tation,
and as we'd a pretty long time there--about five minutes--we used to
spend it beside the pump, an' made the most of it. But somehow I took
it into my head that Molly was playin' fast an' loose with me, an' I was
raither cool on her for a time. Hows'ever, her father bein' a
pointsman, she wos shifted along with him to Langrye station--that's
where your son is, ma'am--an' as we don't stop there we was obleeged to
confine our courtship to a nod an' a wave of a handkerchief. Leastwise
she shook out a white handkerchief an' I flourished a lump o'
cotton-waste. Well, one day as we was close upon Langrye station--about
two miles--I suddenly takes it into my head that I'd bring the thing to
a pint, so I sings out to my mate--that was my fireman, ma'am--says I,
`look out Jim,' an' I draws out my pencil an' bends my legs--you must
always bend your legs a little, ma'am, w'en you writes on a locomotive,
it makes springs of 'em, so to speak--an' I writes on the back of a
blank time-bill, `Molly, my dear, no more shilly-shallyin' with _me_.
Time's up. If you'll be tender, I'll be locomotive. Only say the word
and we're coupled for life in three weeks. A white handkerchief means
yes, a red 'un, no. If red, you'll see a noo driver on the 10:15 a.m.
express day after to-morrow. John Marrot.' I was just in time to pitch
the paper crumpled up right into her bosom," continued the driver,
wiping his forehead as if the deep anxiety of that eventful period still
affected him, "an' let me tell you, ma'am, it requires a deal o' nice
calculation to pitch a piece o' crumpled paper true off a locomotive
goin' between fifty and sixty miles an hour; but it went all straight--I
could see that before we was gone."

"And what was the result?" asked the little old lady as earnestly as if
that result were still pending.

"W'y, the result wos as it should be! My letter was a short 'un, but it
turned out to be a powerful brake. Brought her up sharp--an' we was
coupled in less than six weeks."

"Amazing phase of human life!" observed Mrs Tipps, gazing in admiration
at the stalwart giant who stood deferentially before her.

"Well, it _was_ a raither coorious kind o' proposal," said Marrot with a
smile, "but it worked uncommon well. I've never wanted to uncouple
since then."

"Pardon _me_, Mr Marrot," said Mrs Tipps, with little hysterical
laugh--knowing that she was about to perpetrate a joke--"may I ask if
there are any--any _litt