All He Knew

Bruceton one bright afternoon, a brakeman passing throug

t out three stations back. You don't s'pose he'

e: it was a small fig-box, such as train-boys sometimes succeed in im

is black moustache a Mephistophelian twist, "of course not. He left it there so

en whose duty it is to rouse sleeping passengers, the effect always being to make the victim throw his head slightly backwa

am! That broad-brimmed low hat makes you lo

id the passenger,

rouble once in a while, you know. You got catched; some other folks 'most always don't;

y, "but, Mr. Briggs, I got all the shortenin' of time that's allowed for good conduct,-ev'ry day of it. I

res, old man: I'll t

l other folks about it, seein' you're a good-hearted fe

but I'm always ready to help a fellow up when he's down. I've got to get

ind the brakeman, "you don't s'pose there's any chance fo

which speedily softened as he saw an e

ng, "the yard's always full, an' men a-waitin'. You'd

convict, shrinking an inch or two in stature. "

. "I was only Jim before-you left town, Sam, an' I want you to go on

; an' may God bless

oad to you, Sam." Then the brakeman

uce

h he got off the train on the side opposite the little station. The train remained so long that when finally it

from a fence opposite the station. The agent kicked the paper from the platform; Sam picked it up and l

n' to put it b

n't rent that fence to the circus

I hav

en they ain't worth looking for; that's railroad rule,

sed by a narrow street, led from the station; into the street the little man hurried, believing himself secure from observation, but just then the door of a coal-yard office opened, and Judge Prency, who had been county judge, and Deacon Quickset e

ck to your old ways again,-fighting

I ain't. I'm

d, not unkindly, "but saying isn't doing. Human natur

I'm leanin

the deacon, offering his hand, tho

t you to think hard of me and take it out of my orchard

u did just right. I hope

ying the wall of the station as if it were the record of his own court. "I think

recognized by sense of touch as the customary American substitute for the co

l. I've told my wife to see to it that they didn't suffer while y

con followed him with his

there was in him-about le

h as in the rest

apped out this question; his word

go to suit us, but as soon as there's something unusual to be done-in the way of

to," said the deacon with fine dignity, "but don't in

, deacon. No

men give it without mea

murmured the judge to himse