The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-08

ana MI wright says may run the stage
for month two d like to do it, sir
Tiff you We no objection" begged Tom
of his guardian Judge Clifford.
The judge looked down at him with
amusement.
do you hear that, doesor?" he said, walking to
the other end of the piazza where the old doctor
with his feet the railing and New York news
paper in his hand.
Tom, who was always in~dead earnest about every
thing he undertook had been studying too hard or
too much, and had grown thin and nervous; SO, by
the doctors advice. and greatly against his will,
hc had been compelled to leave school.
l. The doctor looked up absently.
= "He s been of school three days." explained
the judge, stepping aside and exposing the bashful
boy, who had followed close at his heels. "and now
he s ready to a stage"
"Only three trips day." pleaded Tom. with the
air of culprit "It starts from Mr. Wright's store
ut Van Buren, Center and goes down to the railway
station 1t connects with the $50 A. NJ and the 2
and S P. Nj. trains for New York. 1t carries the
mail"
"Umnli" remarked the doctor, thoughtfuly, look
ing ntently out toward the orchard.
at s better than 1ounging anyway" ventured
Tom, and instantly retreated again behind the judge.
"Um-n1-m! So it is judge so it is" said the doc
tor lowering his feet, time, and holding
them in place with hand either knee. 1T ii
keep the youngster out of DOORS too; and that S
what he needs. He S small for his age. Go ahead.
And Tom. emerging from his retirement, shook
the chubby old hand with glad Thank you. sir"
and glance at his guardian that three parts
merry and one part triumphant.
That evening found him stretched upon the boards
of the western porch with open book before him,
straning his eyes in the fading light
The judge commented gravely.
1T 5 only book Of postal laws and regulations,"
must answer for me as mail-carrier; but thought
ought to know what the rights and duties of the
Office are" (Tom was taking some ideas from the
Constitution of the United States)
That s right, my boy. that s right exclaimed
the judge with heartiness that brought glad light
svoa for y n S 2s n een of
public officer. always keep yourself informed as to
the duties the laws of your country require of you
you now to let books alone as far as may be-"
The stage was clumsy, with low. heavy running
wagon-box, hardly decipherable through disfgure-
ment Of weather and soil, appeared the name of the
hs e
with no idea of joke renamed for the race-horse
p pesn I the " letters u. s NJ 'N' az
The drivers seat high and Tom felt lifted up
In more senses than when. on the morning of his
entry into the mail service. Mr. Wright, storekeeper.
postmaster, stagedriver and mailcarrier all in one
though giving to others the duties of the last two
ofhcesVtossed up to him the mailbag with its i'm
posing combination of iron staples and lock and
eathern pouch that as the story runs. made an old
sailors jack-knife laugh.
/. As it fell rafting before him, he put foot upon
II. gathered up his Ieins and started off, feeling HIM
His route lay past Riggs Corners tavern stand,
thence to the station. drive two miles by the
regular route old road much longer drive if.
often the case, he had to go by the hill road.
On each Of his trips he was obliged to connect
with train for his passengers convenience well
must wait half hour for return trains from which
he received the mail and generally few passengers
Our hero had been stage-drver about month
when, upon his morning trip he was slgnaled from
standing sixty feet from the road The farmer had
and saw with pleasure that the passenger coming
out from the greenery of trees and shrubs that al
most hid the house was his old friend.
"Room up there for me- Tomr he asked. indcat-
aCertainiy. sir certainly" Tom blinked with sat-
few rods Before them ' wss was Rssss Corn Corners.
Early it the iders of the place We're lounging
suppose it too early for Bates to be around
as bou, Har that BEEN hem buying
,lsar. Hs put. up Rissss, MsMshen (the eonsta,
night, I offered him my old gray yesterday for
and really hope he won't take me up The old
fellow S been too good servant to be sold to
strangers who may not treat him kindly"
Tom agreed with him-somehow he and Mr..
Cushman agreed most subjects they talked about,
and the trip to the station pleasure both.
In the afternoon Tom left Wrght's. as usual, to
connect with the two-o'clock train As he ap-
preached the Cushman place his face lighted up with
very lively curiosity for something answering the
oushmans little SLACK mare T Dnah tied f bebnd ''
On coming nearer he little Harmony Cush-
man at Dinahs head. and just within the gate Har-
monys grandmother meek-faced old lady, mildly
arguing with some whom Tom took TO be Bates
himself.