The Washington times., 1901-07-14
His Last Trip

The train boy watched the quiet man in
| the dark blue suit with some curiosity.
| He was a quiet man, and yet strangely
! restless. At every station he would rise
| from his seat and step out on the rear
/ platform of the ear. If there was sufii-
cient time he would go out on the station
platform and walk up and down. When
| he returned to his seat his eyes were
| either on the landscape. or on his watch
| or or a bundle of papers he drew from an
| inner pocket.
The train boy was in the habit of study
| ing the passengers. He set this particular
! passenger down as an amateur traveller
who was afraid he might miss something.
Business was dull with the train boy. 1t
was hot June day. and customers were
! scarce when the thermometer climbed up
! in the eighties. and the air was fun of
! dust, and the flying landscape was al
most painful to look at in its dazzling
brightness. The train boy had stacked up
| his goods on a seat at one end OF the car.
| lie felt a little lonesome, and slowly
! strode up the car aisle. He paused be-
| side seat on which sat a grey haired
woman of very neat but unassuming APP
| pearance. The boy stopped over.
Anything can get for you, grandma p
he asked in his CHEEKY way. Drink of
water?'
The elderly woman looked up and smil-
ingly shook her head.
IAN right" said the boy. tYou Just mo-
| ton to me if there's anything you need
I'll be round somewhere"
He moved along until he came to the
quiet man, WHO for the moment happen
ed to be idle. The boy percfNd himself
on the arm of the opposite seat The
quiet man looked up at him. He was
still young man, but with a face that
seemed to bear the impress of much ex-
perience. He knit his brows slightly as
he looked the boy over.
sit down. my lad" he said. as he
pointed to the seat in front of him,
which was turred over so as to face the
quiet mans seat.
The train boy took the seat. He look
ed up at the quiet man.
Guess it's your first trip over the Hne.s
amt it?'' he asked
What makes you think so?"
You're so fidgety." said the
boy. You're afraid you're going to-
miss something. It seems a little funny
to me. you know, cause I've been over
the road every blessed day for the last
four years"
You know all about it then?" said the
quiet man
Don't I2'' laughed the boy. Il used 20
make study of il. but 1 got tired of
that When 1 first came on was lit-
tie scared. you know. 'Fraid we'd jump
the track or the treEtles. or something.
An I used to listen to the old clumpety-
dumping until it sort o made songs for
me, an after while there was kind
of song for every piece O. the road"
l. a
quiet man.
Il guess not" laughed the boy. Being
train boy will knock the poetry out Of
fellow bout as quick as anything, 1
guess.
Perhaps you are right" said the quiet
man. Il was a train boy for little
while myself"
Your cried the boy He laughed as If
the idea amused him. II don't believe you
was much good at it, he said You
haven't got enough check
Well said the quiet man with a
laugh, that family echoed the boys, Il
didn't keep the job long. I was rather
glad, 1 remember. when I was promoted
to brakeman. and still more glad when 1
left that job TO be a telegraph operator"
"Weli, say" cried the boy. you know
more about railroadfng than I gave you
credit for"
But feel pretty sure you know d
good deal more about this particular piece
OF railroading than 1 do said the quiet
man.
Perhaps" said the boy Guess I can
tell the poor spots along the line about
as well as anybody I know there's
sharp curve just this side o Bnletsburg
that ought to be Strengthened. And there's
a rough piece near BdynevilIe that needs
relayin'. An I know were goin' to str kc
the worst section OF all when we pass Ke-
torah. They've been talking about relay
ing 1t for months. but they don't do it,
Yes. said the quiet man as he drew
paper from his pocket and penciled a note
on the margin.
so you're a railroad man?' continued
the boy, as he studied the strangers ap-
,)earance.
I'm something of a railroad man." was
the reply. What branch would you i'm
agine me to be in?"
The boy looked him over carefully.
Well he said, Il guess you're a
freight conductor goin home TO spend
your vacation with your mother"
The quiet man laughed aloud.
"A good guess" he said, and laughed
again. Then he added, Il suppose you are
Bldu 10 spend your vacations with your
mother"
"Me?" said the train boy. II don't re
member that l ever had a mother. I'm
just a boy out of the streets. An aunt
that turned me adrift is the only relative
remember. Besides. L don't have any
vacations"
Didn't l hear you call one of the pas
seagers grandma" enquired the quiet
man
Yes" replied the boy. 'I called her
that because she looks like the kind Of
grandma a boy would like to have. I've |
had my eye on her ever since she came
aboard 1T Berwick. She knows I'm look |
in ost for her an it makes her feel more
comfortable. Every trip now l look out
for somebody-just pick EN- out, you |
know, an kind O. keep watchful eye on |
'em. II makes the ride n little more pleas
ant for them. you know, an 1 guess it |
does me some good, too. An besides, ii |
helps To pass away the time"
The stranger looked at the boy with a |
new interest.
What's your name?" he asked.