Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 188, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 August 1916 — Natural Curiosity. [ARTICLE]

Natural Curiosity.

Joe had been working in Baltimore. On the day before Christmas he received Ms pay and planned to go home to Washington, but first he started out to buy presents for all his family. He did this with more- generosity than foresight, and when evening came he found himself at the railway station laden with bundles but with no money for his fare to Washington. Somehow he got through the gate and approached the conductor. He laid the case before him, and ended with a plea that he might ride to Washington on the platform of the baggage cay. The conductor, his heart warmed by the spirit of the season, said, “All right, go ahead!” So Joe climbed on the platform of the car next to the engine. It was a cold night, and it was on a road where the engine takes up water from a track reservoir as it goes along. When the train reached Washington the conductor saw Joe approaching, covered with ice from head to foot, bundles and all. He came up to the conductor and said, “I sure does thank you, boss, for muh ride. You’s very kind to allow muh to ride up with you; but there’s jus’ one Question I wants to ax. Kin yuh tell me the name ob that rivuh we run through back there?”—Youth’s Companion.