Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-04-26
BESSIE HENDRICKS JOURNEY.
BY MRS ANNIE A. PRESTON.

0u OUT OOlluuCbOI hLCildIQSOu dL al
lens Junction. Then,aS the train
camc TO q dead halt, hejumped down
upon the depot platform, ran along
to the front of the long line Of pas
senger cars. where the engine was
standing, and swinging himself uI
into the cab, said to the engineer:
Prank, l want you to come back
to the first passenger coach and see
little girl that don't hardly know
what to make Of"
Frank nodded without speaking,
deliberately wiped his oily, smoky
hands in bunch of waste, took a
look at his grim, dusty face in a mar
row little mirror that hung beside
the-steam gague, pulled off his shirt
frock, put on coat, changed his
little black greasy cap for a soft felt,
taking those "dress up" articles
from the tender box, where an engi-
neer has something slowed away
for an emergency, and went back to
the car rs requested.
lie entered the car and made his
way to the seat where the conductor
sat talking to a bright little girl,
about nine years Old, oddly dressed
in a woman's shawl and bonnet.
Several of the passengers were
grouped around the seat, evidently
much interested in the child, who
~ols a sad, prematurelY old counte-
nance but appeared TO he neither
timid nor confused.
''IIere is the engineer" said the
conductor, kindly, as Frank ap-
preached.
She held up her hand to HIM, with
= winsome smile breaking over her
einched little face, and said :
My papa was an engineer before
ha became sick and went TO live on
1ssarm in Montana. lie is dead and
aHy mamma is dead. She died first,
before Willie and Susie. My papa
used to tell me that after he should
be dead there would be no one to
take care of me, aud then l must
get on the cars and go his old Home
N Vermont. And he said, if the
conductor would not let me ride Le-
cause hadn't any ticket, l must
ask for the engineer and tell him
TINT, am james Hendricks little
girl, and that he used to run on the
M. s. S. road"
The pleading blue eyes were now
suffused with tears /; but she did not
cry after the manner of childhood in
&c leral.
Engineer Frank stopped down and
kissed her very tenderly ; and then
as he brushed the tears from his own
eyes said !:
swell, my dear. SO you are little
Bessie Kendrick. l rather think a
mere iful Providence guided you on
board this train.'
Then turning round to the group
of passengers, he went on:
81 knew Jim Kendrick well. lie
was man out Of ten thousand.
When nrst came to Indiana, before
got accIir1uted, I was sick great
part cf the time, so that could not
work, and ] got homesick and uis-
couraged. Could not keep my board
bill paid up, to say nothing of my
DOCTORS bill, and didn't much care
whether lived or died.
''One day the pay ear come along
and the men were getting their
mcnthly pay, and there wasn't a
cent coming to me, fer hadn't
worked an hour for the lat month";"
II felt SO blue that L sat down on
n pile of railroad ties and leaned my
elbows on my knees, with my head
in my hands. and cried like a boy,
out of sheer home sickness and dis
couragemcnt."
1sPretty soon one came along and |
said, in a voice that seemed like |
sweet music in my ears, for hadn't |
found mu;h real sympathy, although |
the boys were all good to me in their |
way You have been having
rough time of it, and you must let |
me help you cut.
81 looked up and there stood Jim
kendrick, with his months pay in
his hand. He took out from his roll |
of bills a twenty dollar note and held |
it out to me.
II knew he had d sickly wife and |
tmo or three children, and that he
lad a hard time of it himself to pull
through from month to month, so /
said, half ashamed of the tears that
we're streaming down my face, In
deed, cannot take the money, you
must need it yourself.
Indeed, you will take it man,
sad Jim. You viii be all right in
!. few days, and then you Can pay it