Saint Mary's beacon., 1873-08-28
SIMS LITTLE GIRL.

"Come out here, George Burks. Pm,
that glass down-can't wait a minute
Business particular-concerns the Com
rany.
Now I've got you by the arm. bov,
want to tell you something. Then if YOU
want to go back into that saloon, you NAV.
81 don't often meddle in other folks
business, do |? When a tough old fel-
low like me sets out to warn a BODY. YOU
may know its because he sees sore need of
it. I've had an eye on you ever since the
Company promoted you to an engine. and
| want you to make fair trip of your life.
You're fine. bright youngster. l don't
never say things to compliment.
jus. 'akin' drinks for good fellowship?
Yes. know all bout that. Been there
myself. Sit down on the edge the plat
form here
''Of all men in the world, I take it. en-
einecrs onyht 20 be the last to touch the
bottle. We have life and property trusted
to our hands uncommon. Ours is n cr.od
business. / don't think folks look al Il as
they ought to. Remember when was a
young fellow like you, just set up with
an engine. used to feel like a strong au-
gel or somethin.' rushin' over the coun-
try. maxim the iron beast do Just as I
wanted him to. The power sort of made
me think fast, square up, and feel much Of
man.
81 was doin' well when married, and
l did we'll long afterwards. We had 3
nice home. the little woman and me; our
hearts was set on each other. and she was
4 little proud of her engineer. She used
to say so, anyhow. She was sort Of mild
and tender with her tongue. Not ono of
your loud ones. And pretty, too. But
you know what it is TO love a woman,
George Burks. saw you walkiu' with q
blue eyed little thing last Sunday.
land after awhile. we had the little
girl. How l felt when came home and
they put her into my arms the frs. time
! looked sort Of silly and sort Of glad -
My wife. she just laughed out loud. to see
me handle that little thing so orkardly.
Il never liked little children much. bu,
| took to that 'un powerful. Everybody
took to her.
George, boy, did you ever take time
to go and peep at young ferns in the sprin q
You see 'em all doubled together like g
teenty fist. That's what she was first: ali
fst and squirm; beauty curled up tight.
Then they unfold and spread out. and
come up bright and delicate. and incr'n
you can pu. into words. That's Jus, The
way she did. Every night I came home,
| found her growed and plrmpcncd ou,
more. Used to toss her up. and she'd
squeal like a squirrel. and come down on
my face in fits of laughter.
"Oh. daresn't think about her cum
| uingness But the very frs, word she
learned to say, was Papa
I'VE talked a good deal about what we
should call her. nay wife aud l. Weweni
clean through the Bible. aud set down oil
the fine story names VIC heard of. Bu,
nCthin' seemed to suit. used TO puzzle
the WHOLE length of my route to fnd ou,
a name for that little girl. Ny wife want.
ed to call her Eudora Isabel. But tia,
sounded like folderol. Then she had Il
Rebecca, and Maud, and what not. Fl
nally. whenever looked at her, seemed
to see Katie She locked Katie. | took
to caliin' her Katie, and she learned it,
So Katie she was.
IL tell you. George. that was child to
be noticed. She was rounder aud pre,lie,
MAIDEN a wax 6g-er; her eyes was bigger
and blacker'n any grown somar's you
ever saw, set like stars under her forehead;
and her hair was that Eight kind, that all
runs to curls and glitter.
"Soon's she could ,oidle, she used to
come dancin' 10 meet me. I've soiIed q
many Of her white pinafores. buryiu' my
faee in them before I was washed, aud
sort Of prayin' soft like under the roof ol
my heart. God bless my baby God
bless my little lambr
"As she grew older. / used 10 talk to
her about engines-evet took her into my
cab. and showed her the 'tachments of the
engine, and learned her signals and such
things. She tuck such an interest, ard
was the smartest little thing! Seemed n
Il che had alwsys known 'em. She loved