o with
stocking hung up, is anxious for daylight. The shadows have come over
me. My stocking is hung up by the Father's fireplace and I am almost
impatient for the morning. I haven't the remotest idea what I will
get, but I am sure it will be something good." A few days before his
translation he was visited by one of his old-time railway associates,
who said to him: "H----, you are now up against the real thing,
according to your belief; and it looks to us the same, just as if you
would have to go some one of these days. How does it seem? What is it
like?"

Looking at the questioner lovingly, the dying man said, "Charley,
you've worked for the railway company a long time, and never had many
promotions, have you?"

"Yes, about twenty years--and no promotions."

"Well, Charley, suppose there'd come to you to-day a wire from
headquarters saying there's a big promotion waiting for you on your
arrival, and at the same time a pass for your free transportation. How
do you think that would seem to you?"

"My soul, but that'd be fine," said he.

"Well, Charley, that's just my case exactly," said the radiant man.
"I've been working for God and his company for about that same length
of time and never had much promotion so far as I could see, and now I
have a summons direct from the glory land telling me there's a big
advancement for me, and it sounds mighty good."

He was dressed for the wedding, the Christmas morning, or whatever
awaited him, and was anxious that the couriers of the King should
come. When the moment came the old engineer's headlight was undimmed,
the switch signals showed green, and when he called for the last board
at the home station the signal came back: "All's well; come on in."

He had received his coveted promotion.

AN UNUSUAL KINDNESS

That best portion of a good man's life--
His little, nameless, unremembered acts
Of kindness and of love.
--Wordsworth.

The Methodist locomotive engineer had died joyful. "I am so glad to
go," he said. "I am like a boy when there's a circus in town; I've got
the price, and my baggage is checked clear through."

I was holding a memorial service for him in his old home town, and at
the close a big, broad-shouldered man came forward to the altar rail
and quietly said, "You did not know that man."

The remark startled me a little, for I had been acquainted with him
f