
roar that deafened every other noise
about as it rang out from the mar
row cut below them. =
Daddy heard and understood it too.
'De train, de train" they heard him
cry. (Which way, which way?" and
he turned helplessly round and round,
cropping in his pitiful blind way with
both stick and chicken.
"To the right, Daddy, to the
right" cried Gus Sanderly wildly, as
he leaned down over the bank, for
each one knew it was too late now to
climb down and lead him safely off.
Mechanically the old man turned,
his hands relaxed with fright, the
chicken felt it, made last dash for
liberty, and as he grasped to save her
the shuffllng feet stumbled, and he
fell just in the track of the advancing
train. He was up in moment, but
so frightened that as Gus shouted
frantically at him to move, move but
yard and he would be safe, he
merely turned his sightless eyes i'm
ploringly toward the voice and stood
silently facing them.
Eudora saw the engine rushing
round tho curve, then with cry
threw both arms before her face and
sank down on the path, while Gus
stood by her, motionless with fear
and horror.
And then, above the rush aud roar
and rattle of the train, Eudora heard
hot the shrek of awful agony for
which she waited, but wildly ring
ing cheer, and when she looked again
the cars were rushing swiftly by, and
she and Gus were standing all alone
upon the bank-for little Joe had
vanished.
"Where"--she began, and then she
saw the train had passed, and she saw
him saw him lying helpless on the
farther track, side by side with Daddy
Hunt, and the next moment she had
slid, stumbled, rolled-she knew not
how down the steep bank and was
bending over him.
"It was the bravest thing I ever
saw" Gus Sanderly was saying
brokenly. "He jumped, you know,
just as the train was almost there. He
jumped right down before the engine
and the force of it knocked him and
Daddy both safe over here. But,
George it was close shave" and the
big man gazed admiringly down at the
little one, who lay bruised and bat.
tered and almost senseless below.
But old Daddy, though rather
shaken was unhurt. "He uns saved
my life," he admitted grumblingly,
"but e might q been more gentle
like about it-'e knocked dat chicken
clean out.n my hans an 'e's gone."
Eudora turned abont with flashing
eyes. "Daddy Hunt" she exclaimed,
eff I ever hear you say anything like
that again Til never let mn give you
another thing. Remember now! Mr..
Sanderly, you help Daddy home,
I'll take care of Mr.. Sampson" And
this time she really and truly did lift
her little lover up into her strong
young arms, and, walking down to
where the cut ended, just below her
own home, she disappeared from view,
leaving big Gus stricken dumb with
wonder and amazement.
Not once did she falter. Past two
grinning boys she stalked, past their
curious "hired help past her aston.
ished mother, never stopping till she
had laid her precious burden down
upon the sacred surface of the best
spare bed.
Then she leaned close over him
with strange new light in her dark
eyes. Joe" she said softly, Joe,
don't thinl, any more that it's the
outside of ~ man that counts-it's
only what's in him. And-and joe
II think I'll have to marry You,
after all, just toto take care of you,
yOu know"
And somehow, for all his broken
arm, Joe Sampson "came to" with
astounding rar: lity. Cleveland Plain
Dealer.
Red, White and Blue Trees.
New Haven has novel exhibition
of the national colors. On one of the