Morning journal and courier., 1885-08-17

modestlv dressed, and beside her sat the most beautiful little child I ever saw-a lit tie girl about six years old, with flood of blonde curls waving under:her immense straw hat. Now and then the child would look through the window in the direction of the engine, and then her eyes seemed to wander in the infinite space that was unrolling itself before her. We came to a station. The train stopped. The little girl put her face to the window. "I don't see him,'' she said to the lady beside her. 1T don't see him. Then suddenly her face frightened and her eyes lit with golden hues, shining with in describable joy, while her lips came down upon two hands that came from the exterior and were placed upon the frame of an open window. "Ah, papa! Here is papa" ex- claimed my little neighbor with the exuber- ant and innocent joy of her six years.
 It was the engineer of our train, who had come to speak to his little daughter and his wife, who were seated in front of me.
 "We are going very fast" said the woman.
 "We must make up for lost time," replied the man. ''Were you afraid, Jeanne?'
 'No," said the child, ''because I knew that you were driving"
 "Well, by-by," said the man as he left
 "By-by, papa" said the child, throwing herself into his arms. The train started and gradualls reached an and began to examine the little one in front of me. She was full of life and good humor She amused herself with everything and nothing, cabling with her mother, inquisi- tive with the window and severe with her doll. She was carrying on thousand diff ferent conversations all at once, and with a noise that was almost deafening, when sud denly the gentleman in the other corner ex- claimed:
 Decidedly we are going too fast. The train will surely run off the track"
 'Oh, don't be afraid, /" said the child seri- ously; "papa is driving"
 The officer was reading. He looked out of the window, and then resumed his reading without making any observation.
 The other gentleman again began to talk.
 ''This is certainly madness" said he. :sYes, madam,' he continued, addressing the lady, s'your husband is either drunk or crazy"
 's0h, sir," said the lady, "my husband never gets drunk. You saw him little while ago. Certainly, the train is going at furious rate. I don't understand it."
 The officer closed his book and stretched himself along the seat sI would advise you all to do the same," said he, with the greatest coolness: eff you keep seated, your legs will be smashed. Remember the Yer sailles accident"
 Certainly the train was running at terri flying rate What in the world could the engineer mean by such drivings
 1T am afraid!" said the citizen, white with error.
 Then the officer took me aside. s|Here is my name and address," said he. Eff am killed or mortally wounded in the accident to which we are running, and you escape, promise me now that you will carry these despatches without moments delay to the general whose name you will find by opening th1s envelope.~
 1 promised.
 The woman took the little child in her arms and covered her little face with tears and kisses. She seemed to wish to make a rampant of herself to protect tine little one against the frightful smash-up that was momentarily expected.
 q am not afraid" said the child, smiling; sEpapa is driving" And she alone among the passengers of the car, and doubtless she among all on board the train, had faith and confidence. We could hear in the other cars cries of terror and wailings of despair, and !, in spite of the mother, the child leaned out of the window in the back door and shouted out with all the force of her little lungs, that sweet little girl, in the general terror: was tower of strength with that sacred love of a child for @ father-an affection that nothing can break down..
 ! Gradually the train slowed and then came to standstill. We were at station. The engineer came to the door. 'FWe have been going very fast, ;" said he, ''but at all hazards we must get to Reims before the Prussians That we must do at the risk of being blown up or smashed to pieces on the way. Pm told that we are carrying important dis pstches," and he looked at his girl with tears in his eyes.
 "Give me your hand," said the officer 'You are brave fellow. It is I who have the dispatches" ssEn route!" then said the man, and he gave parting glance at the fair form of his child as if to bid her fare we'll. But Jeanne was not afraid; and more over nobody in our compartment was afraid any longer. We knew that we were risking our lives for our country, and that satisfied us. As for the train, it recommended its furious race.
 This was in the month of September, 1870, on the Eastern line.