February 2009

        "Stockton and Darlington.  What do those words mean, Grandpa?   It seems I have heard them before.  I'm not sure."

        Grandpa quickly raised his eyes from the book hehad been reading as he sat in his rocking chair.

        "Stockton and Darlington?  Where did you get that paper?"

        "I saw you writing yesterday when Mr. Jervis was here, Grandpa."

        "Oh yes!  On my goodness, I forgot all about it.  Where did you find it?  Wait a minute.  Wait just a minute, Ben.  Let me think!  Let Me think!  I don't want to be one of those old fogies who can't remember where he put his glasses, when they are right on his forehead."

        Ben tipped over backward as he let out a loud laugh.

        "It isn't funny, Ben.  Maybe to you, but not to me.  Come on, tell me.  Where did you find it?"

        "Right over there on that small table beside Mother's lamp."

        "Oh, now I remember.  Yes, I wrote i and put it on the table as I got up to look at a sketch in the book John B. had brought with him.  Oh, I feel much better now.  I did remember where I put it, and why I put it there."

        "All right Grandpa.  I feel better too.  I sort of remember hearing those words before.  Did I, Grandpa?  Did I?  Tell me."

        "All right, Ben.  I'll tell you, but before I do, come on over here, pull your father's rocker right next to mine, and sit down."

        Ben pulled the rocker closer and quietly waited as grandpa slowly rocked with his eyes closed.  The only sounds Ben heard were the creaking of Grandpa's rocker and some pretty raucous chirping from several crows on a branch just outside the window.  Grandpa opened his eyes, turned his head and looked right at Ben.

        "Ben, the names Stockton and Darlington may be two of the most important words you will hear in your lifetime.  And most certainly they may bring about a change that non of us had any idea about.  Remember the day Tillie almost died?  That's when we heard about Philip Hone's speech.  Remember?  Philip Hone said that in England, in September 1825, a man named George Stephenson built and put into operation on the Stockton and Darlington railroad a steam locomotive.  It was a great success.  We talked about this before, didn't we?"

        "Well yes, we did, but I don't remember hearing those names.  I do recall that you mentioned the steam locomotive and now I know exactly what you are going to say next.  You don't think I remember, do you?"

        "It was quite some time ago, so I wasn't sure how much you would remember of our conversation that day."

        "All right.  Listen.  When we first talked about this, you said that Historians thought that this steam locomotive was the....let's see....oh, I remember.  They thought this was the beginning of the railroad era.  And then Marion asked what n era was.  Mr. Jervis said an era is a very important date that begins a new time in history."

        "Ben, you continue to astound me with that mind of yours.  How proud I am to be the grandfather of a young man like you who has truly learned to use his brain and most of all has constantly worked to develop your ability to connect ideas, to reason things out."

        "Thank you, Grandpa, but now let's to on with the story."

        "Fine.  We now have a new character who just came into our railroad tale."

        "Have I heard of him, Grandpa?"

        "I don't think you have.  His name is John Bolton."

        "You're right.  I don't know him.  Tell me about John Bolton."

        "Before we discuss him, let's to back just a bit and think again about Philip Hone's prediction of a very important happening.  At that time the Erie Canal was 363 miles long, 40 feet wide and could handle boats of 35 to 45 tons.  This marks the beginning of the greater and greater use of anthracite, brought from Pennsylvania up to our state."

        "Was this need to bring more and more anthracite, or coal, up here from Pennsylvania, faster and faster very important?"

        "Oh yes!  More and more people was how they could make more and more money this way."

        "So....what happened?  I just remembered that when we were at the Fair, Mr. Steele said his uncle told him what Philip Hone said about something which would happen that all of us would learn about, something he believed would change the world."

        "Yes, that is exactly what Mr. Steele said."

        "Well, what was this great event that was going to change the lives of people in England and also in America?"

        "It was just an idea in the minds of many managers who worked to keep the canal going.  Just an idea."

        "Well, Grandpa, did anything happen with this idea or did they just forget it?"

        "Oh no, no Ben.  In May of 1825, Mr. Wright, one of the canal managers, sent a report to the other managers."

        "A report!  What did it say, Grandpa?  Was it important?"

        "It most certainly was Ben.  Probably one of the most important reports ever written in this country."

        "Come on Grandpa!  What did it say?  I'm just sitting here waiting to hear your answer."

        "Your wait is over.  Mr. Wright's report said, Let's build a railroad."

        "A railroad?  Where did they get that idea?"

        "They got that idea, Ben, from England when George Stephenson built and put into operation a steam locomotive on the Stockton and Darlington railroad in September 1825."

        "So that is the event which Philip Hone told about.  Now I'm beginning to remember what we heard that day."

        "That's it!"

        "But Grandpa, if that railroad just carries coal, that won't effect any of us.  We don't use coal."

        Mother called from the kitchen that supper was ready.  The odors coming from the kitchen made Ben feel suddenly very hungry.

        "Come on, Grandpa.  Let's eat.  But I want to know how a railroad will change my life.  Right now, I guess I don't really believe it will."

        Talking quickly stoped and mother's roast lamb, sweet potatoes and corn quickly disappeared.

        As mother was cutting her just-baked apple pie, Ben said, "Father, do you think we will have our lives changed by a railroad?"

        His father glanced around the table at Mother, Ben, Marion, Lily, Luke, Doris, Ella and Grandpa, with a happy, contented smile on his face.

        "I certainly hope not.  I like the way we live right here on our large farm, surrounded by our fields where we grow our food.  I like our sprawling, velvety, green lawn and most of all, I like our big red barn full of our cows, calves, horses, sheep, chickens and our big red rooster who calls us to get up each morning at 5 o'clock."

        Smiles all around the table and heads nodding up and down in approval, made the thought of a railroad dissolve from their minds as they savored Mother's apple pie.

        Ben leaned over toward Grandpa and whispered, "I am going out help Father in the barn.  When I come back in, I want to hear all about John Bolton."

        "You will.  I promise you will."