Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-11-29
A CRYING CHILD.

Durin' war times the gorillas he'd torn
up most nv the cypress ties an used 'em
for kindlin' an stove wood. an the result
WIZ that when the war, wuz over there
wuZnt anythink left Nv the Han bul nd
st. 10 but the rollin' stock nd the two
streaks Nv rails from one end Nv the road
70 the other. In the spring Nv 81 he'd
70 90 out into Kansas, and talzin' the
Han 'bul nd St. 10 at Palmyry junction l
wuZn't long in fndin' out that the Ham
bul nd st. 10 railroad wuz jist about the
wust cast of rollin' prairer | ever struck.
There wuz one bunk left when boarded
the sleepin' car and he'd presence Nv mind
snuff to ketch on to it. 1t wuz then just
about dusk an the niger that sort Nv
run things in the car sez to me: Boss"
sez he. "Pll have to get you to please not
to snOre tonight, but to be uncommon
quiet
"What for?" sez l. "Hain't paid my
So an hain't | entitled to all the luxuries
Nv the OutfitW
Then the niger leaned over an told me
chat Col. Elijah Gates, one Nv the direc-
tors Nv the road an the richest man in
Marion county, wuz aboard, an it WIZ one
of the rules Nv the company not to do any
think to bother him or get him to sell his
stock.
The nigger pointed out Col. Gates, nd l
gools look at him as he sot readin The
Palmyry Spectator He wuz one of our
kind Nv people-long, raw boned nd
husky. He looked to be about 60-may
be not quite on to 60. He wuzn't bothered
with much hair onto his head, nd his
beard was shaved, all except two rims or
fringes Nv it that ran down the sides NV
his face nd met underneath his chin.
Ns1 -, 11~I u. L
didn't hev to wear no collar, nd he hadn't
no jewelry about him excep' big carne-
lian bosom pin that had the picture NV O
woman's head on it in white. His specs
sot well down on his nose nd could see
his blue eyes over 'em, small eyes, but
kind ur good natured. Between his read
In Nv his paper nd his eatin' plug ter
hacker he KEEP toler'bly busy till come bed
time. The rest on us KEEP as quiet as we
could, for we knew II wuz an honor to
ride in the same sleepin' car with the
richest man in Marion county nd direc-
tor NV the Han 'bul nd St 10. to boot.
Along bout o'clock the colonel reck-
oned he'd tumble into bed; when he'd
drawed his boots nd hung up his coat nd
laid in fresh hunk Nv nat raj leaf he
crawled into the best bunk an presently
we heered him sleepin'. There wuz nuth-
h else for the rest Nv us to do but to
foller suit, nd we did.
It must 1--we been about an hour later
say along about Prairer City-that o
woman come aboard with baby. There
warnt no bunk for her, but the niger
allowed that she might set back near the |
stove, for the baby 'peared to be kind Of |
sick like nd the woman looked like she had |
been cryin' Whether it wuz the jouncin' |
nv the car or whether the young one wuz |
hungry or he'd collie into it didn't |
know. but anyhow the train hadn't pulled |
out Nv Prairer City afore the baby began
TO take on. The nigger run back as fast
as he could nd told the young woman
that she'd have to keep that baby quiet
because Col. Lily Gates, one Nv the direc-
tors Nv the road wuz in the car and wunt
be disturbed. The young woman caught
up the baby scarf like md talked soothin'
to it nd covered its little face with her
shawl nd done all them things thet
women do to make babies GO to sleep.
But the baby would cry, and, in spite
og all the young woman nd the niger
could do. Col. Elijah Gates heard the baby
cryln', nd so he walked up. First his two
blue yarn socks come through the cur
tains nd then his long legs nd long body
nd long face hove into sight. He come
Gown the car to the young woman nd
looked at her over his specs. Didn't seem
70 oe the least bit mad; jest solemn nd
bizness like
MY dear madam" sez he to the young
woman, you must do sumpin' to keep
that child quiet. These people have all
paid for their hunks nd they are entitled
70 good nights sleep. OF course know
now It's with young children-will cry
sonetimes-have raised 1even Nv EN- my
sseli, nd know all about em. But as
director Nv the HANDFUL nd St. 10 I've got
20 20 perfect the rights Of these other folks.
% llst keep the baby quiet as you kim"
now, there warn't nothin' cross in the
0lonel tone; the colonel wuz as kind nd
oonsld rlt as could be expected Nv a man
VINO had SO much responsibility a-restin'
Snt9 him. But the young woman was
Atlu Nv nervous nd after the colonel
hack mr. fn%~ l. A. |