A ROUGH DIAMOND.

Dunstan Times, Issue 896, 20 June 1879, Page 3

A ROUGH DIAMOND.

Ho wasn’t one of those shiny, Coodlooking chaps that. 1 see every Jay hanging about the depot, dressed in a long overcoat and plug hat, and with seemingly no other business than to swing a dandy cane and stare at the ladies. He didn’t wear his hair parted in the middle. To tell the strict truth, I don’t believe it was parted at all for it stood out all over is head in every direction, and reminded one strongly of a bush on lire. That he was from the country one could see with half an eye ; the evidences of rural life wore too painly marked. liis great, round, good-natured face had been kissed by the sun until it was the hue of a peony, and was studded with freckles as thick as spots on the hack of a speckled hen, His hands were so largo that one of them would have made two good-sized ones for a dandy, and loft some to spare. Ho wore number fourteen, patent no, I moan cowhides, which his pants tucked up to show their yellow tops. His coat fitted him about like a school-hoy’s jacket, and was of a variety of colors now, owing to long usage and exposure. Whisps of straw protruded from his pockets and hung from every catohahlo place about him. In one hand he carried his broad brimmed straw hat, and in the other an old carpet hag, which had lost the lock, being fastened together with a piece of wool twine, and although great pains had evidently been taken with this, it failed to conceal stray glimpses of neither garments and something that looked immensely like a rod flannel nightcay.

Seating himself by the side nf an elegantlydressed lady, and putting (he aforesaid hag between his feet for safe keeping, ho drew out his red bandanna and mopped off his forehead. The lady drew away her rich silks impatiently and with a frown which plainly— “ You’re out of your place, sir. ” But he didn’t seem to notice it in the least, for very soon ho turned to her and remarked good-humoredly : “ An all-fired hot day, inarm! Going fur?” The lady deigned no reply. Supposing himself unheard, he repeated in a louder tone : “ An all fired hot day, I say, inarm ; going fur ? ” No reply but a look of supreme indignation. “ Why J” ho oxohvmed- evidcntl- for the benefit of the whole crowd—“ the poor critter’s deaf. ” Bending forward, he screamed, “ I’m sorry you’re deaf, inarm. How long bin so ? If you warn’t born so, may be’ tis only ear-wax what’s hardened in your ears. 1 know what’ll cure that, sure as guns! It cured my uncle Ezra I’ll give you the recipe, inarm, an’ welcome; perhaps you'd hatter write it down : Take a I etlo soap and water, warm.— ” ‘ ‘ Sir, ” said the lady, raising her eyes blazing with wrath, “ do yon intend to insult mo? I shall complain of you to the police 1 ” and she swept haughtily out of the depot.'” Waal, 1 never?” he exclaimed. “I’m beat! What struck her? I’m sure I was jest a spoakin ’ for her good. I was only a-gnin’ to say; Take a lectio soap and water, warm, and syringe it into the cars three times a day. It's sure; an I’ll bet my heat heifer on it, if she’d only been! to a feller, it v onld have done the business for her. But some folk never like to hear their unfortunitics spoke of, and I s’pose 1 hadn’t ortcr a’took any notice on it, ” and ho relapsed into silence. Presently the western train came duo, and a woman came in with two children hanging to her skirts and a baby inker arms, beside a band-box and a satchel. It was the only scat vacant. She sank into it with a weary sigh, and tried to hush the fretful hairy and keep watch of the two other restless, fluttering budgets, who also wore tired and fretful, and kept teasing for this and that until tin poor mother looked ready to sink. “ Pretty tired, ma’am ?’ remarked Jonathan. “ Going fur ?” “ To Boston, sir,” replied the lady, courteously. “ Going to wait long ?’ “ Until three ” (glancing at me). “ Oh, dearies, do he quiet ; and don’t tcaso mother a"y more.” “ Look a-hero, yon young shavers, and sec what I’ve got in my pocket,” and he drew out a handful of peppermint drops.

11l a few moments they wore both upon his knees, eating their candy and listening eagerly while ho told them wonderful stories about his sheep and calves at homo. J!ut the baby wouldn’t go to sleep, lie was (|uito heavy, and wanted to bo tossed tho whole time. Jonathan noticed this ; and finding a string somewhere in the depths of his old carpet bag, ho taught the two children a game which ho called “ Cat’s Cradle. Soon they were seated on the depot door, as happy as two kittens. “Now lot mu take that youngster, mann,” he said, “ you look clean boat out. I guess I can please him. I’m a powerful hand with babies,’ and ho tossed the great lump of llesh up until it crowed with delight, fly and it dropped its head upon his shoulder and fell fast asleep. Two hours afterwards I peered through the window, as he helped her and her belongings aboard the cars, and I don’t believe if be had been the Czar of Russia she could have looked any more grateful or thanked him any sweeter. “ ’Tain’t nothin’ at all, inarm,” I heard him say, bashfully, but 1 knew she thought differently, and so did f. Ho came back, resumed his seat, and buying a pint of peanuts from a thin-faced little girl—giving 12 cents instead of 10 for them—sat munching away in hearty enjoyment until the northern train came due. Then ho snatched his dilapidated carpet-bag and that of an old lady near by, who was struggling feebly toward tho door, “ Lean right on me, inarm, I’ll see you safe through,” he said, cheerfully. Tho conductor shouted “All aboard,” and tho train moved away. As I looked at the empty seats I thought “ Something bright has gone out of this depot that does not come in every day—an honest heart.”