The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1885-09-04
LITTLE KATE ANDL

marry on, little Kate and I. We had
no rich relations to leave us legacie.
or to send pearlnecklaces, diamond or
naments, or thousand dollar bonds
for wedding presents. Twas simply q
brakeman OH the Eastern Michigan
railway, long and lonely stretch O
rails over dcsolatc marshes, steer
mountain grades, and solitary sweeps
ofprairic land; she was the bright-eyed
waitress i'll one of the restaurants
along the line. But when l fell from
the platform when tho great accident
happened, you heard OF the great &C
cident, suppose, when there was such
n shocking loss of life-it WIS Hates
care and nothing else that brought me
back into the world l had so nearly
quilted for good and all!
81 would have done it for anybody
Mark" said she, when l tried to thank
her.
"Would you?" said I. "But it isn't
everybody that would have done it
for me, kate."
So l asked her to marry me, and she
said yes. And took IL little cottage
OH the edge OF the swampscott woods,
and furnished it as we'll as I could,
with a red carpet, chcesecloth curtains
at the windows, q real Connecticut
clock, and Il set of walnut chairs that
made myself, with seats of rushes,
woven i'll by old Billy, the Indian, who
carried his baskets and mats around
the country, and Mrs. Perkins, the
p;trsof's wife, made us IL wedding cake,
and so VIC were married. Pretty soon
found out that Kate was pining a
little.
"What is it, sweetheart?' said 1.
Remember, it was a contract between
us that we were to nave no secrets
from each other! Areyou not perfectly
happy?"
"oh. yes, yes!" cried Kate, hiding
her face on my shoulder. "But it's
my mother, Mark. She's getting old,
and if could only go East to see her,
awayH'
1t was then l felt the sting OF my
poverty most. Ii had only been u
rich man to have handed her out q
check, and said: go at once" l
think could have been quite happy.
Never mind, sweetheart" said
Stroking down her hair. We'll lay
up Il few dollars from month to month,
and you shall go out and see her be-
fore She dies
And with that little Kate was forced
to he content. But there was hum
Try homesick look upon her face which
Went TO my heart to see.
III l w;as rich.'' kept saying to my
self. ''oh, if I vas only rich"'
One stormy autumn night We were
helilted on the road, for the wind was
terrible. shaking the century old pines
and oaks. us il they were nothing more
than tail swamp grasses, and driving
through the ravines with shrek and
howl like a whole pack OF hungry
wolves. And the heavy rains had
raised she streams so that we were
compelled to 60 carefully and slowly
over the bridges and keep q long look
ahead for fear OF accidents.
| was standing ut my post, in front
OF the second passenger car, stamping
my feet on the platform to keep them
warm, and hoping little Kate. would
not be perturbed at my long absence,
when the news agent came chuckling
out:
We're to stop at stumpville sta
tion," said he.
Nonsense said 1, 81 know better.
This train never stops short of Wau-
kensha city, least OF all when we are
running to make up for lost time, as
we are tonight"
"Oh. but this is an exceptional &C.
casion,'' said Johnny Mills (which was
the news agents nancy "We're 60
ing to put an old woman Off She has
lost her ticket, she says. More likely
she never had one. Goes on as though
she had her pocket picked"
Its most pity, isn't it, toput one
on Tonight" said l. Least of all at
such lonely place as Stumpville sta
ton, where there are only two houses
and blacksmith shop"
eyes, know" said Mills, adjusting
the newspapers that he carried in q
rubber case under his arm. But the
superintendent of the road has got out
a new set OF instructions, and he's
that particular that Jones wouldn't
dare overlook acaselike this. There's
been SO many confidence games play:
ed on the road lately
(Which is the onc," said l, turning
/, to look at the end window of the car
which was at the rear.
''Don t you sec? The old party at
the back OF the two fat women III the
red shawls. She's haranguing Jones
now
IL see," said l. 1t was a little old
woman in black silk poke bonnet, a
respectable cloth cloak, bordcred with
ancient fur. and Il long, green veil, who
was earnestly talking and gcsticulating
with the conductor. But he shook his
head and passed on, and she sank
back in a helpless littlchcapbel,indtll the
sree, Teii; and could see her take q
small i,andkerciiciir1m small basket
and put it piteously to her eyes.
cts too bad" said /. Clones
might remember that he once had.-if
he hasn't now n mother of his own"
and lose his place on the road"
said Aiits, NO, no. old fellow, all that
sort OF thing does very vel! to talk
about, but it don't work in real life. u
So he went into the next car, and
the signal to slack up came presently.
] turned to Mr.. Jones, the conductor,
vino who just then stepped out on theplat-
as it for that old Lady," said 1, He
answered, Eyes" Said /, chow far
did she want to go?" ''ro Swamp
scott" said he.
"You needn't stop, Mr.. JONES'" said
], "I'll pay her fare.'
"Iou." he echoed.
eyes, J." said /. "I'll take her to
my own house until she can telegraph
10 her friends or something. Nv wife
will be good to her, l know, for the
sake OF her own Old mother out east!!''
Just as youplease, said Mr.. zones,
"But when you've been on the road
as long as have, you'll find that this