Evening journal., 1889-07-25
WILLIE LEE


blue white. his eyes were pale and with
out expression. and he was altogether a |
very plain person. He and his sister |
Mary had little house in the outskirts |
of the city near the car barns. His close |
proximity to the barns doubtless was
what led him 70 think he would become
a car conductor. At any rate, he did
become one, and Mary, as she used 70
be wedding in her little garden beside
the street. would look up and see him
pass and say to herself:
Now, don't he just look fine with
those blue clothes and brass buttonsY
His sisters eyes could not see that the
navy blue Of the clothes painfully
brought out the sickly pallor of his face
and made his sleepy eyes DINNER. 10
her he was handsome and the uniform
made him handsomer. Mary was partial
TO uniforms. There was a policeman III
that suburb for whom she had the great
est regard, and in the evening when she
would 20 out TO watch for Willie's car
going by on its last trip the policeman
used to come and hang over the gate and
she would tell him what good boy vii.
lie was.
The men at the barns did not know
much about Willie. He never met al
their gatherings in the office and stables
and sung and danced and joked as the
others did Half of them did not know
his name. but the time keeper said his
car was always on time and the nickels
he turned over were always right In
number.
Wiuies passengers did not like him
either. They said be opened and left
| open the door in winter and shut it in
| the heat of summer. He made them sit
close on the seats, and gravest offense Of
| all he would make the men go inside the
car when there was room instead Of
standing on the rear platform in crowd.
| All this served to make him unpopular,
still he never violated a rule Of the com
pany, and the keenest ''spotter" could
never have reported him for single mis-
demeanor.
Willie did not like girls. He used to
say to Mary. "Giris are a nuisance.
wouldn't let one Of them get on my car
If could help It. There was no use
trying to get up Irritation with Willie
he was adamant A neighbor, rosy
checked Rachel Moore. had loved Willie
ever since they were children and playeo
in the dust Of the road before the city
had moved down to them Willie liked
Rachel. too, after fashion. very much
as he loved Mary, but he never thought
Of marrying her or any one else. Mary
used to say 10 him, "Wnlie. suppose
should die, what would you do for !
housekeeper?r Mary didn't think OF
dying, she was thinking Of the police
man. and Willie would answer, "Don't
talk about such absurd things, Mary.
That was all the satisfaction she ever re
ceived
Yet it was through girl that Willie''
life was changed How these women dc
change our lives, some in one way and
some in anotherl Willie was supersti
: tious. He said he was unlucky every
time he ran on car No. 113, A mar
had shot himself in it once, and another
had fallen off the front platform and bro
ken his leg, and Willie was always hav
ing trouble when he was ON it.
One February day car lls started from
I the barn at its usual hour with Will,
, Lee as conductor. Everything went OF
] well all day and Willie was fattering
himself that he was going to escape il
luck for once but she turks around u
r when we are least conscious of her pres
ence It was nearly night and a rain Sc
in, rain that froze to everything anC
made the track very slippery. A younl
lady who often went down ON Willie
I car asked to be left off at the avenue an,
! Willie rang tho bell.
She stepped of, but as fate woul'
have it another car was coming from
the opposite direction, the track wa
slippery, a new driver was managing
the brake. and instead Of stopping. as
the usual etiquette in such a case, tn
car came on. Willie standing on tn
5 step took in the situation at a glance
b and though he was always slow he mad
IS this the exception. He jumped from th
e car and almost threw the girl from tn
e track Just in time 20 save her, but
{ slipped and fell and was ground undo
q the horses feet and the cruel wheeli
"a Then the car stopped and the passer
n gers crowded out and around him.
n SIS he dead, o. is he dead?" cried tn
" girl whom he had saved, and she kne
sr down beside him, took Off his cap an
" brushed the damp hair back from IA
as forehead
y y "No, he is not dead, said policeman
h. Mary's policeman, who happened f,
once to be where he was needed. II
st lives Just below here. We win carr
to him to the house, They picked him 4
an and carried him gently into the lit
cottage. Mary was overcome wit
re fright and would have tainted had n
All "1'eddie" been there 70 assure her tn
az Willie was all right, 'only hurt a bit. =
." The next day the young lady who
I'm Willie had saved came down in her ca
Of rage to see how he vas She swept
es- through Mary's little kitchen like
sss queen, and Rachel, who was sitting
an, the step of the back door. looked at h
on in amazement: at the long sealskin clio.
re- and the diamonds in her ears. IN
see amt she grandy' she said to herself
'5 wonder q Willie knew her before?
No wonder if he would have jumped rig
ers in front of two great big horses and
car if had been in her place. Jeaio
re, little Racheli or course he would ha
oall done it just the same had the person be
me the lowest of the lowly.
as Day after day Helen Carpenter car
Ons to inquire after ''the brave fellow"
Il. IL L.