Year: 1876

Yes, yes" said the baggage master,
you're afraid of your glass"


And then they laughed together.


"You don't know what be means"
said the rosy little woman to me.


why, when I'm in a temper smash
things" said the husband and went hi.
way.


I'm temper" said the wife. "Why,
Tom couldn't be in temper if he tried
Tom in temper Good gracious But
you, I'll tell you what he means,l if you
like-for you could ldn't get it out of him.
And as I've half an hour before me, and
my darning in my hand, and you're
waiting for the stage it won't waste time
for either of us. There was time when
didn't think much about that, but that
was a good while ago.


my husband was aggage-master on
this very line when | married him, and
they said he was the most careful one
ever known. No forgetfulness in him.
Never drank drop and never snubbed
the poor, bewildered people who asked
questions. Good-natured he was as could
be, and as firm as if he hadn't been good
Iatured, and | was silly, irresponsible
girl, who had been at school a month be-
fore that of my wedding, and knew as
much of housekeeping as mouse.


He had saved good deal of money /;
and had built pretty house with only
four rooms in it, besides the kitchen, but
each as pretty as a picture, and big
bow window in the parlor that had cost
ever so much. In the window plants
were set, and an aquarium. No one had
aprettier parlor anywhere. 1t was the
pride of my heart.


''The great road ran just pass the cor
ner it was at Lilliput junction that we
lved-and down below was the de-
Pot, and tie tain Stacked up going
through the town. When Tom ate
breakfast at home, which wasn't often,
he kept ten minute to get to the cars be-
fore they started, and SO was never in
hurry.


"Well, one morning he had had break
fast at home, and had fifteen minutes to
spare, when soTe one came rushing past
the house on hoseback, and cried out to
Tom that old Hill, brakeman on the
road, had just been very much hurt by
train and lie was going for Doctor
Tom liked Old Hill, and he started to his
feet at once. Bessie, said he, Il must
see the poor old fellow. | have ten min
utes or more for it. | can run to the de-
pot in three. Now, take my keys, my
dear, and have them at the door for me
when pass. Remember how important
it.i


You see the great bunch of keys was
heavy, and he didn't care to carry them
all with him down to whore old Hill was
and back. And didn't wonder at it as
| iftel them from the table, checks and
chains and all. And meant to stand at
the door as he came up but there was
time to spare. 80 just ran back into
the yard to tell Mrs. Jones, next door
over the fence, ABOUT the accident TO poor
llill-and got TO talking, and time passed
It. time will in chat ; and ten minutes is
no'hing you know.


And our house was on the street, one
of row. There was no getting to the
back do II without going around the
whole of them. And the door had pat
ent lock and the big bow window was
fastened down and while / was chatter
ing like magpie didn't sec my hus-
band flying up the road, with good three
minutes before him to get his keys and
run to the depot in time. Bessie" he
cried, at the gate but didn't hear
him. Bessie he shouted, as he shook
the door-and there were my ears filled
with the story my neighbor was telling
me about the tipsy woman she'd seen
run over, and you see Tom had tried the
window by this time and found il down,
and he had two minutes and half left !;
and man that misses his duty on a rail-
road pays for it, | tell you and it wasn't
temper, marx that; it wasn't because he
felt like smashing my window, becaus l
kept him waiting it was to do his duty,
come what might of it and it was grand
of him, | say. The next second Tom
WAS through that plate glass widow with
n crash, and the bits lay scattered on the
floor and on the ground. and some were
in his fesh, but he had his checks and
his keys, and was off flying. There never
was IA man that ran race that ran so be-
tore and minute after, when /, with
odt a bonnet, and not caring a bit what
any one thought of me, stood staring
by, and my Tom standing on the plat
form Of the last baggage-car, with his
keys and checks in a belt about his waist,
tying up his bleeding hand in his pocket
handkerchief; and, in the midst of it
hurt as he was, much as he had lost in
thh great window, angry as he should
have been at me-for / was the cause of
il all-my Tom mods his head to me and
shouts at the top of his voice, so that |
heard him above all the sounds of the
train AN right, Bessie .


But, oh it wasn't all right with me
until | saw him again, and would have
gone down on my knees to him to beg
ID pray him 20 forgive me, only he
wouldn't let me, but took me in his arms
instead. He's that kind of great, strong,
splendid man. is Tom, that he couldn't
get sngry with n woman.


But it was lesson to be, and, as Tom
SANS, I'm always on time, whatever ]
lave to do.


There's no delay. There's no putting
of in my house, and gossip when there