The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-11-28
THE BABY'S BANK.
By MRS. NJ L. RAYNE.

4NOf oo'N soS VII SihCOtS 40 uS SiOoSU
ne valve and opened another, 81 wasn't
lways an engineer. l wasn't anything
or long time. / had the knowledge
n my head all the while, but it was kost
lnder heap of rubbish. What fools
nen are when they're left to themselves
ometimes! Now look at me. Would
'ou say was ever a tramp2"
A tramp! his white muscular throat
white ard wholesome under the coal
lust-his strong, well-knilted frame,
,lear eye and firm hand, denoted man
If pluck and courage. practical wor-
ger, not the Idle, nerveless, relaxed OBJ
ect; which is denoninated tramp, and
which is blight Oh Tie face of naturei
No, this man, guiding the good engine
Mohawk, was never tramp, and we
told him so!
"But was, gentlemen" he said coolly
sighting a long stretch of road over the
backbone Of his engine, and letting her
out little for dead level heat. q was
not only tramp, but the meanest kind
OF one, AMI | worked harder and suffer
ed more to get myself into that condi-
tion than | ever did to reach this" and
he looked proudly at the polished trim
mings Of his dving steed.
-"I'll tell you how IL was" he said at
last, as he slowed up to ronnd curve
and then went easily on past the fields
clad in their Summer verdure, past
woods that we're panoramic in fash OF
beauty. and away into open country
81 was tramp-no matter how came
to be, or why. lost home, friends,
self-respect, all that makes up manhood
but l didn't wear a red ribbon at ny
watch charm then, and my brain was
mudded-there is many more like me
--and / went from bad to worse, but /
had never broken the laws; never
wroneed any one hut myself, when fell
In with some fellows who thought they
had found a tool, and they had. They
say every man has his price and they
offered me mine it was the price OF my
soul, too, and | agreed to take the mon
ey and do the work. i.g ff
SIT was this-to sneak round and get
acquainted with the inside OF house
the house of the richest man in the
place, and to show them the way they
said I looked the most respectable for
the purpose Gentlemen, you wouldn't
have trusted ore OF the gang with ten
cent bit, least of all me as | looked then,
but felt almost proud of the compli-
ment, and that afternoon was to go ur
TO the house to look for work or 10 ask
for food, jnst as it happened to strike
me, when there was no one home but the
women folks, and look round to see how
we would get in that night-for obbery
and perhaps murder, was what they
meant. ~
at was just such pleasant, peaceful
afternoon as this, and all the doors and
the windows we're open and not q soul
saw me as lounged in through the gar.
den and up to the veranda. The gang
had fallen in with had made one mistake
they had kept me sober for the work,
not clear. headed, hut sober enough ia
make me feel that 1 was doing mean.
dartardly trick, to make me for the first
time in manv day ashamed Of nv own
company. But l had gone so far must
60 on. 1 had walked up the steps and
into the house without meeting soul,
and stepped into long. cool room.
and there | saw on the mantle in great,
clear, gold framed glass, white face
and two red, blood shot eyes-my own;
but what fright they gave me; and
then l saw something else, small IRON
bank, such as children keep pennies in.
II was made Of latticed bars of wrought
iron, and between every bar was the
CLEAN of quarters and half-dollars, and
smaller gold coin, | hadn't a penny to
my name. / was hungry, tired, foot
sore and disgusted with What had i'm.
dertaken. 1t came over me like flash
that could take this money, and get
out of the gang; it would be a dishon
esty, but not such as this thew had plan
ned. / reached out my hana and stop
ped there at my very feet. On white
lace pillow, and all white anil fuffs like
an angel-lay the loveliest baby l ever
saw in my life! She was asleep, but as
locked at her in startled wonder, she
opened her eyes as wide and blue as
daisies, held up hnth pretty hands
laughed like bird singing, and said
Joe, joe which wasn't my name at all
l didn't touch the baby's hand, and
didn't touch the baby. While | stood
there pale little woman came out o.
her room and nearly tainted when sGt
saw me, and sat down there and told
the whole story. and asked her to have
me sent to Jill for protection for myseli
aui others; she seat for her husband
and all the time we we're talking tht
baby laughed and cooed and called me
hy the name she gave me, Joe, and the
rest of the gang were waiting at turr
OF the road for me to come back te
them
81 didn't give them up-it wasn'
worth while. when I had put the people
they bad designs on on their guard, anC
they left the town that night; / didn'
90 to Jail; the man whose house was t.
be robbed gave me some work. but !!
didn't reform all in minute and be new
er could have reformed me at ALI
was the baby did it, She trusted me
when + felt the old bov getting the bet
ter OF me went to the baby and sh,
smiled at me aud grew strong righ
Oft made man OF me. | neve
could tell what that baby saw in NY fac
TO make her help me in that way, but i
wasn't OF this world. She knew sh
could save me, and she did. That wa
ten years ago, gentlemen, and I'm NOR
of man to-day thanI ever was, an
it's her doing fI =
"She must be qnite large girl now,
we said, inquiringly. asa
"Maybe so! / don't know how tn,
lis; some folks say they don't recko
them bv months and years! I'D like
feel she's the same sweet, smiling bab
holding out her hands in that conidiu
| way and calling me that---but l new
wanted any one else TO use the nan
since she said itA-one night. She WI
gong to sleep, never to wake up, u
doc,or said they told me she @ouldr
know me, that 1 would disturb her.
/, went in on my knees, crawled up
the bed and looked at her; dear sair
: she was as white as the sheats, and b