The cane made a resounding 'crack' as it hit the wooden desk. Jimmy Bates jumped to attention and swung around to meet the glare of The Reverend Bertram Montague who was now tapping the cane into the palm of his hand. The school teacher, Miss Baxter, stood silently to one side of the large blackboard.
"Nice of you to rejoin us Mr Bates. Perhaps you would like to share with the rest of us just where you've been for the last five minutes?"
Jimmy stood up and looked around the small classroom to see every pair of eyes glued on him ; the silence was such that you could have heard a pin drop. He took a deep breath and began.
"I was driving a giant steam engine, past fields and bridges, through tunnels and cuttings of grey rock. I blew the whistle at everybody I passed and they waved and shouted." Jimmy forgot about everyone watching him as he returned to his world of magnificent trains. "The smoke billowed and the engine sang to it's own rhythm making wonderful music," he continued unaware of how his audience were totally enthralled by him, his excitement and love of trains was evident to everyone watching. Finally he became silent, "That's it Sir. Sorry Sir".
The Reverent Montague, trying hard to be stern, frowned at Jimmy. "You will come to my room at the end of today's lessons Mr Bates. You too, Jack," he indicated to Jimmy's twin and then he left the classroom.
Miss Baxter told Jimmy to sit down and pay attention for the rest of the afternoon, if he could.
"Yes Miss Baxter", he said, but it was hard to concentrate. He and Jack would be leaving school at the end of this week and they didn't know what they were going to do. Their parents would expect them both to start earning and to help by paying for their own keep.
Lessons drew to an end and Jimmy and Jack made their way to Reverent Montague's room. They knocked.
"Enter." Jimmy turned the large brass doorknob and they both entered rather sheepishly.
"I have some news for both of you concerning your employment. You first Jimmy." He smiled, "Seems that what I have to tell you will suit you down the the ground. You will no doubt be pleased to hear that an apprenticeship has been secured for you at Drummonds Engineering Company where you will be able to pursue your wish to work with trains."
Jimmy could hardly contain his excitement. "You mean it?"
"Of course Mr Bates. You will start in two weeks time. I have written down all the details for you." He handed Jimmy a blue envelope. "Now you Jack. An apprenticeship has also been secured for you at Smallwood Hall with the gardeners. I have been informed by His Lordship that you have shown an interest in gardening and a wish to work up at the Hall. You will start also in two weeks." He handed Jack a blue envelope. "The details are enclosed."
Both boys stood with mouths wide open and at a loss for words. "I can see you need time to take in what I have just told you. Go back to your classroom where Miss Baxter is waiting for you, read your letters, you can then ask her if there is anything you don't understand."
He stood up and came around his desk, shook hands with both boys and said, "On the whole you have been well behaved boys and you have learned well whilst at our school. I hope when you leave us you will continue to do yourselves credit. Away with you now."
"Thank You Sir," they chorused.
Back in the classroom Miss Baxter was waiting for them and together they went through their letters making sure each boy new exactly what to expect, and more importantly, what was expected of them and when they had finished and were ready to leave, she opened her desk and took out two books. She handed a small leather backed book to Jack which contained illustrations of all kinds of plants and flowers from daisies to orchids. Jack gasped, and thanked her, "It's lovely Miss".
"I think you might like this Jimmy," and she handed him a small illustrated book of The Rainhill Trials showing Stevensons Rocket. "Oh thanks Miss."
The boys left still thanking Miss Baxter for her gifts, and on their way home stopped to sit down on the village green to look at their books. As Jimmy opened his a small piece of paper fell out. He opened it and read it to himself. At first he struggled a little with some of the words but after reading it a couple of times he began to enjoy it. "Hey Jack, just listen to this, it's a poem called Trains, listen." And he started to read the poem out loud to the rhythm of the steam train's engine.
Faster than fairies, faster than witches
Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches
And charging along like troops in a battle
All through the meadows the horses and cattle.
All the sites of the hill and the plain
Fly as thick as the driving rain
And ever again in the wink of an eye
Painted stations whistle by.
Here is a child who clambers and scrambles
All by himself and gathering brambles
Here is a tramp who stands and gazes
And there is the green for stringing the daises.
Here is a cart run away in the road
Lumping along with man and load
And here is a mill and there is a river
Each a glimpse and gone forever.
"That's going to be me Jack, you'll see. I'm going to eat, drink and sleep trains from now on. Come on, let's get home and tell Mam and Dad." And together they ran as fast as they could with great expectations for the soon to be new chapter in both of their young lives.