Huntington independent. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1871-1874, 1873-08-07
SIMS LITTLE GIRL.

Germs the company.
"Now I've got you by the arm
boy, want to tell you something
Then if you want to 60 back intC
that saloon, you may.
Il don't often meddle in other
folks business, do l? When a tough
old fellow like me sets out to warn q
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, aud
want you to make fair trip of your
life. You're 6ue, bright young
ster, | don't never say things to com
/ piiment
just takin' drinks for good fel-
lowship? Yes, l know all bout that
Been there myself. Sit down on the
edge of the platform here.
of all men in the world, take
it, engineers ought to be the last to
touch the bottle. We have life and
property trusted to our hands un-
common. Ours is q grand business,
| don't think folks looks at it as they
ought to Remember when | was u
young fellow like you, just set up
with an engine, | used to feel like a
strong angel or SOmethin'. rustin'
over the country, maxim that iron
beast do just as | wanted him to.
The power, sort of made me think
f.st, square up and feel much Of a
man.
al VAS dcin' veil when married,
aud l did well long afterwards. We
/ had a nice home, the little woman
and me: our hearts was set on each
other, and she ives a little proud OF
/ hlr engineer. She used to say 80
any how She vas sort Of mild and
jcuder with her tongue. Not one OF
ycur loud ones. And pretty, too.
I Bu, YOU know what it is to love q
woman. George Burks, | saw you
wa.kia' with bIue-eyed little thing
iss; Sunday.
"Apd after awhile, we had the lit
To girl. How l felt when | came
home and they put her into my arms
the first timel | looked sort Of silly
and sort of glad My wife, she just
laughed cut loud, to see me handle
that little thing so orkArdly.
II never liked little children much,
but | took to that 'un powerful
Every body took to her.
George, boy, did you ever take
time to 20 and peep at young ferns
in the spring. You see 'em oil doub
led together, like a teenty fist. That
what she Was at first: all hst and
squirm; beauty curled up tight. Then
they unfold and spread out, and
come up bright sud delicate, and
6uer'n you can put iutO wor Is
That's just the way she did. Every
night come home, | found heI
growed and pluupened out more
Used to toss her up, and she'd sques
| like squirrel, aud come down OF
my face 10 fits Of laughter.
'Oh, l daresn't think about hel
cunningness!. But the very frs
word she lesrned to say, was Papa
I'VE talked a good deal abou
what We should caIl her, my wife and
Il. We went clean through the Bi
ble, sud set down all the fine story
names We heard Of But nothin
seemed to snit. used to puzzle th,
whole length of my route to 6ud ou
a name for that little girl My wifi,
wanted to call her Eudora Isabel
But that sounded like folderrOl. Ther
we had up Rebecca, and Maud, unC
Amanda Ann aud what not. Final
ly, whenever | looked at her, seem
ed TO see Katie She looked Ka
tie, l took to callin' her Katie, anc
she learned it, so Katie she was.
IL tell you, George, that was
, child 10 be noticed. She was round
er aud prettier MAIDEN wax fgger
her eyes was bigger aud blacker'r
any grown woman's you ever saw
set like stars under her forehead
snd her bair was that light kind
that all runs to curls and glitter.
"Soor's she could toddle, she use
to come dancin to meet me. "
soiled a many of her white pinsfore'
buryin' my face 10 them before wa
washed, and sort Of prayin' soft Ink
: under the roof of my heart, Go
bless my babyl--God bless my h'tl
: lsmbr
"As she grew older, l used to tai
to her about eugin'-even took be
: into my cab, ard showed her II
tachmeuts of the engine, aud iearr
: ed her Signals and such thing. N
tuck such an interest, and was tt
smartess little thing! Seemed as
she had always kpowed 'em. 81
loved the road. Remember one
hearing her say to a playmate, There
=. my papa. He's an engineer. Don
; you wish be was your papaT
"My home was close by the tfac
Often and often the little girl stoc
. in our green yard, waving her mi
j. of hand to me as we rushed by.
? "Well, sir, them was happy year
Il most kills me to look over e
now. | was doin too we'll. Had