The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1876-12-08
Bessie KendrIcIls' Journey

at Aliens junction. Then, as the
train came to a dead halt, he
jumped down upon the depot
platform, ran along to the front
Of the long line of passenger cars,
where the engine was standing,
and, swinginghimselfihto the en-
glne said to the engineer
Frank, ] want you to come
back to the first passenger coach
and see little girl that Idon't
know hardly what to make Of"
Frand nodded, without speak
ing, deliberately wiped his oily,
smoky hands in bunch of waste
took a look at his grim, dusty
face in the narrow little mirror
that hung III front Of the steam
gauge, pulled off his short frock,
put on his coat, changed his little
black greasy'eap for a soft felt
hat, taking these 'dress-up' arti-
cles from the tender box, where
an engineer always has some
thing stored away for any emer-
gency, and went back to the car
as requested.
He entered the car and made
his way to the seat where the
ind-hearted conductor sat talk |
ing to bright looking little girl,
about nine years old, oddly dress
ed in a womap's shawl and bon
net.
Several Of the passengers were
grouped around the seat, evident
ly much interested in the child.
who wore 4 sad, permaturely old
cOuntenance, but seemed to be
neither timid nor confused.
Here is the engineer" )" said the
conductor, kindly, as Frank ap-
preached.
She held up her hand to him,
with a winsome smile breaking
over her pinched little face, and
said:
My papa was an engineer be
fore he got sick and went to live
on a farm in Montana. He is dead
and my mamma is dead. She
died first, before Willie and Susie.
Ny papa used to tell me that af-
ter he should be dead there would
be no one to take care Of me, and !
then must get on the cars and
90 to his old home in. Vermont. :
And he said if the conductors
let me ride because | (
had no ticket, / must ask for the I
engineer and tell him that was 9
James Hendricks little girl, and I
that he used to run on the M. & S. t
Road" /
The pleading blue eyes were 5
now sulfused with tears; but she .
lid not cry after the manner of. c
children in general. f
Engineer Frank stopped down =
md kissed her very tenderly; and !,
hen as he brushed the tears away +
rom his eyes, said: c
swell, my dear, 50 you are lit t
lie Bessie Kendrick. rather !
hink merciful providence gui- !,
led you aboard this train" 4
Then, turning round to the t,
group Of passengers, he went on; 0
II knew jim Kendrick well, n
lie was a man out Of ten thou o.
and.-Whep ] first came to lndi n
ma, before | got acclilnated, / O
vas sick a great part of the time, 0
o that | could not work; and | II
rot homesick and discouraged. ii
Couldn't keep my board bill paid ii
Ip, to say nothing of my doctors e.
ill, and didn't care much wheth- a
lived or died. g, .,
One day when the pay train
anne along and the men were
citing their monthly wages, m
here wasn't a cent coming to me; ;!e
or | hadn't been free from the ~ ~
que nor worked an hour for the II
asst month. al
II felt so blue that / sat down tt
n a pile of railroad ties and lean " "
d my elbows upon my knees, Sc
nth my head in my hands, and al
ried like a great boy, out Of sheer U
and discourage C
1ent. 7, T.
Pretty soon one came along and dt
aid ia q voice that sounded like "
weet music in my ears, for | had d
ot found much real sympathy, y
Though the boys were all good y,
o me in their way. You've been il
aving a rough time Of it and you ei
nustiet me help you out q,
| looked m and there stood VI