The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-07-25
THE YOUNG ENGINEER.
A Mothers story.

"The young man you met st the gate,
sir? Yes, that is my sonny boy Jack.
"Ycu noticed tie scars on his face, sir, ana
thought, may be, that they spoiled features
meant 10 be haLdsomel
''Ah, sir that wss because you did not
knowl Why, those red marks make him
more beautiful to me now than when,
baby in my arms, with yellow curls and
laughing eyes and 8 skin like rose.lesf, the
the people hurrying in and out of the trains
would turn to look and smile at him, and
praise him 10 each other, speaking low. msy
be, but not too low for mothers quick
proud ears to hear
''FOr We lived in little house close by
the station. and when l heard the whistle Of
his fathers train, L used to snatch the boy
from his cradle, or of the floor where he sat
with his little playthings. and run down TO
the farther end of the long depot, where the
engine always halted, to get the smile and
loving word that my heart lived on all day.
'Not the least bit afraid was the baby of
all the whIstling and clinging of bells, the
groaning of the wheels aud putting of the
steam. He would laugh and spring 30 in
my arms hat l could scarcely hold him, till
his father would resch down sometimes and
lift him into the engineers cab and kiss him
down 10 me again.
"When he grew s little older ne was
never playing horse or soldiers, ike the
other little fellows around; it was always a
railroad train that ne was driving. ALI the
smcothest strips out of billets of kindling
wood went to build tracks over the kitchen
floor, hither and hither, crossing and re.
crossing each other.
"'Don't move my switch, mother dear?'
he used to cry out to me. You'll wreck my
train for surer
$50 had to 60 softly about my work,
with scarce place sometimes to set my
foo t. And all the chairs in the house would
be ranged for Car, the big rocker, with the
tea-bell tied to its back, for the engine; and
there he would sit perched up by the hour
together, making believe attend the valves
and shouting TO the fireman.
al shall never forget the first time his
father took him to ride on tie engine. Jack
had begged over and over to 20, bat hi;
father always babe him wait till he was older
So l had said,"
"'Don't tease father sn mora, Jack dear,
and like the true little heart he was, he had
not said another word about for q matter of
six months or mere.
''But that day such a wishful look came
ard straight, and said qlite softly, his voicc
trembling little, Father, do You think ]
am grown enough now2'
"Icoking at him cav two tears in hi:
pretty eyes. / think his father saw them
toe. for he turned to me in a hurry, and saiC
he:
1--WE meet the up-train at Lsngton, Mary
and Will Brown will bring the little cha;
A back al straight, | know. VIVA. do yoI
y sayf'
What could say but yes2 At supper
time lie was back again, but he could not cal
His eyes were like stars, and there was hoi
red spot on each cheek, so that feared h
would be Ill. And had thought he woull
never be done talking, but now he said scare
q word.
"'Whst was it like, Jsckisf l a,kst
him.
! so motherl he said, sit wasn't like any
thingp He sat for minute thinking, the
he ssid, IL nless 1t was like that yo
read LAST Sunday.
"'And what was that, Jsck2 asked, 70
/ had quite forgotten.
"'Don't you know, motherr The wing
OF the windP
THAT was not his last ride on the engin
by many times for, as ne grew older, hi
father would take him often on Saturdays o
other half holidays he was perfectly trust
and obedient. 1 believe he would have hi
right hand cat of sooner than have meddle
with anything; but he knew every valve an
screw and gauge, and watched every turn c
his fathers hand and learned the signals q
along the line, so that my husband said {
me more than once,
al believe in my heart, Mary, that if
should be struck dead on the engine, JAG
could run her through without break'
"He wss in school and learning fast, bt
out of hours be was always studying owe