The Tupelo journal., 1916-10-06

and stammering an assurance that he
wasn't hurt bad"
I'm all right, sir" he vowed. "a lit
tie thing like that don't cut any ice,
and I'm only sorry to have pulled you
up so suddenly. OF course, the com
pany ought to put a tunnel under the
track here, and I've wrote to 'em
several times about 1t. but bless you.
they don't pay 10 attention. An me
a stakeholder. toor'
John saw ut once that he would do
well to express establishment at this
last somewhat remarkable statement.
'Yes. sir" went on the old man. "Mc
an Marthy's saved and scraped ali
our lives SOS we could buy stock in
our railroad. Now we got ten shares
all paid for, too. Thank ye,
kindly" because John had taken his
arm, seeing that he was Iimping. Il
amt so Spry as | used to be. If you'll
help me inter the house and have your
young man wind up the gates I'll be
much o%bleeged."
va ISbNiAiS tAt pbtoSS4opii1 ~
through the open door an elderly wom-
an seated near q lamp. She was sew
ing and evidently had not the least
idea Of anything untoward having &c
Cured outside. The appearance of
her husband, supported by a stranger,
alarmed her greatly, and though she
calmed herself sufficiently TO search at
once for arnica and a bandage. it was
clear that any evil which befell either
of these two people affected the other
in even greater measure.
While John was helping the old
man into a chair and rolling up Il
trouser leg to lay bare the bruise, he
ascertuined that the two had been mar
ried fifty years.
They had actually grown alike in
voice and features. They might have
been brother and sister rather than
husband and wife. The Salne tastes,
the same simple interests, the com
plete devotion of each for the other,
had compressed their lin <, and bodies
within the same mold. John was al
most terrified to think what the out
come would have been had the fine ole
gateman been killed. To keep him.
self from dwelling IN a possibility now
happily vanished he reverted to the
more pleasing topic of a frugality
which enabled people in such humble
circumstances to become stockholders
in an important railway. This appealed
to both of them. The gateman said.
with an air of real pride:
eyes, sir, them stocks are cinched
to Marthy and me. Old man Howell
votes our stock for us, an it pays a
good seven per cent. faint much. but
enough to keep us from starvin' when
| amt able to work no longer"
John entered the ar. AS he whirled
away he lifted his hat to "Marthy,'
who waved q farewell from the door
More shaken than he cared to admit,
he was glad of the peace and serenity
of Mr.. B%ranton's sitting room. He
told of the accident, and then be-
thought himself of a letter in his
pocket.
"By the way" he said, 'this reached
me just before leaving home.9
And he handed the engraved card
to his host. 1t read:
Mr.. and Mrs. Alexander Howell request
the honor Of your ompan at a dance to
aVenne on Tlssdov ageojng NJ 81 ar
the occasion of the coming Of age of taeil
~qaush[gr @arloFle' dancing ten to two
81 wonder e this Gfr. Howell is presi-
dent Of the G. O. It T. railway" he
commented.
Branton sInjled>and handed back the
card.
1.-THE sans man. he said. you are
getting tQs be 4 swell now, John
Recognition by Mrs. Howell is the 10
cal hallmark OF society, That invita-
fi0B is the direct OufrQT1p pf the ns9sa-