The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-08-15
VOL. XVII.---NO. 30.

name for that little girl. My wife wanted
to call her Eudora Isabel. But that sound
ed like folderol. Then she had it Rebecca,
and Maud, and what not. Finally. when
ever looked at her, seemed to see Katie
She looked Katie, l took to calm her Ka-
tie, and she learned it, SO Katie she was.
II tell you, George, that was child to
be noticed. She was rounder and prettier
MAIDEN wax fgger; her eyes was bigger
and blacker'n any grown woman's you ever
saw, set like stars under her forehead and
her hair was that light kind, that all runs
to curls and glitter.
"Soon's she could toddle, she used to
come dancin' to meet me. I've soiled
many of her white pinafores, buryin' my
face in them before / was washed, and sort
of prayin' soft like under the roof of my
heart, God bless my babyl- God bless
my little lambn
"As she grew Older used to talk to her
about engines-even took her into my cab,
and showed her the 'tachments of the en-
CINE, and learned her signals and such
things. She tuck such an interest, and
was the smartest little thing Seemed as
if she had always known 'em. She loved
the road. Remember once hearing her say
to playmate, There's my papa. He's an
engineer. Don't you wish he was your pa
pal
my home was close by the track. Of
ten and often the little girl stood in our
green yard, waving her mite of a hand to
me as we rushed by.
"Well, sir, them was happy years. 1t
most kills me to look over 'em now. l was
dom too we'll. Had an idea was man
made to prosper. l felt good to all the
world, and that 'ud been well, if I'd show
ed my good fellowship some other way
But men are fools. was so easy couldn't
refuse social glass, and was always free
toasting others. Many's the time we've
stood, three or four fools of us, clinkin' our
glasses and drinkin' to brotherhood drink
in, the very thing that made us fit for any
thing but brothers. 1t pleased me most to
have them pledge my little girl. And the
more they'd toast her, the deeper I'd drink.
And was drinkin' death to her and dam
nation to me.
I'll cut it off short. Didn't mean to say
but few words to you, but l got to think
in so. Can't spin it out much longer, or
there'll be no man left me.
"Well, one day started on my home
trip; full Of that good fellowship you was
imbibin' awhile ago. Made the engine
WIZ We was awful jolly, the firemen and
me. Never was drunk when I got on my
engine before, or the Company would have
shipped me. Wasn't no such time never
made on that road before nor since. I had
just sense enough to know what was
about, but not enough to handle an emer-
gency. We fairly reared down on the tres
tie that stood at the entrance of our town.
81 had tipsy eye out, and George, as we
was flynn through the suburbs, see my
little girl on the track ahead, wavin red
! flag and standin' stock still
"The air seemed full of Katies. could
have stopped the engine, if I'd only had
sense enough to know what to take hold Of
to reverse her But was too drunk! And
that grand little angel stood up to it, try
ing to warn US in time, and we just swept
right ahead into pile of ties some wretch
had laid on the track!-Oh my baby!--Go
away, George.
"There! And do you want me to tell
you how the sight of that mangled little
mass killed her mother ? And do you
want me to tell you to walk alive to-day,
the murderer Of my own child, who stood
up to save me? And do you want me to
tell you the good-f fellowship you were
drinkin' awhile ago brought all this on met
you'll let this pass by maxim up your
mind to be moderate. Hope you will. l
was moderate 'un.
ooh God oh my babyD
~ can knock down any man twice my
size for good reason, George Burks, but
my heart just mclts to water for that little
girl."- Woods Household Magazine.