The Louisiana Democrat., 1890-09-24

there was any reason for stopping the
cars. She did not know whether there
was yet time, but she seized the flag,
and flew wildly up the track.
20, my papa! O, my mamma" she
cried; 'they will fall into the river and
be drowned! What shall do?" and
Polly waved the flag backward and for
ward as she ran.
Then came the train around the
curve. She could see the white steam
putting from the pipe, and could hear
the painting of the engine.
II know they'll run over me, but if
mamma and papa are killed i don't care
to live" she said to herself as she ap-
preached the great, black noisy engine.
When it was about three hundred
feet away from her she saw head
thrust out of the little window by the
locomotive, and then, with great
putting, snorting and whistling, it be.
gan to move slower and slower, until at
last, when it was almost upon Polly, it
stopped entirely.
All the windows were alive with
heads and hands. The passengers
screamed and waved her off the track.
She stepped off and ran close up to the
side of the engine, and gasped out:
''The bridge is open, and the man has
fallen into the river. Please stop the
train, or you'll be drowned"
The engineer stared in amazement.
as we'll he might, to see small girl
| h,i S1,.
about and four lilies pinned in her belt,
waving the red flag as though she had
been used to tagging trains all her life.
At that moment another remarkable
| figure presented itself to the astonished
eyes of the passengers. A man, drip
ping wet, bruised and scratched, as
though he had been drawn through
briars, came tearing toward the cars,
stumbling and almost falling at every
step. AS he reached little Polly, he
snatched her up and covered her face
with kisses 'You little darling" he
cried, 'do you know what you've done?
You've saved the lives OF more than a
hundred people"
Polly, nervous and excited, began to
cry. One after another the passengers
| came hurrying out of the train, and
crowded around her, praising and kiss
| ing her, until she was quite ashamed,
and hid her head on the kind flagman's
shoulder, whispering: ''Please take me
away to find mamma and papa"
Almost the last to alight were Polly's
parents. "Why, it's our Polly!" they
both exclaimed at once.
The draw was now closed again, and
the conductor cried: Gall aboard" The
passengers scrambled back to their
seats again. Polly's father took her
| into the car with him, and now she
looked calmly at the people as they
| gathered around, and answered politely
all questions put to her, but refused the
rings. chains, bracelets and watches
that the grateful passengers pressed
her to accept as tokens of their graft
tude for saving their lives.
At last Polly grew tired of so much
| praise, and spoke out: "Really, don't
deserve your thanks, for | never once
thought of any one but papa and mann
ma. So keep your presents for your
own little girls. Thank you all the
same"
Those that heard her laughed, seeing
they could do nothing better for her
than to let her remain unnoticed for
| the short distance she had to 60.
When Polly was lifted out of the car,
and stood upon the steps of the station
| while her father looked after the lug
gage, the passengers threw kisses and
waved their handkerchiefs to her until
they were out of sight.
A few days afterward Polly was as
| tonished at receiving beautiful ivory
box containing an exquisitely-enameled
medal, with these words engraved on it:
Presented to Polly Gardner, whose
courage and presence OF mind saved one
hundred lives,n--Julia K. Hildrsth, In
YOUNG Folks,