The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-03-05
GEfEE.BS-

| arrived at the station at the appointed
hour. l entered, or rather was thrown by
an attendant, into the ear nearest to me-
The door was quickly shut. The whistle
was blown and we were off.
Curiously enough the car was not
crowded. | formed the fifth passenger.
Two Of the corners were occupied. one by
an officer and the other by civilian.
Facing me was a woman about 40 years
old, neatly and modestly dressed. and be-
side her sat the most beautiful little child
| ever saw-a little girl about 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.
y don't see him. Then suddenly her
face frightened and her eyes lit with
golden hues, shining with indeseribable
joy, while her lips came down upon two
hands that came from the exterior and
were placed upon the frame of the open
window. "Ah, papa Here is papa =
exclaimed my little neighbor, with the
ezuherant and innocent joy of her years.
1t was the engineer of our train, who
had come to speak to his little daughter
and his wife, who was seated in front of
me.
''We must make up for lost time re-
piled the man 'sWerc You afraid,
Jeanne -
No. said the child, "bocausc I knew
that you were driving.
"Well, by-by," said the man, as he left.
"Well, by-by, papa, said the child,
throwing him a kiss.
The train started and gradually reached
an extraordinary speed. | worship little
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, cajoling with
her mother, inquisitive with the window.
and severe with her doll. She was carry
ing on thousand different conversations
all at once, and with noise that was al
most deafening, when suddenly the gem
tleman in the ether corner exclaimed.
Decidedly, we are going too fast The
train will surely run off the track :!
sob, 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 observation.
The other gentleman again began to
talk.
The officer closed his book and stretched
himself along the scat. Il would
advise you all to do the same, said he,
With the greatest GOODNESS. 'If you keep
seated your legs viii be smashed. Re
member the Versailles accident;
This is certainly madness" he oontin-
uod. ''Yes, madame, " he said, addressing
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
fearful rate. don't understand it.
Indeed the train was running at terri
flying rate. What in the world could the
engineer mean by such driving.
81 am afraid, said the citizen, white
with terror
Then the officer took me aside. ''IIere is
my name and address, said he ''If
am killed or MORALLY wounded in the acct
dent to which we are running and You es-
cape, promise me now that You viii carry
these dispatches without moments delay
to the general whose name you will find
by opening this envelope
promised.
The 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 frightful smash-up that was
momentarily expected.
Il am not afraid said the child, smil-
ingly; papa is driving" And she alone
"htpi- ttlC pseHntAi5SiH "a tAAS St4' ttAiNi
doubtless she alone 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: Don't be
afraid; papa is driving - Ali that sweet
little girl, in the general terror was
tower of strength, with that sacred love of
a child for father-an affection that moth
ing can break down.
Gradually the train slowed and came to
a standstill We were at station. The
engineer came to the door 1--WE 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 blowod up or smashed to pieces ON
the way I'm told that We are carrying
important dispatches, and he looked at
his little girl with tears in his eyes,
Give me your hand said the officer.
"You are brave fellow. 1t is | who have
the dispatches. = En- route :" then said
the man, as he gave parting glance at
his child, as if To bid her farewell. But
Jeanne was not afraid: and. moreover. no