Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-10-26

Come, old boy, sit down hc.o aud
have q smoke" But he said, in a
husky voice, that be hadn't time, and
as be went out the door he braced
up enough to turn and smile at
the boys through window, aud throw
a kiss at them, because be didn't want
them to think he would 10 back en-
tirely on old friends, but whom he got
10 the baggage car and sat dowa in a
chair, be looked like q man who had
lost every friend.
At the next station woman with A
little eirl was cross to the child, and
jerked il along by the arm, and he
snAtched the little one from the
mother and tenderly lifted il on the
car, aud the mother looked indignant
aud she got on the car and pushed the
little one along the aisle and set il
down in the seat as though she would
like 70 break its bones, aud the CON
ductor looked at her as though, il she
Wers a man, he would everlastingly
wipe With the platform with her.
He got on the car in the rear Of tho
smoker that time, beer use his old
friends the drummers were so thoughts
less Of his feelings. He did not real.
ize that they we're unaware Of his sor.
rev. Every kindly expression from
the passengers seemed 20 him like an
unieeling remark, and he would have
given a months salary to have been at
home or anywhere that anybody felt
as bad as he did.
At the next station he got dis
patch, and his hand shook like q leaf,
and be dare not look it Out Of ders,
but no went in the smoker and sat
aas==s y font Of the drummers, and
opened the dispatch, glanced at it,and
nut his head on his hand, and leaned
ais elbow on the window.
The boys looked at him, and one
said, not thinking that anything had
occurred more than the usual order to
hold the train for another pass:
Hello, the old man has got his dis
charge. Oh, have been expecting
it since he collected that twenty cents
'om the tramp last week, and knocked
it down."
Then they laughed. and one Of the
boys touched the conductor on the
shoulder aud said; "Never mind, old
boy, Us fellows will see you through.
We " il get a sample case for you 10
carry"
The conductor read the dispatch
over to the travelling man and said,
Read it, " and the friend read: Your
baby is dead. Come back on No. =.
Give YOUR train to your head brake.
man."
1t was signed by the division super
intendent. The four pairs Of eyes that
read the dispatch had tears in them,
and four threats choked up so it was a
minute before anybody could speak,
and then one Of the bows went out and
Sat down by the conductor. who was
CRYING like 5 child, and said: "0ld
illeno, all Of us have babies at home,
and not one Of us would have ioked
you had We known Of your sorrow.
Forgive us old pard.
Toe conductor said it was all right,
aud he knew they Ditied him, but it
had almost broken mis- heart to have
them talk so, and he went into the
baggage car n prepare TO leave the
train at the next station.
AS be lett the train four large
hearted drummers, who looked
as though they, too, had been
bereaved shook hands tenderly
with the conductor, and babe him
good bv, and then went into the
car and agreed that they couldn't
be too careful about their lelity, and
their thoughtl were ali the afternoon
with the stricken conductor and his
dead baby.
When the brakeman went through
the train, with his pale face, and too
tickets, the passengers knew tina
something had happened, snd to ever
question be said. THE conductors
baby is dead, and he has gone back"
and then every passenger looked as
though it were funeral train, and a
hunored hearts felt sorry Tor their old
friend, and none mere so than the
hearts Of the drummers.
At the funeral there was q bank Of
flowers that almost covered the little
coffin, which came BY express from 200
miles away, and the conductor will al.
ways believe the flowers came from the
drummers, and he was right. la