The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-08-07
THE SWITCH. TENDER.


freshness. The door opens, man APP
pears at the threshold, smile on his
face and an expectant look in his eyes.
There is a movement behind the trunk
of an apple tree. The mars smile
grows broader, and from the tree. like
dryad, rushes charming little haxen-
haired girl, who throws herself with a
burst Of laughter into his arms.
"May take the little one, Celine?"
said the father.
At these words lovely blonde made
her appearance.
Again !" she said, with shade of
annoyance.
ooh! we share her very fairly" said
the man, with the kindest and most pa
ternal smile. eff you knew" he re-
sumed, chow quickly the hours pass
when she is down there with me-"
"Don't You think l know when find
them so long in her absence?"
1t was embarrassing. Aimee herself
began to be troubled by this CONVEX
sation, and feeling that she could not
please both these beings that she loved
so much, she was ready to cry. Celne
saw it at once and yielded.
"Take her, Laurence; l would rath-
er have her go than feel badly about
it."
The father at these words showed
some feeling.
"No," said he, in his turn, keep her,
you deserve it; you love her best"
And the discussion began again, but
it was this time struggle Of generosity.
At last the husband took his darling in
his arms, and smile reappeared on the
child's lips.
Celine looked longingly after them,
and re-entered the house.
One morning, without saying any
thing to Celine, Laurence took the little
girls hand to lead her away, when her
mother suddenly appeared.
"What!" said she. "You would take
her without telling me?"
Don't think that," said Laurence,
in some confusion. 1--WE were in fun
we were going to hide behind the
trees and see you look for us"
On! Sdlu Oelue, uOuptiui1y.
"Listen, Laurence" she continued.
"Aimee grows more restless and trouble
some every day. 1t it dangerous to let
her go with you"
"What do you mean?" said the man,
turning pale.
az mean that I am afraid of your
railroad, with its trains and locomo-
tives."
"You are very foolish.
"Leave her here. / can hardly
breathe while my little girl is down
there 1t is frightful to think of, but
she might get away and be killed"
Don't talk so, Celina.
"She might run away while you are
at the switch, and if you left it to look
after her, you would fail in your duty,
and might be the cause of a dreadful
disaster"
"Oh Celine, Ibeg ofyou, DON'T" cried
Laurence, who shuddered at the idea.
The young woman did not insist.
The switchtender gradually recovered
himself.
"My poor Aimee!" he cried, embrac-
ing the child frantically. at is too bad,
Celine; it is a shame to Fighter me
So"
Celine smiled, and tho conversation
ended as usual with these words from
Laurence:
"You will come for her at noon."
Little by little their terrors faded
away. Laurence reasoned with HIM
self.
"The child" he said, "is familiar with
the passage of the trains, it is true, but
she is old enough to comprehend the
danger" And his apprehensions gra-
dually vanished.
One evening, however, when he went
home he found he had been preceded
by the rumor of an accident which had
occurred at neighboring station. A
brakeman had been crushed by an ex-
press train. Celina questioned her hus-
band while they were at supper. is 1t
true that Simon is killed ?" she asked.
mo-" replied Laurence; "he was In
great danger, but he escaped, thanks
to his wonderful coolness.
"Then he is not dead?" said Celine.
"No; and yet the whole train went
over him. When Simon sawit was too
late to save himself, he laid flat down
IN the lnluule OF Uue truch, anu Nicu 1no
train passed by he got up again safe
and sound. / saw him, and asked him
how it made him feel. At first, he said,
when the engine went over him, he was
very warm, after that the time seemed
long. That was all. You know Simon
is not easily heightened. He is ready
to go to work again" added Laurence,
TRANQUILITY.
But Celine's anxieties were aroused
afresh.
Sometime after that the hours
of service were changed and Laurence
took the night section. He could no
longer think of taking Aimee with him.
One evening, however, poor woman
in the village was taken very ill. The
doctor who came wrote prescription
and said to the neighbors he found
there: "These medicines can only be
had in the town, and you must not
wait for them. Let one of you GO to the
railway station, where there is porta-
BILE pharmacy, and ask the stationmaster
on my account for little laudanum.