The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-07-22

DOSSeuly Lu0 CONDUCTOR. gave the
lady a check and went on taking fares.
When he : reached our gentle-eyed,
elderly man, the latter said: :,
care 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. would rather have a
man think we'll than i'll of me. Now
my opinion is that you have the lady's
ticket in your left-breast-pocket, for I
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.
1T neither requires cultivated mind
nor high moral character to enable
one to call another a liar" said the
elderly man gently. II will undertake
to settle this matter in different way:
You will return to that kind gentleman
his money"
eyes, will" sneered the conductor.
"Who are your
1.-THE president of this road. You
may look at these credentials, If you
like"
The conductor stood staring at his
superior, unable to utter a word.
you will return the money"
Mechanically the conductor obeyed
the order.
II 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-
membering that criminal courts are
sometimes more rigorous than railway
companies"
Retribution SO swift and from a
source so unexpected was too much for
the already excited passengers, and
the condutor had scarcely passed to the
next car before they broke into a
round of applause.
Gimme yer hand, old boy-Oh! ex-
cuse me-Mr. President" cried the
Californian. II was going for him
myself for calling you liar, but some
how or other l saw you didn't need
me. Didn't he wilt! Oh! didn't he
wilt! The puppy! Insult an old lady!
l thought when I left California that
was coming to Gods country, but
this kind Of thing is new to me. Do
you know what he'd be in five minutes,
out our way? No? Crow-bait!" He
thrust his big hands into his pockets
and laughed flercely to himself. "You
see," he went on, recalling his auditors,
1T kind Of rifles me to think of any,
ones mistreating an old lady. I have
mother myself-or I hope I have"
he added more softly; "and just to
think of her being treated that way!
Why, haven't seen mother for 20
years; ran away from home in 40,
when was a boy and went to Califor-
mia; went in rough and tumble to
make money-made some, most
enough. But I tell you I used to lie
awake nights thinking of mother;
wondering if she would look much
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 unconscious
of them, driven by the force Of his
long pent-up emotions: I'm going
home to mother-going to finish up
being a boy-if she is alive! and I'm
going to take care Of her as long as
she lives"
Just then the deep poke" bonnet
turned and the old lady looked around
at the burly stranger with anxious,
embarrassed dif11dence. Her hair was
white, and her face, beautiful even in
old age, was glorifled by the 1uster of
her gentle brown eyes.
did you say you are from Califor-
MAP she asked.
For moment it seemed that the
big fellow was going to choke, but
whatever his affection may have been,
he overcame it Immediately and re-
piled that he had "lived in California
for some time"
IT wonder if you knew my boy?"
she said eagerly. II have a boy in
California, somewhere I did have
once. Don't you know him."
IT have known a great many men in
California. What was his name?"
'Oh! certainly-1 forgot to tell his
name! My boys name was George"
But there are so many Georges, he
answered, a strange expression on his
bronzed face.
20 sir! you must excuse me, but
there is only one George in all the
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 does
sound familiar But then, I've known
so many men in California" For
moment he turned his face away, then,
looking into her anxious eyes, said:
Il do remember him now. Used to