If the change of attitude produced no effect upon others, it did in me, for I knew then that I looked like a civilized boy, and bore myself with the dignity becoming the young engineer of the Lake Shore Railroad. Miss Grace handed me the watch, and I took it with my best bow. She finished her “neat little speech,” and, as her silvery tones ceased, I was painfully conscious that something was expected of me. It was a hard case. Clinging to the cow-catcher of a locomotive going at thirty miles an hour was nothing to it. Again I longed for a hole in the platform through which I might disappear from the public gaze. But there was no hole in the platform, and no chance to escape. The audience were heartily applauding the presentation speech of Miss Grace; and I think the major was prouder of her then than he had ever before been in his life.
While this demonstration was in progress, I tried to gather up my thoughts for the mighty effort I was to make. A labored apology, with something about being in a “tight place,” flashed upon my mind as a suitable preface to my speech; but I almost as quickly decided not to make any apology; for, since no one could suspect me of being a speech-maker, I was not likely to fall below their expectations as an orator. Before I had concluded what I should say, or try to say, the applause ceased for an instant, and then the Toppletonians began to shout, “Speech! Speech!”
If I could run an engine, there was no good reason why I should not make a speech. I had something to say, and all I had to do was to say it. Really it seemed to be the simplest thing in the world, and I determined to “go in,” however I might come out of it. In a word, I was resolved to put it “through by daylight.”
“Miss Grace Toppleton,” I began, and the uttering of the whole name seemed to afford me a grateful respite of some fraction of a second in which to gather up the next idea. “I am very much obliged to the students of the Toppleton Institute for this beautiful gift. A gold watch is something I never expected to have. I didn’t think of anything of this kind when I came in here, and for that reason I was very much surprised. I shall always keep this watch, and, whenever I look at its face, it will remind me of the generous fellows who gave it to me. I shall”—
I was interrupted by a burst of rapturous applause from the students; and while I was waiting for it to subside, I was satisfied that I was doing very well.
“I shall endeavor, with the help of this watch, always to be on time; and I hope I shall be able to do my duty to the officers and to the liberal patron of the Lake Shore Railroad. Miss Toppleton, I am very grateful to all the good fellows who have given me this splendid watch; and though I don’t believe in wearing two faces, I shall never look at the face of this watch without thinking of another face—the face of the one who so prettily presented it.”
“Good! Good!” shouted the students; and another round of applause encouraged me in my arduous task.
“I shall always prize this watch,” I continued, glancing at the beautiful time-keeper, “for the sake of those who gave it to me; and I am sure I shall give it a double value because of the fair hands from which it passed into my own. With ten thousand thanks for the beautiful gift, I shall try to perform my duty better than ever before; and whatever work is given me to do, I shall put it through by daylight.”
I made my best bow again, and retired from the stage amid a storm of applause. As Miss Grace followed me, I helped her down the steps. The pleasant, arch smile she bestowed upon me made me feel that I had not said anything which she disliked.
“Mr. Wolf, you are quite a speech-maker,” said she.