Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-03

cries of that baby. The woman's back
| being turned to Hiram he could see
she was crying. OFF started the train,
and the dust and the cinGers sifted
through in showers. Most every body
seemed cross, and Hiram uncommon
| ly so. There was no smoker on the
train, and we had to stay in that car.
That baby crying bothered me as it
did every body else. Turning around
l saw the young woman take nurs-
ing bottle out of a basket, then SMALL
earthen ware jug, and uncorked it. It
was full of milk, and she began to fill
the nursing bottle. A drop of milk
fell OF her hand, and she tasted it,
then looked very much distressed. She
put back the nursing bottle and the
| jug in the basket again, and didn't
feed the baby.
"'What on earth shall I do?
heard her say. The milk is as sour
as vinegar and will kill the child, and
she began to cry again, not aloud like
the baby, but the tears just streamed
down her pale cheeks. Then Hiram
B. Stebbins shook himself up and lean
ed forward and said to the young
woman kind of cross like:
"'Your infant, ma'am?'
ooh, no, sir. Tt was my poor sisters
and she died week ago--died of brok-
en- heart because her husband, this
| little baby's father, was killed on a
railroad few days before baby was
born. It's delicate child and half
starved, and the hot weather has turn
&c the nilk sour, What am I to do?
l am trying to carry the poor little
child some hundred miles further to
my mother, and if [ can't feed it it
will die before I tget to the end of my
journey, it's SO feeble now. Then she
sobbed afresh and the baby sobbed
too.
"Hiram B. Stebbins didn't say any
thing for fully minute, then he got
up and came TO me and said he: Fam
lily man? [ told HIM I wasn't. Then
he sat down and fidgeted; then he got
up suddenly, looked around him, and
went into the next car. He passed
through our car and then through the
whole train. By and by he came back
and said: Not a darned one on the
train
s. Not a what?' I inquired.
"A woman nursing her baby. Gen
orally they. are ever SO plenty, just
when you don't want 'em.'
ARD you would have asked
strange woman you never saw before
-to-to-nurse that childY [ asked
astonished
"'Why should I not2 said Stebbins
simply.
Then the conductor came and Bill
went for him at once. "When does
the train stop-the first place meap?'
asked Stebbins.
"'Thirty eight miles from here he
said.
"'W hat kind of placer asked Steb-
bins. amy refreshmeutsG
g None; not bar even. Wood
and water,
No chance of mike
Nary chance
" Are there any milk cans on this
train9'
Not one,'
" But there's a baby on this train
that wants milk.
6 This amt no, baby or milk train
as knows of, said that conductor in
differently.
You're blasted heather, any
how cried Bill. This train has
got to stop, for am bound to get
some milk for that baby
"'Not much. Behind time now.
and hadn't you better keep a civil
tongue in your jaws? Otherwise you're
likely to get them jaws broke and like
wise put off the cars
1.-THE talk of the two was SO loud
and threatening that some of the pas
sengers heard it. Jumping upon one
of the seats, Hiram addressed the pas
sengers: Ladies and gentlemen
said he, but most especially ladies, I
want your kind attention. On this
train-in this car-there is a little
baby whose mother is just dead. That
baby is going to perish right before
your eyes for the want of drop of
milk. Here is conductor that won't
stop this train SO as to save the life of
that poor little child. I put 1t to you
shall this train stop SO that can get
some milk, are are you willing that the
baby should die, all on account of a
Junk head CONDUCTOR
"'By jabers! Dime wild We and the
young woman livery tonne, said big
Irishman.
dat is jous So, chimed in Ger
man. Then all the women joined in
chorus, and cried: Shame Shamer
"'But, said the conductor, some
what scared at the storm he had rails
ed. There isn't any milk at the next
stopping place-nor at the next station
neither
Cant you stop at some farm
house then2' asked Hiram.
There isn't house along the
line of road for the next twenty-five
mile
"'There must be COWS somewhere
IN the pastures, insisted Hiram B.
Stebbins.
land who's to milk them, provid-
ed we see any2' asked the conductor,
scr itching his head.
''Is there any lady in this car that
can milk cow?' inquired Hiram. No
! one respcndinp. it seemed likely that