Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1910-12-16
1.-THE LIGHTS OF JERUSALEM"

The railway line between Worcester and
Hereford runs along the foot Of the Nal.
'ern hills; then, as their bold chain drops
behind it. the train makes its way be-
tween SUGGESTIONS of small fields heavily
hedged, of orchards and hop gardens, the
former much In the majority; a green,
crainped, fertile land fun Of suggestive |
corners, snug and a triile sly. II has an |
Intimate unheroic charm and a wealth Of |
detail for appreciatve eyes.
Joshua Gum appreciated It, though he |
woulu have been at loss to give reasons |
for his feeling, being man of few words. |
His circumstances were not conducive to |
talk for he was fireman on the engine Of |
Great Western trdiu--a local train |
which ran between the two county towns. |
Gum was a quiet. dark young fellow of
eight and-twenty with reputation In
the lvelier part Of his little world Of be-
ing dun. for hardly anyone knew what his
interests were or what he thought about /
He did his work well ana interfered with
nobody, and he lived. In company with a
signal man, the only person with whom
he was intimate. ON the outskirts Of
Hereford town.
when the train had almost done its
journey from Worcester it reached a spot
at which the permanent way ran along
an emhankment and here Joshua's loyal
interest in the surroundings Of his APP
] ''''' 'lU'"' ,'N''Ni N'''''''''''' 4'' ''i'AN
! ter what were his duties ON the engine.
| he would contrive to be free when the
eihoahhWeHt came III SlBhI ana the green
elevation swung ltseH INTO Inc as they
rounded the curve preceding II. The young
| man would lean out. with the wind OF
/ their rush blowing on his dark face, and
/ gaze down upon the picture which had
| captured his fancy.
Just at this spot, close under the en-
nahkment. one OF the fields had merged
oil Nyif al fv,t.
| sinai thIckIS pIdhIeu urchard' ana not
| twenty PAGES In from the beginning OF the
/ Iees, was uny blAck-and- white TIM
bered cottage OF two stories, standing
apart with the compact detachment OF "A
/ u"I mousse Inc WINDOWS were small,
| ana looked even smaller ana more Sc
treuNe from the helEHt AZ winch Joshua
saw 'hen' ana AT either SIDE oi the worn
SIphc IhIeShoIu u''e STOOD IN summer
one OF those tai orange lilies called by
tne ntiEhhof'nE country ioIk IN" Lights
~ Jerusalem To Joshua they were Ike
two stin golden angels guarding the door
"I 'ns uIIh,nuI'N" pAr'd!se OF ms I'M
aEIhauoh. lie ADMIRED Movers ana ne
khr" many ot thelr names Tor the signal
man win Whon ne HNtd had a plot or
garden at the 1901 oi MS box when the
lItinah OFTEN thN'ed MN
F"i ID I1iE time IL oh'h'ed that ne saw
no SIGN o' NE ABOUT lhr pace except inc
SMOKE Sl'tILE upward ana tiolheS-
me Sl'ei'H"H helN'u TWO apple trees
! nut on" day AS ne leaned over the engine
she girl was III the garden She wore
lrEt apron over her dress ana her
ireSh iace was turned up as she shaded
Mer eyes [" look NJ the passing train. Her
uEHl ''Ir Sho"e IN 'hr sun. IL happened
that he saw her three times In one week
twice in the garden strip under the win
lows ana once at the back OF the house
beside a row or pcehlNeS. ana on the last
occasion some impulse made him take Of
ms cap ana hold II above his head as the
tIhlh ran by, the CIR hesitated' and then
made umid sign OF greeting with her
hand. joshua was near enough to see
her race ana the shy smile upon It.
me niue ceremony had gone on for
eight months Sometimes the girl would
De IN the garden sometimes In the door
p sometimes she was not to be seen. but
4 In any case the fireman would lean out
{ ana holu up ms cap, Tor he could not
know whether she might not be watching
MN go by from behind the diamond
s panes'
70 one day. when Joshua's engine had
l reached Hereford. II was sent back on
the up-lne In the interval between its
TWO journeys TO take few trucks with a
gang OF worknen 10 the embaukment
Some rails were 10 he unluaded. for there
were repairs TO be done ut the spot above
: the orchard; and as the brakes were put
! / on ana the train slowed down the young
fireman promised himself an Idle half
70 hour In which he might see the timbcred
u cottage at closer quarters When the
unloading was finished the engine and
s trucks We're TO go on to a siding q little
j farther forward while the rails We're he
- Ing sta ked, and there steam would b,
e SHUT on until II was time To return FOR
@ the men.
y The driver was a fat, Eood-natured In
y iiNidual. ayerse TO exercise. and Joshua
I knew that during his wait he would ST,
n . on the foot plate and smoke, and that 4,
e. would bee a simple matter for himself o.
h get leave to stroll back to the green
o. banks. He would be able to get quite