Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1881-08-25
AN INCIDENT ONTHE CARS.

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Gears stop twenty minutes for
refreshments" called out Conduc-
tor Richardson, at Aliens Junction
Then, as the train came to a dead
halt, he jumped down upon the
station platform, ran along to the
front Of the long line Of passenger
cars, where the engine was stand
ing, and. swinging himself mp into
the cab, said to the engineer
Crank, [ want You to come back
with me to the first passenger car
and see a girl that | hardly know
what to make Of"
The engineer nodded, without
speaking. deliberately wiped his
oily, smoky hands on a bunch Of
swaste," TOOK look at his grimy,
dusty face in the narrow little mir
ror that hung beside the steam
guage, pulled off his short troclk,
put on coat, changed his little,
black, greasy cap for his soft hat
taking these '-dress- up" articles
from the tender-box, where an en-
gineer always has something stow
ed away for any emergency-and
went back to the coach as requst :.
ed.
He entered the coach and made
his way to the seat where the kind
hearted conductor sat talking to a
bright locking 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
wore sad, prematurely old coun-
tenance, but seemed to be neither
tlmid nor confused.
"Here is the engineer" said the
conductor, as Frank approached.
She held out her hand to him.
with winsome smile breaking
over her punched little face, and
said
"My papa was an engineer be-
fore 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
that after ne should be dead there
would be no one to take care of me,
and that I must get 'n the cars and
go to his home in Vermont. And
he said if tue conductor wouldn't
let me ride because I hadn't any
ticket, | must ask for the engineer
and tell him L was James Ken
bricks little girl, and that he used
TO run on the NJ and c.
road"
The pleading blue eyes were now
fall of tears but she did not CRY
after the manner of children-in gen
eral.
Engineer Frank now quickly
stopped down and kissed her very
tenderly and then, as he brushed
the tears away from his eyes
said:
"WeIl, my dear, SO you ire littl,
Bessie Kendrick2 It's my opin
ion a merciful Providence guidee
you on board this train"
Then, turning around to, tn
group OF passengers, lie went on !:
"I knew Jim Kendrick, tn
father Of this girl, Well. He was
man ont Of ten thousand. Whe
l first came to Indiana-before
, accIlmated-l was sick great par
of the time, so that I could nc
work, aud l got homesick and dis
= conraged. | could not keep m
board bill paid up-not to mentio
my doctor bill-and didn't muc
$ care whether lived or died.
cone day, when the pay ca
. came along, and the men were ge
" ting their monthly wages, thel
wasn't a cent coming to me, for
Y hadn't. been free from the ague, nc
le worked an hour for the last montl
,e 6 l felt so blue that l sat dow
! e on a pile of railroad ties and leane
" my elboWs on my knees, with nj
!" head IN my hands, and cried like
great boy, out of sheer. home-sicl
- ness and Encouragement.
a Pretty soon one OF the railros
es men came along, and said, in
AZ voice that sounded like sweet mi
sic in my IN my ears, for l hadl