thought he could fill, the latter,
remembering the natty uniform of the passenger train's crew, promptly
replied that a brakeman's job aboard a passenger train would just suit
him, which answer caused the superintendent to break out into a hearty
laugh, after he had told Joe that he was several sizes too small to fill
that position. But Joe was entirely too much in earnest to be turned
away this easily, and drawing himself to his full height, he pleaded
that, as he had no home and neither touched tobacco nor strong drink,
he should at least be given a trial, and then finished his appeal by
telling the superintendent that a young, live and accommodating trainman
was preferred by the patrons of every railroad to a cranky one.

This last statement pleased the superintendent so well that he told Joe
to report a week after date in a regulation uniform and that he should
have a chance to prove his side of the argument. Joe thanked the
superintendent for his kindness and after he closed the office door he
jumped down the stairway three steps at a time, so happy was he. In fact
he realized that he had not only found a job that would decently support
him, but one that strictly conformed with his somewhat restless
disposition, as it permitted him to travel to his heart's content aboard
the flying trains, giving him at the same time a chance to earn an
honest living and see a bit of the world.

He gave a tailor a "hurry" order for a trainman's uniform, and when he
reported on the appointed day at the superintendent's office, he was put
in charge of a conductor who quickly became his fatherly friend, because
Joe did everything required of him in a most satisfactory manner. Each
pay day he placed a large percentage of his salary in a savings bank,
and as his wages were from time to time increased, he soon became the
owner of a comfortable bank account.

He always kept a sharp lookout for his brother Jim, but five years
rolled around in which time he found no trace of his missing brother.
Finally he was attacked by a severe case of homesickness; somehow he
felt a strange loneliness come over him, and the picture of his mother
could not be effaced from his mind, and fearing as much as ever to
return home without his twin brother, he finally wrote a long letter,
pleading for her forgiveness and inquiring if anything had been heard
from James since they left home together. He wrote his own address in
the upper corner of the envelope