Evening journal., 1905-04-13
CHAPTER XVIII.


wholly to the imagination Of the read
CT. I will wager he knew long since
what manner Of man / was and has
measured me to the fraction Of an
inch and knows even the color Of my
hair and eyes from having been so
long in my company If not--wen
shall have TO write him a letter
When Uncle Eb and l took the train
for New York that summer day i'm
s.1S60s some fifteen years after we came
rdewn Paradise road with the dog and
wagon and pack basket, my head.
(which IA that far day camo1only TO the
latitude of his trouser pocket, had now
mounted six inches above his own.
That is all I can say here on that
Ebranch Of my subject. / was leaving
i to seek my fortune IN the big city.
eJncle is) was of for n holiday and TO
see Hope and bring her home for a
short visit. ] remember with what
sadness ! looked back that morning at
Nmother and father rs they stood by
The gate slowly waving their handker-
rblefs Our home at last was emptled
Of its young. and even ns they looked
the shadow Of old age must have fallen
suddenly before them. ] knew how
they would so back into that lonely
room and how. while the clock went
on with IT'S ticking. Elizabeth would
sit down ana cover her face for mo-
ment. while David would make haste
to take up bis chores
We sat in silence a long time after
the train was Off. a mighty sadness
holding our tongues Uncle Eb. who
had never ridden a long journey on the
cars before, had put ON his grand suit
Sof broadcloth Tile day was hot and
sdusty, and before we had gone far he
iwas sadly soiled But 4 suit never
Egave him any worry once IL was on.
He sht ea4miy, holding his knee IN his
hands and looking out OF the open win
dow, "a sqNint IN lis eyes that stood
efor some highrdeeree OF interestin the
scenery. III
'AYhat do you thlhk OF this countryf'
y inquired
"Looks purity fair" said he as he
brushed his face with his handkerchief
pnd coughed 60 clear his throat of the
dust. "but taiu't quite 50 pleasant to
the taste as soinc other parts o. the
country / ruther liked the flavor Of
81 Lawrence an through, but Jefferson
is q leete gritty
lie put down the window as he
spoke. N"At'f aana - r
"a leetie tobnccer n improve &
some" he added as his hand went
down for The old silver box. "The way
these cars dew rip alongl Consumed
IL &c ain't nyini Kind O. makes me
feel iitea bird"
1af gaiiroad- was then not the famll-
lar thing II IS now In the north coun-
try. The bull 10 the fields had not YET
come % an understanding OF It's rights
and was frequently tempted into argu-
ment with a locomotive. Bill Fountain,
who came out OF a back township, one
day had even tied his faithful hound
10 the rear platform.
Our train came TO a long stop for
wood and water near midday, and
then we opened the lunch basket that
mother had given US.
"Neighbor." said a solemn faced
man who sat ih front Of us. "do yon
think the cars are agin the Bible? D.
you think a Christian orter ride on
'emg
"sartin,' said Uncle Eb. LESS the
constables after him-~then / think he
orter be on a balky boss"
"Wlfe an hes talked II over a good
deal" said the man. Some says It's
agin the Bible The minister at
breaches over n our neighborhood
says II God had wanted men { fly he'd
gin 'em wings"
"S'pose 81 he'd ever wanted m Z
skate he'd he'd 'em born with skates
oni' said Uncle Eb
Dunno said the man. 1T behooves
us all to be careful. The Bible says,
Go not after new thlngs.'"
My friend" said Uncle Eb between
bites OF doughnut, Il don care what
ride in so long as faint a hearse.
want sumthin ats comfortable an
purity middlln spry. TIN do us good
up here Z git jerked a few hundred
miles an back ev'ry leetle while. Keep
our Jints timber Wen live longer fer
IT, an thet'll please God sure, cuz I
don't think he's hankerin' fer our socie-
~, not bit. Don make no difference L
hlm whuther we ride n a spring wag-
on er on the cars so longs we're right
side up an movin'. We need more
steam. We're too slow. Kind O. think
leetle more steam IN our religion
wouldn't hurt Us a bit. It's purity fuI
behind"
We got to Albany Ia the evening Just
In time for the night boat U1cle Eb
was q sight ia his dusty broadcloth
when we got OF the cars, aud / know
my appearance could not have been
prepossessing. Once we were aboard
the boat and had busted our clothes
and bathed our hands and faces we
were In better spirits.
"Consarn f." said Uncle Eb as we
left the wash room, 'le's have a dun
good supper. I'll stan treat"
Comes a leetle bit high" be said as
be paid the bill. "but dom care il II
does. Fore we left I says { myself
Uncle Eb,' says !, you go right In fer
a good time an don ye count the pen
niles. Everybody's a right Z be reck
less once in seyenty-fve year."
We went 10 our stateroom a llttls
after 8 i remember the berths hat
not been made up. and removing oul
boots and coats. we lay down upon tn,
bare mattresses. Even then / had
1trrfrfrtr f.ne 4f..t -. -