The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-09-29
Joe Hendricks Little Girl.

Cars stop twenty minutes for refresh
ments," called out Conductor Richard
son at Aliens junction. Then, as the
train came to dead halt, he jumped
down, and ran along the platform to
where the engine stood, and said to the
engineer:
Frank, 1 want you to come back with
me to the first passenger coach, and see
little girl that hardly know what to
make Of" The engineer wiped his
hands, donned his coat, changed his lit
tie, black greasy cap for his soft. felt
hat taking these ''dress-up" articles
from the tender-box, where an engineer
always has something slowed away for an
emergency--and went back to the coach,
as requested.
He entered the coach and made his
way back to the seat where the kind
hearted conductor sat talking to a
bright-looking little girl about years
old, oddly dressed in woman's shawl
and bonnet.
Several of the passengers were
grouped around the seat evidently
much interested in the child who wore
sad and prematurely old countenance,
but who seemed 10 be neither timid nor
confused.
Here is the engineer" said the con-
ductor, kindly. as Frank appeared.
Shs held up her hand to him, with a
winning smile breaking over her little,
pinched face, and said:
my father was an engineer before he
became sick and went to live on farm
in Montana. He is dead, and my mamma
is dead. She died FIRST before Susie and
Willie. My papa used to tell me after
he should be dead there would be no one
to take care of me, and then l must go
on the cars and go to his old home in
Vermont, and he said if the conductor
wouldn't let me ride because l hadn't
any ticket, must ask for the engineer,
and tell / was James Hendricks little
girl, and that he used to run on the NJ
and c. Road"
The pleading, blue eyes were now full
OF tears, but she did not cry after the
manner of children in general.
Engineer Frank now quickly stopped
and kissed her very tenderly, and then,
as he brushed away the tears from his
own eyes, said:
well, my dear, you are little Bessie
Kendrick? It's my opinion merciful
Providence guided you on board this
train"
Then turning to the group of passen-
gers, he went on:
II knew jim Kendrick<>ebe father 81
this little girl, well. He was man out
of ten thousand. When first came te
Indiana--before l got acclimated-l wa.
sick a great part of the time SO that
could not work, and got homesick and
discouraged-could not keep my board
bill paid up, not to mention my doctor.
bill, and didn't much care whether
lived or died.
Zone day, when the pay car came
along, and the men we're getting theil
monthly wages, there wasn't cent com
ing to me, for hadn't been free from
the ague, nor worked an hour for thu
last month.
At felt so blue that sat down on Z
nile of railroad ties and leaned my ell
. kovs on my knees, with my head on my
hands. and cried like great boy out o.
.heer homesickness and encouragement
s.Pretty soon one Of the railroad men
came along and said in voice tina
sonnded ike sweet music in my ears, fol
I hsdu't found much real sympathy on
there. although the boys were ell goot
a. - IN their way: 'You have been nav
~ 8 rough time Of il, snd you must ls'
- hslp Jon ont