The Russellville Democrat., 1884-01-10
"mUCH ADO" ETC.
A True story.

you. Cdlleu OUT llttle llctty ldrk, dS SIG
saw her father open the door to go down
stairs, for it was almost train-tnc, and
Mr.. Park was station-agent at West
Waring.
mot to-day, Lofty. can't 20 till
Tomorrow; you may come along then.
If mamma says So"
The next morning, Lofty was duly
dressed in her prettiest clothes, and
looking like dolly, only far sweeter
and prettier than the best of dollies,
she went down to the platform, for Mr..
Parks house was the upper story Of
the picturesque passenger depot.
Before long the train came screaming
and kissing in from the west, and Mr..
Park locked up the Office and came out
to where Lofty stood. Tom Scott, the
baggage-master on the train, looked
out of the sliding door to see Lofty, for
whom he was always prepared with .
flower, an apple, bit of candy, or
some other dainty, for he loved the rosy
little thing dearly, and all the more that
his own little girl lay asleep in the
Sharon graveyard.
Mr.. Pack swung Lofty up into Tom
SCOTS arms. "Here!' said he; s.check
this bit Of baggage through to Hart
ford"
Catching her, with = laugh and q
kiss, he sat her down on big trunk
and gave her a cooky out of his dinner
pail.
Just then Mr.. Park caught sight Of
the very man on whose account he was
going in to Hartford. Mr. Coe was a
manufacturer in Waring and there had
been trouble about his freight rates,
which Mr.. Park had to gointo the Office
of the road to see about; he had not got
all the information he wanted, for Mr..
Coe had been West, but here he was,
Just come back, on his way to the
Waring station, half mile below
West Waring.
So Mr.. Park talked to him all the
time the engine was taking in water.
and then got into the car and sat beside
him, still talking so earnestly that he
got off at the Waring station. quite
forgetful of Lofty, Hartford and every
thing else, and followed Mr.. Coe to the
wagon which was waiting for him in
his earncstness to fully inform himself
about this matter.
The clatter of car wheels called
him back in moment; the train was
off, off beyond his reach, but it would
go easily down to the Tuck Junction,
few rods off, and stop there, accord
ing to law, to cross the other track.
Mr.. Park tore after it like crazy man.
caught his foot in rail, fell, scrambled
up and rushed on, but all too late!
The train Kissed away far ahead Of
the frantic follower; there was but one
thing to do: telegraph to the next sta
ton, East Hartland, to have her put of
there and sent back on the next train.
He ran back to the Waring station,
but the telegraph operator had gone
home to dinner, and he had to hunt
him up and get the key; but now the
train was overdue at East Hartland, he
must signal to Parsonsville.
This village happened to be mile
from its station, and before the opera
tor could send up message the train
had gone. Mr.. Park could have cried
if he had been woman being man,
he expressed his distress otherwise, but
quite as forcibly. The next thing was
to signal Hampton.
ASK Conductor Cone to stop train at
B. Brook siding; fetch girl Tom Scott
has along"
The train in from Waring went on to
siding just before you reached Hamp-
ton, and waited for the Hartford train
ten minutes. At Hampton the tele-
graph operator was also gone to dinner.
No answer came back till Mr.. Park was
ready to despair, then it said sBoth
trains gone before your message came"
kx.% h l..T4 10 II
now he must telegraph to Hartford,
and another message spun along the
wires:
ASK Cone to fetch the little girl Tom
Scott took in out on the evening train. :"
The answer that came back was
dreadful to the anxious father.
tom Scott left train at Wintonbury.
No child on board"
To be sure Tom Scott's old mother
lived at Wintonbury. Once week he
stopped off the train at this last station
to see her, and took the return train
there, for she was very old and infirm.
and lately had been dangerously i'll.
But "No child on board !" What
could this meanp Had Lofty run into
I the next car TO find her father and
slipped unseen between the cars, while
careless Tom stepped off at Wintonbury
and thought no more about herP Oh,
poor Lotty!was she lying on that CHASTITY
track that had slaughtered so many be-
/ fore her? Mr.. Park shuddered and hid
| his head in his hands; he was not an i'm
aginative man, but everything that could
possibly happen to his darling ran
through his mind may be she had fallen
I from the door of the baggage-car and
been lost in the woods, If she escaped
uninjured Perhaps she lay in that cold,
black river the train crossed so many
times, which only few months ago
had engulfed score of others, each
| perhaps as dear TO some one as Lofty
to him and all because of his own
carelessness How could he have for
gotten herP What was business of any
sort compared with Lofty?
He was not habitually a praying man.
but with the instinct that drives many Of
us-most of s--to an Almighty power
for help when trouble and danger press,
he lifted up fervent prayer to God 10
help him to bring back his lost Lofty.
Poor man! he dare not go home and
face his wife, who was feeble always,
and now worn out with the care Of a
sick baby. He could not bear 70 think