Connecticut western news., 1884-11-12
Baby's Bank.

"No, said the engineer, as he stood for the signal to start, 'I wasn't always an engineer. I wasn't anything for a long time.
 "I had the knowlege in my head all the while, but it was lost under heap of rubbish. What fools men are when left to themselves sometimes Now. look at me. Would you say ever was tramp P
 A trampi
 His white, muscular throat-white and wholesome under the coal dust-his strong, well-knitted frame, clear eye and firm hand, denoted the name of pluck and courage-a practical worker; not the idle, nerveless, relaxed object which Is denominated tramp, and is blight on the face of nature.
 No; this man was never tramp, and we told him 30.
 "But was, gentlemen" he said. '1 was not only tramp, but the worst kind of one; and I worked harder and suffered more to get into that condition than ever did to reach this" And he looked proudly at the polished trimmin gs of his iron steed
 'sI'l tell you how it was," he said, T was tramp, no matter how came to be SO, or why. I lost my home, friends, eelf-respeck, and went from bad to worse, but had never broken the laws, nor wronged anybody but myself, when I fell in with some fellows who thought they had found tool, and they had.
 ''They said every man has his price, and they offered me mine. I agreed to take money and do the work.
 ''It was this, to hang about 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 looked the most respectable for the purpose.
 'sGentlemen, you wouldn't trust one of the gang with quarter. least of all me as I looked then; but felt almost proud of the compliment, and that afternoon was to go up to the house and look for work, or ask for food, just as it happened to strike me, and when there was no one at home but the women-foiks, and look around to see how We could get in that night; for rob bing, and perhaps murder, was what they meant.
 s'It was just such pleasant, peaceful afternoon as this. and all the doors and windows were open, and not soul saw me as lounged in through the garden and up to the verandah.
 1.-The gang I had fallen in with had made one m1stake-they had kept me sober enough to make me feel that we were doing dastardly trick; to make me, for the first time in many day, ashamed Of my own company. But had gone so far I must go on.
 'T had walked up the steps and into the house without seeing a soul, and stepped into along, cool room, and there saw, on the mantle shelf. in great gold-framed glass. white face, and two red, bloodshot eyes-my own, but what fright they gave me and then l saw something else-a small iron bank such ss children keep cents in.
 sIt was made of latticed bars of wrought iron, and between every bar was the glitter of gold and silver coin. i hadn't cent in my pocket. was hungry, tired, footsore. and diss usted with what had undertaken. It came over me like fash that could take this money and get out of the gang; it would be dis honesty, but not such as this they had planned.
 'I reached out my hand, and stopped.
 ssThere, at my very feet, on a white lace pillow, and all white and fluffy, like an angel, lay the loveliest baby ever saw in my life. She was asleep; but as I looked at her in startled wonder, she opened her eyes as wide and bright as daisies, held up both pretty hands, laughed like & bird singing, and said, Joe, Joe, which wasn't my name at all. | didn't touch the baby's hand, and I didn't touch the baby.
 ssWhile I stood there, a little pale wo- man came out of her room, and nearly tainted when she saw me, and l sat down there and told the story, and asked her to have me sent to prison for pro- lection for myself and others.
 ssShe went for her husband, and all the time we were talking the baby laughed and cooed, and called me by the name she gave me-'Joe;' and the rest of the gang were waiting at the turn of the road for me to come back to them"