The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1904-07-15


Californian quietly took his seat.
Doggedly the conductor gave the
| lady a check and went on taking fares.
When he reached our gentle-eyed,
elderly man, the latter said:
Are you quite sure, now, that the
lady had not already given you a
| ticket? I think she had"
"Who cares what you Think"
"Well, you may not care; and yet,
opinions are of much Importance in
| this world. l would rather have a
man think we'll than i'll of me. Now
my opinion is that you have the ladys
ticket in your left-breast-pocket, for
saw you place it there
"You lie!" shouted the conductor.
The Californian sprang to his feet,
but when he caught sight of the elder
ly mans placid face he paused, and,
with a satisfied smile, sat down.
"It neither requires cultivated mind
| nor a high moral character to enable
| one to call another liar" said the
| elderly man gently. 81 will undertake
| to settle this matter in a different way:
You will return to that kind gentleman
his money"
Eyes, will" sneered the conductor
| who are your
"The president of this road. You
| may look at these credentials, If you
| like"
The conductor stood staring at his
superior, unable to utter word.
"You will return the money!
Mechanically the conductor obeyed
the order.
81 will wire the division superintend-
ent from the next station. You, OF
course understand my meaning. You
| can take the train through to the END
| of your division, being careful to full
| fill all your duties to the letter, re-
Numbering that criminal courts are
sometimes more rigorous than railway
| companies"
| Retribution so swift and from a
source so unexpected was too much fol
| the already excited passengers, and
the condutor had scarcely passed to the
next car before they broke into q
round or applause.
Gimme yer hand, old boy-Oh! ex-
! cuse me-Mr. President" cried the
| Californian. 81 was going for him
| myself for calling you liar, but some
how or other l saw you didn't neet
me. Didn't he wilt! Oh! didn't he
wilt, The puppy! Insult an old lady!
| | thought when l left California thai
was coming to Gods country, but
this kind of thing is new to me. Dc
you know what he'd be in five minutes
out our way? No? Crowbait!" He
thrust his big hands into his pockets
and laughed fiercely to himself. "Yor
see," he went on, recalling his auditors
cit kind of rifles me to think of any
ones mistreating an old lady. l have
a mother myself-or I hope I have,
he added more softly; 'and just tt
think of her being treated that way!
| Why, I haven't seen mother for q
years, ran away from home in 40
when I was boy and went to Califor
mia; went in rough and tumble tt
make money-made some, mos
enough But I tell you 1 used to liz
awake nights thinking of mother;
wondering if she would look mucf
older, and wishing hadn't run off,"
He was sitting on the arm of his seat
addressing the mild-eyed railway presi
dent. The passengers were intently
| listening, but he went on unconsciou!
of them, driven by the force of hi
long pent-up emotions: I'm goins
home to mother-going to finish III
being a boy-if she is alive! and In
| going to take care of her as long a.
she lives"
Just then the deep poke" bonnie
turned and the old lady looked arOunt
at the burly stranger with anxious
embarrassed diffidence. Her hair wal
white, and her face, beautiful even IL
old age, was glorified by the luster o
her gentle brown eyes.
did you say you are from Califor
MAJ" she asked.
For a moment it seemed that tn,
big fellow was going to choke, bu
whatever his affection may have been
he overcame it Immediately and re
piled that he had "lived in Californi;
for some time"
81 wonder if you knew my boy?
|, she said eagerly. 81 have a boy II
California, somewhere-or I did hav'
once. Don't you know him."
81 have known a great many men Il
California. What was his name?"
ooh! certainly forgot to tell hi
name! My boys name was George.
But there are so many Georges, h
answered, strange expression on hi
bronzed face.
80 sir! you must excuse me, bu
there is only one George in all tn
world to me. His name is George Ben
son.
How eagerly she watched his face!
George Benson? George Benson?
he repeated slowly as if trying to re
call the name. Somehow that doe
sound familiar. But then, I've know
SO many men in California" For
moment he turned his face away, Their
looking into her anxious eyes, said:
Il do remember him now. Used t
live in B didn't >he?"
Eyes," she answered eagerly.
left home in 40, didn't he?"
ssVac tha tenth of Anri1 Oh If mus