The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-10-14
nome to read after supper.

red Light"
Worse, Mary, it's the end of the
track"
The old engineer tossed the letter
over to his wife, sat down, stretched
his legs out, locked his fingers and
began rolling his thumbs, one over
the other, staring at the stove.
When Mrs Kaufman had finished
the letter she stamped her foot and
declared it an outrage. She sug-
gested that somebody wanted the La
Sale Well" she said, resigning her
self to her fate, Il bet | have that
coach seat out of the cab; it'll make
a nice tete-a-tete for the front ROOM
Superannuated. she went on with
growing disgust. Il bet you can put
any man on the division down three
times in five!"
It's me that's down, Mary-down
and out"
Henry Kaufman, I'm ashamed OF
you! You know you've got four years,
come Christmas. Why don't you fight?
Where's your Brotherhood you've been
paying money to for 20 years? | bet
@ striker comes and takes your
engine"
NO, Mary, we're beaten. | see how
it all happened, now. | began at 20
when | was really but 16, that's where
| lose. | lied to the Old Man when
we were both boys. Now that lie
hnoly tn oh nly
home to roost."
But can't you explain that now?"
We'll. not easy. It's down in the
records-it's Scripture now, as the
Old Man would say No, the best
can do is to take my medicine like
a man; I've got month yet to think
it over"
After that they sat in silence, this
childless couple, trying to fashion to
themselves how it would seem to be
superannuated.
The short December days were all
too short for Henry. He counted the
hours, marked the movements of the
minute hand on the face of his cab
would have, not to do" but to enjoy
before Christmas. AS the weeks went
by the old engineer became a changed
man. He had always been cheerful
happy, and good-natured. Now he be-
came thoughtful, silent, melancholy
There was not man on the first di-
vision but grieved because he was 60
ing, but no man would dare say so to
Henry Sympathy is about the hard
est thing a stout heart ever had to
endure.
While Henry was out on his last
trip his wife waited upon the master
mechanic and asked him to bring his
wife over and spend Christmas eve
with Henry and help her to cheer him
up, and the Old Man promised to call
that evening.
Although there were half a dozen
palms itching for the throttle of the
La Sale, no man had yet been as
signed to the run.
Henry saw the La Sale cross the
| turn-table and back into the round
house, and while he looked her over"
| examining every link and pin, each
| lever and link-lfter, the others hur-
ried away, for it was Christmas eve,
| and nobody cared to say good,by to
| the old engineer.
When he had walked around her half
a dozen times, touching her FURNISHED
mainpins with the back of his hand
| he climbed into the cab and began to
gather up his trinkets, his comb and
toothbrush, small steel monkey.
wrench, and slender brass torch
that had been given him by a friend
| There he sat upon the soft-cushioned
coach seat that his wife had coveted
and looked along the hand-railng
lie leaned from the cab window and
! glanced along the twin stubs of stee
that passed through the open door
and stopped short at the pit-symbol
lzing the end of his run on the rail
The old boss wiper came with his
crew to clean the La Sale, but wher
he saw the driver there in the cal
he passed him by.
Presently the lamp-lighters came
and began lighting the oil-lamps thai
stood in the brackets along the wall
but before their CLEAN had reached
his face the old engineer slid dowr
and hurried away home with never
backward glance.
That night when Mrs. Kaufman ha(
passed the popcorn and red apple.
and they had all eaten and the mel
had lighted cigars, the engineers wifi,
brought a worn Bible out and drew
I chair near the master mechanic
The Old Man, as he was called, look t
at the book, then at the woman, VIII,
} held It open on her lap.
DO you believe this book" sh,
asked, earnestly.
Absolutely" he answered.
: "All that is written here?"
ALL said the man"
Then she turned to the fly-eaf an,
read the record of Henry's birth, tn
day, the month, the year