Dodge City times., 1889-08-29
ONLY THE BRAkEsMAN.

ONLY THE BRAKEsMAN.
Only the brakesman Eilledi- Say, was thai
what they said?
Cho Rnkesman was our Joe: SO then-our Joe /,
Dsad7 Deada Dead? But cannot think it I
It was some other brakesman-it cannot be ou
Why, only this last evening saw him riding
1hs trains don't stop here often-go rushing By
As Hghtning-but Joe saw me, and waved his
hand he sat
On the very last coal carlow do you count foz
that
That he was killed alone and the others saved
Was st inside the tunnel? Come. now. #
couldn't be.
It's some mistake, Of course; twas the fireman
The engine struck the rock, and he was just be.
hind
And the roof fell down on him-not on Joe, our
That train myself, the engine had work enough
to draw
The coal cars full of coal that ratified square and
black
By tens and twenties past our door along that
narrow track
On into the dark mountains I never see those
peaks
Thout hating them For much they care
whether the water leaks
Down their sides to wet the stones that arch the
tunnels there
So long. SO black-they all may go, and much
the mountains care
I'm sorry for that fireman! What's that? don't
pretend
To more than this. 1 saw that train. and Joe
The very end, tell you? Come don't stand
here and mock
Whatl 1t was there, right at this end the tun-
mel caved-the rock
Fell on him? But 1 don't believe word-yes,
that's his chain
And that's his poor old silver watch he bought
it-what's this stain
All oyer it? Why, it's red! Oh, Joe, my boy
Then it was you, and you are dead down in that
tunnel Go
And bring my boy back? He was all the son
Are very well. but not like Joe. Such pretty
golden curls
Joe had until cut them off at four years old he
To meet me always at the gate, my bonnie little
man.
You don't remember him2 But then you you've
only seen him when
He rides by on the coal trains among the other
men,
cles round their eyes,
Whfzzfng along by day and night, But you
would feel surprise
To see how fair he is when clean on Sundays,
You'd think him handsome them I'll have
God forget Oh, Joe,
Ny boy my boy! and You are dead? So young
but twenty-1ead
Down In that awful tunnel, with the mountain
overhead
They're bringing him? Oh, yes, know; they'll
bring him, and what more
They'll do it free. the company! They'll leave
Just as he is, all grimed and black. Jane put
the irons on
And wash his shirt his Sunday shirt it's white;
White shirt for best. and proud he wore it Sum-
day with tie
OF blue, a new one. Oh my boy, how could they
let you die, for oh
Only the brakeman! And his wage was small
Must first be seen to there in 'front.' My God! it
stands as clear
Before my eyes as though I'd seen it all-the
dark-the crash
Tho kissing steam-the wet stone sides-the
arch above-the fash
OF flanterns coming-and my boy. my POOR boy
Dying alone under the rocks; only his golden
hair
To tell that it was Joe-a mass all grimed that
doesn't stir;
But metheru know you, dear; twill make no
difference to her
How black with coal dust you may be- your poor,
hard working hands
All torn ard crushed, perhaps; yes yes but no
one understands
That even though he's better off, poor lad,
where he has gone,
and the girls are left behind to stand it and
live on
As best we can without himi What? A wreath?
A lady sent
Some flowers? Was passing through and heard
felt sorry-well, twas meant
kindly no doubt; but poor Joed been the very
frst to laugh
At white flowers round his blackened face.
You'll write his epitaph?
What's thatP His name and nge? Poor boy!
Poor Joel His name has done
Its work in this life; for his age, he WAS not
Well grown but slender, far too young for such
place, but then
He wanted to help mother and to be among
the men;
For he was always trying to be old; he carried
wood
And built the fires for me before he hardly un-
derstood
What fire was-my little boy, my darling baby
Joe
There's something snapped within my breast; Il
think, it hurts me SO,
It must be something broken. What is thate
felt the floor
Shake; there's some one on the STEP Go, Jeanne,
set the door
Wide sR Hgsu ssd iSE your brother Joe is coming home
Only the brakesman--but it is my only son
that's deadi