The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-12-17

| dimes and a nickel there, and was
| thinking that, as these were Christmas
times. I'd just give you quarter FOL
! your work"
Honest, Cap?"
Honest" I repeated but the fact
is the two dimes. as ! thought they
were, are only two three-cent pieces, sc
| have only eleven cents in change
after all"
"Spect they'd change a bill fer you
crost there at the lunch counter he
suggested, with charming artlessness
won't have time-theres my train
just coupling. But take this-Ill see
you again some time, perhaps"
How big a bill is it you want
changed" asked the little fellow, with
a most acquisitive expression, and
swift glance at our then lonely sur
roundings.
Il only have one bill with me- said
!, nervously, "and that's a five
well, here, then" said the boy, hur
riedly, with another and more scrutin
izing glance about him-"guess | can
'commodate you" And as ] turned
in wonder, he drew from some mysteri
Gus recess in the lining OF his coat a
roll of bills, from which he hastily de-
tached four in number, then returned
the roll; and before | had recovered
from my surprise, he had whisked the
note from my fingers and left in my
hand instead the proper change.
This is on the dead, now. Cap.
Don't you ever cheep about me havin
wealth, you know; cause it amt mine
that Is, it is mine, but I'm a
There goes yer train. Ta-ta'"
The day before Christmas" said !,
snatching his hand, and speaking hur.
riedly-"the day before Christmas, I'm
coming back. and If you'll be here
when the five-thirty train rolls in you'll
find man that wants his boots
blacked-maybe to get married in, or
something-anyway he'll want a shine
like this, and he'll come prepared to
pay the highest market price-do you
understands
You jist tell that Teller fer me, y
said the boy, eclipsing the twinkle OF
one eye, and dropping his voice to an
infection OF strictest CONFEDERATION
iist tell that Teller fer me that I'm his
OYSTER"
And you'll meet him, sure?' said ].
Il will" said the boy. And he kept
his word,
My ride home was an incoherent
which travail one fretful hour was
born. to gasp its first few minutes help
lessly; then moan, roll over and kick
out its legs and sprawl about; then
crawl little-stagger to its feet and
totter on then tumble down time or
two and knock its empty head against
the floor and howl; then loom up awk-
wardly on gangling legs, too much in
their own way to comprehend that
they were in the way of everybody
else, then limp a little as 1t worried
on-drop down eXhausted-moan again
toss up its hands-shriek out, and die
in violent commissions.
We have all had that experience Of
the r-wheels-had them enter into
conversation with us as we gaily EN-
barked upon some pleasant trip, per
haps. had them rattle of in scraps OF
song, or lightly twit us with some dear
en- tt,r
laugh at us and mock us for some real
or fanCicd dereliCtion of car etiquette.
| shall ever have good reason to re-
member how once upon a time boy
Of fourteen, though greatly under sized,
told the conductor he was only ten,
and although the unsuspecting official
accepted the statement as a truth,
with the proper reduction in the fare,
the car-wheels called that boy a liar
for 20 mies-aUd 20 miles as long and
tedious as he has ever comprised in
his journey through this vale of tears.
The car-wheels on this bitter winter
evening were not at all cOmmuniCa-
tive. They were sullen and morose.
They didn't feel like singing and they
wouldn't laugh They had no jokes,
and if there was one peculiar quality
OF tone they possessed in any marked
degree it was that Of sneering. They
had harsh discordant snarl, as it
seemed, and were spiteful and insinu.
ating.
The topic they had chosen for that
nights consideration was evidently OF
"A very complex and mysterious nature,
and they gnawed and mumbled at ii
with such iierceness and withal, such
selfishness, | could only catch a flying
fragment OF it now and then, and that.
| noticed, was Of the coarsest fiber OF
intelligence, and OF slangy tavor Lis.
tenng with the most painful interest.
| at last made out the fact that the In.
Election seemed to be in the interroga-
tive. and, with anxiety the most in
tense, | slowly came to comprehend
that they were DESTROYS OF ascertain
ing the exact distance between two
given points, but the proposition
seemed determined not to round into
fuller significance than to query mock.
ingly, How fur Is It? How fur is II?
How fur. how fur is it?" and 80 on to
most cXaspcrating limit As this
senscless phrase was repeated and re.
itoratod in its growing harshness and
uuchanging intonation, the relentless
pcrtinacity of the query grew simply
agoniaing, aud when at times the car
door opened TO admit brakeman. or
the tranhoy, who had everything 70
sell but what wanted, the emphasized
refrain would lift me from my seat