Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-07-13
MISCELLANEOUS.
Child Faith.

arrived at the station at the ap-
pointed hour. entered, or rather
was thrown by an attendant, into the
car nearest me. The door was quickly
shut. The whistle was blown and we
were off.
Curiously enough the car was not
crowded. 1 formed the fifth pas
senger Two of the corners were
occupied, one by an officer and the
other by a civilian. Facing me was
woman about 80 years old, neatly
and modestly dressed, and beside her
sat the most beautiful child L ever
saw-a little girl about 6 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 en-
gine, 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. 81 don't see him." Then
suddenly her face frightened and her
eyes lit with golden hucs, shining
with indescribable 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, papal Here is papaE" ex-
claimed my little neighbor, with the
exubcrant and innocent joy of her G
years. ..-..- -.4f
1t twas the engineer of our train,
who had come TO speak to his little
daughter and his wife, who was
seated in front of me. z-'
" We must make up for lost time"
replied the man. Were you afraid,
Jeanpe?' ....sr...... .., o..
mo" said the child. ss because
knew that you were driving"
"Well, by-by," said the man, as
he left. ..- .
Well, by-by, papa" said the
child, throwing him kiss. t
The train started and gradually
reached an extraordinary speed. l
worship little children, and 1 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, cajoIing with
her mother. inquisitive with the win
dow. and severe with her doll. She
was carrying on a thousand different
conversations all at once, and with q
noise. that was almost deafening,
when suddenly the gentleman in the
other corner exclaimed:
.'t' 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 OBJ
servation.
The other gentleman again began
to talk.
The officer closed his book and
stretched himself along the seat. 81
would not advise you all to do the
same" said he, with the greatest
coolness. 4" If you keep seated your
legs will be smashed. Remember the
Versailles accident.
''This is certainly Madness" he
continued. " Yes, madame" he
said, addressing the lady, your
husband is either drunk or crazy"
Oh, slr,'' said the lady, my
husband never gets drunk. You saw
him little while ago. Certainly the
train is going at furious rate. 1
don't understand it"
Indeed the train was running at a
terrifying rate. What in the world
could the engineer mean by such
driving?
"I'm afraid" said the citizen,
white with terror.
Then the officer took me aside.
'' Here is my name and address,"
said he. 80 If am killed or mortaIIy
wounded in the accident to which we
are now running and you escape,
promise me now that you will 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 momen-
tarily expected.
"I am not afraid" said the child,
smiiingly; ''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 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