The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-07-20

the city. That's Morrison down there
y thought II war" he murmured,
and . thfesd Of ave wove through the
words. " thought n est nacheliy he'd
10 BET Haow-haow many houses
would ron reckon they might be daowu
--dsown In thet there hollerT'
The owner Of the white columned
house gave the question It's need Of
reflection.
well, r-rd say quite . few hun.
dred at least"
Tho odd little figure bobbed his
head.
"Thefs what old Tom always sed,"
he muttered, more to himself than to
his hearer. "An'-an' I guess I amt
never rightly believed him till naow."
And then. "Is-is New York. any big.
gerr' ne asked.
The man at the picket fence smiled
again. but the smile was without Of
Tense
well. yes" he answered; yes, con-
siderably bigger, I should judve-twice
a. large at least, and maybe more than
that"
The boy did not answer. He just
faced about TO stare once more. And
then the miracle came to pass. Around
q far bend in Dexter Allison's single
spur track there came careening an
asthmatic switch engine with q half
dozen empty fats in tow. With Q
brave puffing and blowing of lesky
cylinder heads. II ratified across an
open space between piles Of timber In
the mill yard and disappeared with .
shrill loot Of warning for unaeen work
men upon the tracks ahead. The boy
froze to granite-like immobility a. It
dashed into view. Long after It had
passed from sight he stood like Q bit
Of . fantastic figure cut from stone.
Then q tremor shook him from head
to foot, and when II came slowly about
Caleb saw that his small face was
even whittier than It had been before be-
meath Its coat Of tan and powdery
dust.
He swallowed hard and tried to
fore the words would come.
"Oh. I-may-die!" he broke out fal-
teringiy then. There goes . injinei
A steam milne. want itr'
Long afterward. when he had realized
that the boys life was to bring again
and again a repetition Of that sublime
moment of realization-a moment Of
fulnllment unspoiled BY surfeit or so
phistication or q blunted capacity to
marvel, which Caleb had seen grow old
and stale even in the children he knew
he wondered and wished that he
might have known It himself. once at
least Years Of waiting. starved years
Of anticipation, he felt after all must
have been a very little price to pay for
that great, binding. gasping moment.
But at the time. amazed at the boys
white face, amazed at the hushed fer
vor In the words he forgot. he spoke
before he thought
But haven't you ever seen an engine
beforef" he asked.
As soon as the question had left bis
lips he would have given much to have
had II back again. But at that It fall
ed to have the effect which he feared
too late to check. Instead Of coloring
with hurt and shame, instead of
subterfuge or evasion. the boy sim
ply lifted his eyes levelly to Caleb's
face.
IL amt never seed nuthin'," he stat
ed patiently. IL amt never seed
more.n three houses together in a
clearin' before. TT amt never been
outen the timber-till today. But l
aim to see more naow-before I git
doney'
THE view Is excellent from my
veranda," said Caleb as he waved a
hand behind him. "And-you look a
little warm and tired. II your busi-
ness Is not Of too pressing a nature
have you"-he broke or, amazed at his
helpless Formally In the matter-"have
you come farr'
And he wondered Immediately how
the boy would receive that suggestion
that he hesitate, there with the "city"
In front of him. fairy tale to be ex-
plored. And again he was allowed to
catch a glimpse Of age old spirit-a
glimpse Of man sized self discipline
beneath the childish exterior.
The boy hesitated a moment, but It
was his uncertainty as to Just what
Caleb's invitation had offered aud not
the lure of the town which made him
pause. He took one step forward.
II been comm since last Friday" he
explained. II been comm daown riv-
er for three days naow, and I been
comm fastw
Again that measuring. level glance.
"An' amt got no business-yit." he
went on. "Thet's what I aim to locate
after I've he'd chance to look around
q trihe. But I am tired a little, an 80
II you mean thet you're askin' me to
stop for a minit-if you mean thet
you're askin' me that-why. then
then I guess I dbn't mind II I do"
"That's what ! mean." said Caleb.