She embraced him several times, then, wearied, let her head sink back on the pillow and gave herself up to happy thoughts of the future. Motionless, almost ashamed of his weakness, the boy tried silently to regain his self-control. When he looked up at last, strong once more, he saw that his mother had fallen quietly asleep. The sight restored all his energy. Perhaps a merciful Providence was helping thus to make more easy the accomplishment of his duty and sparing him a scene of desolation more heart-breaking than the first. He resolved to profit by it. Placing a long kiss on his mother's forehead, he watched her for a few moments while she seemed to smile at him, and then he quietly left the room and started back as quickly as he had come, without once looking around him or seeing a single person. "What! Back already?” demanded the commandant, astonished. "Did I not give you my word of honor?" replied the boy, steadily. "Yes, but it seems to me you were in the dickens of a hurry. Without failing in your word, you might have stayed a little longer with your mother." "Poor mother! After a scene of tears in which I felt all my courage dwindling away, tears of joy for her and tears of despair for me, she fell asleep, so calmly, so happily, that I had not the strength to wake her up in order to leave her anew forever. She was happy in the thought that I would never leave her again. Who knows, if, at the last moment, I should not have weakened? Now, sir, I have only one thing to ask of you and that is to do your duty and do it quickly." The commandant looked at the boy, still more astonished, and in spite of himself, his eyes were wet with pity and admiration. "And if I should pardon you and set you free? "Ah! sir, I should accept willingly, because of the happiness for my poor mother." "H'm! You are an honest lad and you do not deserve so much suffering. You may go-but, first, give me your hand. Good, go now, and quickly. Return to your mother and continue to love her always." As he spoke the kind-hearted commandant took the young man by the shoulders and pushed him gently outside. "It would have been a terrible pity to do anything else," he said to his officers as he turned around. Victor did not run, he flew, rather, back to Belleville. Happily, his mother was still asleep, but her sleep seemed restless. He dared not wake her, although he Last summer I was staying for some weeks on the shores of the beautiful Lake George. One lovely afternoon I was driving with my friend, Mrs. K-, and admiring her fine horses, who held up their spirited heads without the assistance of those detestable check-reins and waved their long, flowing tails safe from the brutal knife with which so many flint-hearted owners of fine horses hack off the tails of their helpless dumb property, and call the ugly mutilated stumps "stylish." As we were driving along, Mrs. Kasked John, the coachman, to stop for five minutes at the house of her carpenter, and got out of the carriage to give some orders, leaving me to do what I always seize every opportunity of doing, that is. to talk with the coachman about horses. He was a bright young fellow. 66 Your horses do you credit, John," I began. "Their coats shine like satin." "Oh, thank you, ma'am,” said he, touching his hat. "I have had them going on five years, and I have never once laid a whip over their backs." "Do you know much about horses?" "Well, I have studied them a good deal, ma'am, and early in the summer I saved the life of a very valuable horse." "Oh, do tell me," I cried, leaning forward. He laughed and blushed, and said, “I'll do my best, ma'am. I must begin by telling you that all the country round about here knew of Mr. L-'s insane horse. They whipped him and shackled him, and tried to cure him, but it was of no use, and now for two days he had refused all food, and was condemned to be shot. "I thought a good deal about the poor creature, and the day before he was to be killed I asked Mrs. K- to let me drive over and see him. On the way I stopped at the Fort William Henry Hotel. A famous veterinary doctor, whom I once saved from the kick of a horse, was stopping there. I found him smoking on the piazza, and easily persuaded him to take his bag of instruments and medicine, without which he never traveled, and go with me. 'touch him up, Jake.' Before we could stop him Jake went into the next stall, and leaning over, gave Firefly a sharp tap on the side of his face. "Instantly the horse threw up his head and dashed it from side to side. He backed out of the stall as far as the long strap would let him, and began to kick and prance furiously, his eyes ablaze, his nostrils distended, while the brutal crowd clapped and hallooed. The doctor and I watched him carefully, my heart full of pity, when all at once it came to me-I knew! yes, I knew what ailed him! and I suddenly cried out: 'Stop hollering, you THE FIRST HORSELESS CARRIAGE BUILT IN DETROIT, MICH. Bro. Thomas Sullivan, member of Div. No. 1, Detroit, Mich., put his mechanical genius to work in the early stages of the horseless carriage and had the above in running order in 1893, and he thinks he was the pioneer builder of the motor carriage in Detroit, since famous for its automobile manufactories. "When we got to the stable there were a dozen idle fellows standing around and chaffing the groom. Poor Firefly stood trembling in his stall, with every little while a big shudder going all over him. The doctor and I went near, and he turned and looked at us. I do declare, ma'am, that I never saw such a hopeless, pleading look. It made a great choke come in my throat, and I dashed off some water from my eyes before those vagabonds could see it and make fun of me. loafers; the horse is crazy with a jumping toothache!' "A roar of contemptuous laughter greeted this discovery, but the doctor had already opened his bag and taken out a bottle of chloroform. He quickly saturated the towel, and watching his chance, threw it over poor Firefly's head. "The creature lurched, trembled, and then began to sprawl like a drunken man, and we had hardly time to run to him before he fell heavily forward and rolled over on his side. With the help of two of the more decent men, we caught him in time to lay him gently down, and then by the doctor's direction I sat lightly upon his shoulder, to prevent any possible movement, while the others held his feet. "Then the doctor, holding the cloth over the nose of the horse, forced open his mouth. Oh! oh! What a sight it was! I hope, ma'am, never to see it again! An enormous abscess filled all one side, while the rest was purple with inflammation. Two back teeth covered by the ulcer were laid bare by the forceps of the doctor. They were decayed to the very roots. "These have made all the trouble!' he "Upon hearing this, all the tramps and loafers lounged off. "Presently poor Firefly moved feebly and opened his eyes. I got off his shoul der. He raised his head slowly while I patted and smoothed his flank and spoke kindly to him. 'It's all over, poor old fellow,' I said; 'you won't suffer much longer.' "I am sure he understood me, for a soft gleam came into his eyes; then he seemed to pull himself together, and with a su preme effort got upon his legs trembling all over, while I just kept talking to him and cheering him up, the same as if he were a human being. M., K. & T. ENGINE NO. 380, COME ALONG" THE BOYS CALL IT. BRO. J. S. CARLISLE, B. OF L. R., 555, AT THE THROTTLE, J. STANGLE, B. OF L. F., 164, AT THE SCOOP, AND BROTHERHOOD CREW. exclaimed, and in another minute he had yanked them out. He put more chloroform on the cloth, and taking a lancet from his bag, he cut deep into the abscess. Calling for an old towel, he softly pressed out all the stuff it held; then asking for a basin of warm water, poured some laudanum in it, and with a sponge he gently washed the suffering mouth and quivering, swollen gums; and then, removing the chloroformed cloth, he laid down the poor animal's head! "Now, Jake,' he said, 'go quickly and prepare a soft warm mash, and see if Mr. L-is in the house. I should like to speak to him.' "By this time the groom had brought the warm mash, and Mr. L-came with him. The doctor put a strong sleeping potion in it, and I held it and coaxed him to eat. He began to eat slowly, with a wondering look in his eyes, as if he wished to know from where this blessed relief from torture had come. His mouth was still horribly sore, but the exciting cause was gone. "We made him up a thick bed of soft hay, but the sleeping potion soon taking effect, the poor exhausted creature sank down and fell into a deep sleep. Then the doctor told Mr. L of my inspira tion,' as he called it, and Mr. L- begged me to take a $20 bill, with his thanks, but I wouldn't. I told him it was enough reward to have saved such a fine horse from being shot. "Very well,' he answered, I will get even with you in some other way; and, as to the doctor,' shaking hands with him, 'you may be sure that your bill will be paid most cheerfully."" "And how did Firefly get on?" I asked, for I was very deeply interested. "Oh, he picked up wonderfully. What with tonics and warm mashes and petting, he is one of the handsomest horses in this part of the country. Why!" exclaimed John, starting up in his seat, "I ging each other: that is, Firefly had pushed John's hat off and was rubbing his head all over his shoulder, while John was petting the animal and calling him loving names. Then Mr. L- jumped out of his dogcart, and gallantly handed Mrs. K- into her carriage. John resumed his reins, and with cordial smiles and bows we went our different ways. Don't let anyone dare to say, after this, that horses have no reason, sense or memory, as well as affection. Firefly knew well enough what John had done for him, and he never meant to forget it.-The Horse World. SULPHUR CREEK DAM, FRANKLIN JUNCTION, MO.-COURTESY J. S. CARLISLE, DIV. 556. do believe that is Mr. L- and Firefly coming this way now." I looked up the road and saw a dog-cart with a groom behind, and a gentleman driving a splendid, bright bay horse, with no blinders nor check-reins, and flourishing a long, beautiful tail. The horse knew John instantly, and stopping of his own accord, tried to put his head into the front of the open carriage. Just then Mrs. K- came out of the carpenter's shop, and this was the tableau she saw: I was holding the reins of her horses, Mr. L-sat motionless and smiling in his dog cart, while John, who had vainly tried to push back Firefly, had handed me the reins and jumped out, and he and the grateful creature were hug Bill Johnson on Religion. I ain't no stickler, fellers, To the natur' of thur deeds. The man what's got religion Hit makes him give back money Hit makes him strong an' happy Hit makes him hol' his temper When wife or chillun frets; Hit makes him save his money An' pay his hones' debts. No matter what arises, He'll do the best he can. In every deal you'll find him, A straight, square man. -Exchange. Friday, Thirteen, and a Switch Engine. "Friday 'n' the thirteenth coupled is a hard combination to play ag'in 'n' I had some misgivin's on goin' out that evenin'," said the fat engineer. "We were due to go out on No. 13, which is carded to leave at 11 P. M. "Murphy didn't like it a bit, but I swung a bluff that it was all the same to me. We got down to the trainshed, 'n' lay 'round quite a space after our leavin' time, there bein' a wreck somewhere up the main line, 'n' the stationmaster holdin' us until they got a way through. "As a fortified bluff on this superstitious business, I'd 'a' made Gibraltar look like the plains of peace, but I confess that my hair became less restive 'n' more apt to resume a reclinin' posture as the hands of my watch moved steadily onward toward midnight 'n' the prospects were good for two of Our hoodoos bein' scratched and sent back when it got to be Saturday the 14th. "Thirteen, the number of our train, however, would still be doing business at the old stand. However, I'm strong on grapplin' with 13 alone 'n' single-handed as a hoodoo. "Shortly after midnight on Saturday the 14th, we got a signal to go along, with runnin' orders over the Bergen County, a short cut through the meaders, the main line still bein' blocked. This short cut 'ud make the way of the transgressor look like an asphalted boulevard, it's so rough 'n' crooked. Why, I came over there with a dairy 'n' egg train one night, 'n' when I got in the eggs were all scrambled 'n' the milk was churned to butter. "After we got started I got my nerve again, 'n' mebbe we didn't do the first few miles of that old branch! Why, we'd a' made the Twentieth Century Limited look like a pushcart at parade rest. "Goin' up through the swamps I could see a headlight flashin' 'n' scintillatin' through the trees, but paid no attention to it, thinkin' it was on the eastbound track. Just before we got to Ten Degree curve I stoops over to see what was the matter with the sand valve, 'n' when I straightened up again after gettin' it adjusted to my satisfaction, great jumpin', bumpin' blocks! if that headlight I saw comin' through the swamp wasn't comin' straight at me on the westbound track. "I could see it was a light engine, with no cars. It was one of 'em switchin' dinkies, 'n' looked like a watch-charm alongside the monster I was drivin'. 'My first impulse was to jam on the air 'n' do my best to stop, but by some very quick thinkin' I figured out that my engine 'n' the train behind it bein' heavy, we had more show by puttin' on full steam than if we'd slack up, so breathin' a prayer for the men on the other engine, I pulled her wide open 'n' dropped her down in the corner. From the speed we were goin' I saw that we'd come together right on the point of the curve. The light engine swingin' round, we had a good chance of knockin' her from the track. "Murphy was down on his knees in the tank, prayin' for all he was worth, 'n' I closed my eyes in reverence, bracin' my feet 'n' waitin' for the crash. We lurched aroun' the curve as if we would leave the rails, but my engine kep' her pins. I heard a hissin' 'n' whirrin' noise by my ears 'n' a muffled concussion. "Then I opened my eyes to find us straightenin' out on the straight track ahead 'n' movin' along as if nothin' had happened. The light engine was nowhere in sight. The thirteen was gettin' in its little knock. "Murph, did you see an engine comin' toward us, then?' I say to Mike, thinkin' perhaps I'd been asleep. 666 Sure 'n' I did,' wails Murphy, 'n' we'll niver git home aloive this night.' "Well, we stopped 'n' I looked aroun', assisted by the train crew. We could find no marks of a collision on my engine. The recent rains 'n' damp weather had left about fifteen inches of water coverin' the mud bottoms, to the right of the track. There was a little cloud of steam comin' off this lake, but as it was always more or less foggy there we thought nothing of it. "The conductor thought I was givin' him a pipe dream, I guess, for, after a few minutes he suggested that we move on, seein' as we were some late anyway. I followed his suggestion. "Before we got in with our train Satur day morning I'd fully resolved to quit the business, havin' seen so many strange things lately. When I reached the roundhouse I found a message from the master mechanic askin' me if I'd seen anythin' of switch engine 1318 along the Bergen County that night. She'd slipped her throttle at Cheechunk roundhouse 'n' the last seen of her she was beatin' it east on the westbound track at a forty-five mile an hour clip. She hadn't been seen east of Ten Degree curve. "Well, sir, I had the solution 'n' I wired |