Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1886-10-30
remark, and wishin' she hadn't made

remark, and wishin' she hadn't I made
it.
"Our boy was about seven years old
then, and one mornin' about "A couple
o days after wife said what she did,
| the little fellow come with me to see
the Race Queen start OF as he often
did. Well, that mornin' | had her in
| splendid runnin' order, as usual, and
was all ready to start when the time
come, when got into discussion with
| another cngiccer, n provoking, drink
| Ing fellow, who declared that his loco
motive could outrun the Race Queen
any time. | was foolish enough to let
the man drive me into furious pas
sion, and my language need only be
limited at; that darlin child standin'
by and listenn, too!
after the man had moved on !
heard a sweet, quiet voice say: oh
papa, what makes you talk so? 1t
makes me feel 'fraid'.
"Oh, you run home, frankie says
/, for | was scared on the instant to
think of the 'adiectivcs' the child had
heard me use. 1t was time to start,
but Just then one of the railroad 'bos-
ses come up and told me it had been
decided instead of my goin' my usual
route, to send me with the Race Queen
some ten miles up the road to pilot an
excursion train that was to take the
president and some o the directors to
great mass-mectin' o railroad men.
was not to start for an hour.
At first | thought to go home awhile,
but | felt kinder backward to see my
wife, for feared me the child might
a-told about my terrible talk in the
depot.
"Sharp on time | jumped aboard the
Race Queen, and off. off, she sped up
the smooth track, with every joint
oiled to make her glide like a streak o
light, but at an hour when trains were
not expected to 90 boundin' DER that
portion o. the road. But on she tore.
no thought o mishap in my mind, till
all at once | saw what near froze my
blood and nigh stopped the beatin o
my hcart-my own little son, with his
mimic express wagon, was mounting
the bank to cross the track just ahead
o me!
"You see, once in a while, stranger,
person seems to live whole lifetime
in about onc-hnlf minute. and at that
awful instant all my whole soul went
out in volumes of prayer to the mighty
name I'd taken so many times in vain.
Yet | only said two words-'God, God!'
For | knew not what to do. To slacken
speed on the instant would be simply
impossible; should push her suddenly
on, TO perhaps hasten my child's de-
structionP"
II raised my hands in dumb entreaty.
and at the second did so great piece
from the falling branch of tree shot
into the engine and hit the lever, send
ing it violently down a notch or two,
and the obedient Race Queen at the
sudden impetus bounded forward like
living thing! And looked back and
saw my baby, with his little foot on the
long edged sleeper, gazing in surprise
at the locomotive which had raced by
him at that unexpected time. y
The engineer gave a sudden gasp and
swallowed hard, but not man on the
platform stirred Il hair, and pretty soon
he went on:
"When / approached that spot on
the return trip-of course it was only
an excited fancy-but all at once it
seemed rs if | saw my boy just toiling
up the bank to the track, and again |
threw up my hands and cried God!
Godn Then | bowed my head over
the lever and took solemn VOW with
His help to quit swearing once and
forevern
The engineer gave a swift glance
along the motionless group of listen
ers, and added;
'I don't enjoy tellin' about that aw-
full moment o my life, but when sec
company o men who may possibly
think it small thing to take the holy
name o God onto their lips in a heed
less way, no matter what young ears
may be lstcnin', feel called upon as
sort of penance to tell them what the
Almighty can threaten. But He's all
mercy, come to know Him, and it S
grievous sinful to take His dear name
in vain
With the last words the engineer
seized an oil can, gave a sharp spirit or
two amidst the driving-wheels and
springing to his place on the glittering
Race Queen, began ringing the
bell.-MrS. Harriet A, ChceCer, IN Iate-
rtor.