The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-30
Papa is Driving.

| arrived at the station at the appoint
ed hour. / Ientered or rather WAS thrown
by an attendent into the car nearest to
me. The door was quickly smut The
whistle was blown and we were OF.
Curiously enough, the car was crowd
ed. formed the fifth passenger. Two
of the corners were occupied. one by an
officer and the other by civilian. Facing
me was woman, about thirty years
old, neatly and modestly dressed, and
beside her sat the most beautiful little
child | ever saw-a little girl about six
years old, with food of blond 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.
Il don't see him." she said to the lady
beside her Il don't see him." Then
suddenly her face frightened and her
eyes lit with golden hues, shining with
indescribable JOY, while her lips came
from .he exterior and were placed upon
the frame of the opened window. "Ah,
papal Here is papa!' exclaimed my
little neighbor with the exuberant and
innocent JOY of her six years.
1t was the engineer of our train, who
had come to speak to his little daughter
I'd his wife, who were seated in front
of me.
"we are going very fast" said the
woman.
"We must make up for lost time, y
replied the man. "Were you afraid
Jeanne"
"No," said the child, because / knew
that you were driving"
"Well, by-by," said the man, as he
left.
''By by, papa" said the child, throw
ing herself into his arms.
/. The train started and gradually reach
ed an extraordinary speed. | worship
children, 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,
cajolng with her mother, inquisitive
with the window, severe with her doll.
She was carrying on thousand different
conversations all at once, and with a
noise that was almost deafening, when
suddenly the gentleman in the other
corner exclaimed:
Decidedly we are going too fast. The
train will surely run off the track"
"Oh, don't be afraid" said the child
seriously; "papa is driving"
The officer was reading. He looked
out of the window, and then resumed
his reading without making any obser-
vation.
The other gentleman again began to
talk.
This is certainly Madness" said he,
eyes, madam" he continued, address
ing the lady, "your husband is either
drunk or crazy"
''Oh, sir" said the lady, "my husband
never gets drunk. You saw him little
while ago. Certainly, the train is going
at a furious rate. | don't quite under
stand it."
The officer closed his book and stretch
ed himself along the seat. II would
advise you to do the same" said he,
with the greatest coolness- "1f you
keep seated, your legs will be smashed.
Remember the Versailles accident.
Certainly the train was running at a
terrifying rate What in the world
could the engineer mean by such driv-
ing.
II am afraid" said the citizen, white
with terror.
Then the officer took me aside. "Here
is my name and address" said he. "If
| am killed or mortally wounded in the
accident to which we are running, and
you escape, promise me now that you
will carry these dispatches without a
m oment's delay to the General whose
name you will find by opening this
envelope"
[ promised.
Tie woman took the child in her arms
and covered her little face with tears
and kisses. She seemed to wish to make
rampant of herself to protect the little
one against the frighttul smash-up that
was momentarily expected.
al am not afraid" said the child,
smiling, papa is driving And she
alone among the passengers of the car,
and doubtless she alone among all on
board the train had faith and conf
dence. We could hear in the other cars
cries of terror and wailings of dispair,
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 it's little lungs: "Don't be afraid
papa is driving" All! that sweet little
girl, in the general terror, was tower
of strength with that sacred love of a
child for a father--an affection that
nothing can break down.
Gradually the train slowed and then
came to a standstill We were at a
station. The engineer came to the door
ave 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. I'm
told we are carrying important dis
patches" and he looked at his little CIR
with tears III his eyes.
"Give me your hand" said the officer
"You are a brave fellow. 1t is | who
have the dispatches" 'En routep ther
said the man, and he gave parting
glance at the fair form of his child as i
to bid her farewell. But Jeanne wa:
not afraid; and moreover, nobody in ou
compartments was afraid any longer
! We knew that we were risking our live
for our country, and that satisfied us
As for the train, it recommended it
| furious race.
This was in the month of September
1870, on the Eastern line.-Courier de
i Efofs Trp;s