THE RAILWAY CHILDREN - 7

3.

 

The Old gentleman

 

The Children could not keep away from the railway, and they soon got to know the trains that passed by. There was the 9.15 and the 10.07, and the midnight train that sometimes woke them from their dreams.

  one morning they were sitting on the fence, waitingfor the 9.15, when Phyllis said, "It's going to London, where Father is. Let's all waves as it goes by. Perhaps it's a magic train and it can take our love to Father."

  So when 9.15 came screaming out of the tunnel, the three children waved ...

  ... And a hand waved back! It was holding a newspaper and it belonged to an old gentleman.

  The old gentleman travelled on the 9.15 every day. He had white hair and looked very nice, and soon they were waving to him every morning. They pretended he knew Father, and that he was taking their love to him.

 

아이들의 잔잔한 애정을 느끼게 하는 대목이죠. 그리움이란 그렇게 잔잔하면서도 마음 깊이 파고드는 것이랍니다. 여러분들도 오늘 살짝 형제나 부모님을 그리워해보세요. 가까이 있으면 느끼기 힘든 게 정이지만, 문득 새삼 새롭게 그리워해보면 괜시리 그리워지는 게 또한 그리움이랍니다.