The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-07
HIS BABY WAS DEAD.

The Jolly conductor had been laying
off for a few DAYS, ON account of sick
ness at home, but one day he appeared
on his train, looking pale, and the
brakeman who had run With nina for
years, knew the conductor 'nind was
away at the bedside of his sick baby.
With punch in hand, and his heart in
his throat the conductor entered the
smoking car, and said. Tickets, in q
voice not ut all like its usua. sound. 1t
was rIore like IN appeal to his Heaven
" Father to watch over the baby ut
home. Four drummers were sitting to-
gether in two seats, all good friends OF
the conductor, and as he TOOK their
thousand mile tickets to punch, ono
said, ''Old man You were up late last
night Beware of the wine cup, and
he laughed, and the conductor tried to
smile but he couldn't.
Another drummer who had travelled
with the conductor for years, and loved
him as brother, thinking he was lit
tie of, said, 30, bows, wait till he goes
through the train and collects a few
cash fares, and he viii brighten up.
Then will tell him the last story, and
they all laughed at their old friend, and
he punched the last of their tickets and
went on with a forced smile, and rs a
tear drop rolled down his dark cheek
the boys thought he had a cinder in his
eye.
The last drummer slapped him on the
arm and said, come back soon to your
own chickabiddy," and as he went out
| of the car laugh arose, and he stood
on the platform n minute because he
felt faint, and then entered the other
car He knew almost every passenger,
and on any other day he would have
been proud to have them speak to him
as they did, and chaff and joke, but that
| day every word seemed to be a bullet.
He was present in body, but his mind
was far away, and when he put a check
| in the band of lady's turban hat, in
stead Of putting it on the window, and
she blushed, and the passengers laugh
ed, they thought he did it for a joke, but
it was because be did not know what be
was doing. his mind being with the sick
baby at home.
He hurried along and lady with o
little three year old girl was next. 9
child Just the age of his sick one The
mother had thought it would please the
conductor to let the child hand the tick.
ct to him, and the little one had the
| ticket in its fat hand, and was shrink,
ing back behind the mamma, trying tC
muster up courage to hand the ticket tC
the big conductor who had often held
her in his lap when she was on his train,
when he would atgh so hearty that the
child would be surprised, and he would
tell her of his little baby at home
The child peeked around mamma
shoulder, and saw the conductor before
he saw her, and he looked SO changed
and sad that the little one opened her
eyes in wonder, and handedu up the tick.
ct carefully as though he would bite,
and when he saw her he almost tainted
and when she said. where DOR baby, '
he thought his heart would jump out o
his breast. The tears run down hi:
face and he whispered, ''she may be dy
ing now, " and as be went ont on thu
4 platform at station, he felt that i
would almost be a mercy if the traiI
would run over him.
He went in the car and finished hi'
work. ). and returned TO the smoker ant
sat down in the end seat. then got ner
vous and went in the baggage car, pas
sing the large-hearted drummers, WHIT
were full Of fun and wanted him to be,
and they said 'scome, old boy, sit dowr
here and have a smoke" but he said il
a husky voice that he hadn't time, anC
as he went out the door he braced W
enough to turn and smile at the boy
Through the window and throw kiss Is
them, because he didn't want them Il
think he would go back entirely on oil
friends. but when he got in the baggage
car and sat down in chair, he looket
| Ikea man that had lost every friend.
At the next station woman with
little girl was cross to the child, ant