The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-06-14

hin OF siding cowr nil. 10 kept
the fires low. and the engine slipped
along OF IL own weight. gathering
momentum as il went. until II almost
flcw. To-day he stood watching the
track before him. rs No. li7 sped over
the rails. admiring. hall unconscious
~. the wonderful panorama spread
out before him. and thinking quite
consciously. OF q little blue-eycd girl
he had left at the East. wondering how
soon no might have a home for her in
the West. Then he thought OF No
III. with how much distrust he had
undertaken her. and how pleasantly
she had disappointed him. lie felt
in perfect sympathy with her
now-sure that she would respond
to his touch. confident that he
could always guide her. Eve I'M
derstand each other. don't we. my
beauty. lie said. half aloud.
The locomotive whIzzcd along.
Looking up above him. he could see
the other engines, apparently not far
away, but he knew that miles OF tort
nous. twisting track lay between them.
And below was the most unfathomablc
abyss. One deviation from the track,
and he would 60 crashing down into
It's depths. TO certain destruction. lie
was nearing the cabin now. Two
more sharp turns and it would come
into view. and he would slackcn hi
speed for moment that he might
have word with his little girl.
''Shc Is d sweet child" he said hall
aloud to himself. "shc makes RE think
Of Bessie" And now he turned The
| first curve. The turn was a sharp one.
the grade very steep and AS he came in
sight Of the track beyond he saw the
little girl Of whom he had just been
thinking, lying. apparently asleep on
the track, scarcely a stones throw be
| fore him.
10 reverse his engine, to put on The
| full power OF the brakes. TO whist,
the danger signal loudly, all this was
but the work Of an instant. but hs
knew only TOO well that il was useless
that before the engine could possibl,
be stopped he would be upon thu
child.
The noise awakened her. She RAISED
her head. and turned a frightened. be
wildered face toward him. He was 81
near he could see the whites Of hc
eyes. lie thought he heard her speak
lie closed his eyes. He could not se'
his engine pass over and mangl'
that little form. and even In tina
moment Of agony he was conscious
OF hundred different things. .
wondering how he could ever NEE
| the mothers eye. when he had killet
her child. OF how old Mike woul'
cxult. and say: II told We So" ant
| then there came a crash and thud
and he knew no more.
When he came TO himself he wa
lying on his own bed, in the board
ing house. at the entrance TO the pass
His mother sat beside him. an
Tommy Burns. one Of the fircmer
was at the window He felt strange
IL, he tried to move his right arm
but il was useless. Then he LITE
his left arm to his head. and found
covered with bandagcs. His mothe
hastily intercepted his motion.
There. there. dear" she said. lit
all right am here, take this. an
she put a spoonful Of something TO hi
lips Weakly obcdient, he obcyed
but gradually memory asserted itscl
and he could not keep quiet.
What was it?' he asked. II kille
child. didn't ~
mo. DEAR" said his mother. TON
my knows just how il happened; h
will tell you, II you feel strong cnoug
TO hear il
He made gesture Of assent an
Tommy came from the window to III
. bedside with that shcepish air whic
strong. well men often wear, and b
, gan:
The little kid Is all right" he SAID
though No Ia meant to kill her ia.
enough. You see, just before you g
10 ncr. tnefc WAS "a DroktH Fdii. lSuu
know how it happened. Gurus abot
Il. Track walker was over there nc
. an hour before, an says II was q
. right. Wall. il was there, any how
! and No l47 want lookin' OF
for IL. an 1t was too much for he
She pitched oif'n the bank. and 81
, rolled over an over. more'n thor
sand feet, clean TO the bottom OF n
J canyon. An there she'll be to the da
J Of judgment, for she's tore all
, pieces. an serve her right. too.
You was pretty well bunged al
/ Arm broken and head cut up--an' !
! they fixed up bed for you. a
brought you right along on the trail
, An we tellygruifed for your mother
, come an take care Of you. an she e
here that night You've been pur'
! sick. Had fever an was cute
+ your head. an raving about the lit
/ kid you thought you'd killed. an "
doctor said as soon as you come to y
, must tell you she want hurt. to ea'
your mind
II was all true. In some miraculo,
+ way Charlie had been freed from Il