The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-12-06
The Baggage Masters WIe's Story.

"Dinner ready9" said tn, baggage
master to his wife.
"Of course !" said the wife, in tone
of establishment.
eyes, yes," said the baggage master,
"you're afraid Of your glass.
And then they laughed together.
"You don't know what he means, "
said the rosy little woman to me.
"Why, when I'm in stemper I smash
things" said the husband, and went his
way.
"In temper" said the wife. "Why,
Tom couldn't be- in temper if he tried.
Tom in a temper Good graciousl But
I'll tell you what he means, if you like
for you couldn't get it ont of him.
And as I've half an hour before me, and
my darning in my hand, and you're
waiting for the stage, it won't waste time
for either of us. There was time
when I didn't think much about that,
but that was good while ago.
"My husband was baggage master on
this very line when I married him, and
they said he was the most careful one
over known. No forgetfulness in him.
Never drank drop and never snubbed
the poor, bewildered people who asked
questions. Good nstured he was as
could be, and as firm as if he hadn't
been good natured, and was a silly,
irresponsible girl, who had been at
school month before that OF my we'd
ding, and knew as much of housekeep-
ing ss mouse.
"He had saved good deal Of money,
and had built q pretty house with only
four rooms in it, besides the kitchen,
but each as pretty as picture, and q
big bow window In the parlor that had
cost ever 30 much. In the window
plants were set, and an aquarium. No
one had prettier parlor anywhere. It
was the pride of my heart.
"The great road ran just past the cor
ner; it was at Lilliput Junction that we
lived-and down below was the depot,
and the train slacked up going through
the town. When Tom ate breakfast at
home, which wasn't often, he kept ten
minutes to get to the cars before they
started, and so was never in hurry.
"Well, one morning he had had
breakfast at home, and had fifteen min
utes to spare, when some one came
rushing past the house on horseback,
and cried out to Tom that old Hill, q
brakeman on the road, had just been
very much hurt by train and he was
going for doctor. Tom liked old Hill,
and he started to his feet at once.
Bessie, said he, must see the poor
old fellow. I have ten minutes or more
for it. I can rur to the depot in three.
Now, take my keys, my dear, and have
them at the door for me when pass.
Remember how important it is
"You see the great bunch Of keys
was heavy, and he didn't care to carry
them all with him down to where old
Hill was and back. And I didn't won
der at it as T lifted them from the table,
checks and chains and all. And meant
to stand at the door as he came up; but
there was time to spare. So I just ran
into the back yard to tell Mrs. Jones,
next door, over the fence, about the
accident to poor Hill-and got talking,
and the time passed as time will in
CHAT; and ten minutes is nothing, you
know.
"And our house was on the street,
one OF row. There was no getting to
the hack door without going around the
whole of them. And the door had q
patent lock and the big bow window was
fastened Gown aud while I was chatter
ing like magpie l didn't see my hus-
band flying up the road, with good
three minutes before him, to get his
keys and run to the depot in. Bessie,
he cried at the gate hut didn't hear
him. Bessie, he shouted, as he shook
the door-and there were my ears filed
with the story my neighbor was telling
me about the tipsy woman she'd seen
run over, and You see Tom had tried
the window by this time and found it
down, and he had two minutes and a
half left ; and a man that misses his
duty on railroad pays for it, I tell
you aud it wasn't temper, mark that ;
it wasn't because he felt like smashing
my window, because kept him wait
ing; it was to do his duty, como what
might of it ; and it was grand Of him, I
say. The next second Tom was through
that plate glass window with crash,
and the bits Icy scattered on the floor
and on the ground, and some were in
his flesh, but he had his checks and
his keys, and was off flying.
"There never was man that ran q
race that rar 80 before; and minute
after, when I, without nay bonnet, and
not caring BIZ what any one thought
OF me, stood staring down the road, l
saw the up train rush by, and my Tom
standing on tue platform OF the last
baggage Car, witt his keys and checks
in belt about his waist, tying up bis
bleeding hand in his pocket handker-
chief and, in the midst of it, hurt as
he was, much as he had lost in that
great window, angry as he should have
been at me-for I had been the cause
Of it all-my Tom mods his head to me
and shouts at the top of his voice, so
that heard him above all the sounds Of