The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-03-14
SIMS LITTLE GIRL.
bIARY HARTWELL.

| Come out here, George Burks.
Put that glass down-can't wait min
ute. Business Embellishments the
Company.
Now I've got you by the arm, boy,
[ want to tell you something. Then if
| want to go back into that saloon, you
may.
l don't often NEEDLE in other folks
business, dc [? When a tough old fell
low like me sets out to warn a body,
you may know its because he sees sore
need of it. I've had aneye on you ever
since the Company promoted you to an
engine, and | want you to make fair
trip of your life. You're a fine, bright
youngster, [ don't never say things to
compliment.
Just takin' drinks for good fellow
ship? Yes, 1 know all bout that.
Been there myself. Sit down on the
edge of the platform here
Of all the 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 uncommon. Ours
is grand business, [ don't think folks
looks at it as they ought to. Remem-
Der when [ was 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 ] wanted him to-
The power, sort of made me think fast,
square up and feel much of man.
L was dom well when [ married. and
/ did well long afterwards. We had a
nice home, the little woman and me A.:
our hearts was set ON each other, and
she was little proud of her engineer
She used to say 50 anyhow. She was
sort of mild and tender with her tongue
Not one of your loud ones. And pretty
too. But you know what it is to love a
woman, George Burks, L saw you walk
ing with blue-eyed little thing last
Sunday
And after awhile we had the little
girl. How | felt when | came home
and they put her into my arms for the
first time | looked sort of silly and
sort of glad My wife, she just laugh
ed out loud, TO see me handle that little
thing SO orkardly.
[ never liked little children much.
but l took to that 'un 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 all doubled to-
gether, like teenly fist That's what
she was at first all fist and squirm :;
beauty curled up tight. Then they I'M
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 1 came home [ found
her growed and pumped out more
Used to toss her up, and she'd squeel
like a squirrel, and come down on my
face Ill fits of laughter.
Oh, [ darsnt 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, my wife and l. 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. NV
wife wanted to call her Endora Isabel.
But that sounded like folderrol Then
we had up Rebeccar, and Maud, and
Amanda Ann and what not. Finally,
whenever [ looked at her, [ seemed to
see katie. She looked Katie. II
took to calm her Katie, and she learn
ed it, SO Katie she was.
tell you George, that was a child to
be noticed She was rounder and pref |
tier made n a wax igger, her eyes was
bigger and blacker'n any grown wo-
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 toddle, she used to |
come dancin to meet me. I've soiled a |
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 ba-
by God bless my little lamb -
As she grew older, [ 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 in
terest, and was the smartest little
thing Seemed as if she had always
knowed EN- She loved the road
once hearing her say to
playmate, There's my papa. He's
an engineer. Don't you wish he was
your papa p
My home was close by the track.
Often and often the little girl stood in