The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1874-03-27
SIMS LITTLE GIRL.

Come out here, George Burks. Put
that glass down-can't wait minute.
Business particular concerns the COM
pany.
Now I've got you by the arm, boy, I
want to tell you something. Then if
you want to go back into that saloon,
you may.
I don't often meddle in other folks
business, do I? When tough old fell
low like me sets ont to warn a body,
you may know lis 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 Won to make a fair
trip of your life. You're a fine, bright
youugster; [ don't never say things to
compliment.
just takin' drinks for good fellow
ship? Yes, I know all bout that.
Been there myself. Sit down on the
edge of the platform here.
OF all the men in the world, I take II,
engineers ought to be the last to touch
the bottle. We have life and property
trusted to our hands uncommon. Ours
is a grand business; 1 don't think folks
look at it as they ought to. Eemem-
Der when 1 was 4 young fellow like you,
Just set up with an engine, used to
feel like strong angel or somethin',
rushin' over the country, maxim that
iron beast do Just as I wanted him to-
The power sort OF m de me think fast,
square up and feel much of man.
was doin' well when I married, and
I did we'll long afterwards. We had a
| nice home, the little woman and me I:
our hearts were set on each other, and
she was a little proud of her engineer.
She used to say so anyhow. She was
sort of mild and tender with her t0ngue
Not one Of your loud ones. And pretty
too. But you know what it is to love a
woman, George Burks; ] saw you walk
ing with a blue-eyed little thing last
Sunday.
And after awhile we had the little
girl. How I felt when I came home
and they put her into my arms for the
first time I looked sort of silly and
sort of glad Ny wife, she just laugh
ed out loud, to see me handle that little
thing so orkardly.
never liked little children much,
but took to that 'uI powerful: Every
body liked her.
George, my boy, did you ever take
| time to go and peep at young ferns in
| spring? You see 'em ali doubled to-
| eether. like a teenty fist. That's what
I sue " do az 1l9J ali LOU anu 'Al4 IL
| beauty curled up tight. Then they IN
fold and spread out, and come up bright
and delicate, and fner'n you can put
into words. That's just the way she
! did. Every night I came home, I found
her growed and pumped out more.
! Used to toss her up, and she'd squeal
| like squirrel, and come down on nay
face in fits of laughter.
! Oh, [ darsn't think about her cum
ningness But the very first word she
! learned to say was "Papa |"
! We talked good deal about what we
/ should call her, NY wife and /. We
went clean through the Bible, and set
down all the fine story names we heard
! of. But nothin' seemed to suit. used
to puzzle the whole length of my route
to find name for that little girl. My
wife wanted to call her Eudora Isabel.
| But that sounded like folderOl. Then
we had up Eebeccar, and Maud, and
! Amanda Ann and what not. Finally,
whenever I looked at her, I seemed to
see "Katie." She looked Katie.
! took to calm her Katie, and she learn
ed If, so Katie she was.
tell you, George, that was child to
! be noticed. She was rouDder and pTet-
J tier MAIDEN wax fgger; her eyes was
| digger anu DtdJhCL II any A5AO"4 W.
mans 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 toddIe, she used to
! comeda0cin'tom meet me. Tvesoiled 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, a." God bless my baby God
bless my little lamb -
! As she grew older, I used to talk to
/ her about engin'-even took her into.my
| cab, and showed the 'tachments of the
engine, and learned her signals and
such things. She tuck such an interest,
and was the smartest little thing
! Seemed as If she had always knowed
'em. She loved the road. Remember
! once hearing her say to a playmate,
''There's my papa. He's an engineer.
! Don't ycu wish he was your papa Z"
NV home was close by the track.
/ Often and often the little girl stood N
our green yard, wax ing her mite of a
1 hand as We rushed by.
/ Well. sir, them was happy years.
! It most kills me to look over 'em now.
I was dom so well. Had an idea I was
a man made to prosper. I felt good to
all the world, and that nd been well,
if I'd showed my good fellowship some
other way. But men are fools, and ]
was so easy I couldn't refuse q social
glass, and I 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
drinkin' the very thing that made us
fit for anything but brothers Itpleased
me most to have them pledge my little
girl. And the more they'd toast her,
the deeper I'd drink. And 1 was
drinkin' death to her and damnat1on
to me.
! I'll cut it off short. Didn't mean to
say but a few words TO you, but got tc
thinkin' so. Can't spin It ont much
Longer or thereu be no man left oi
ne.