San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-10-01

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the boys head grew cold, and when they
lifted it and laid it back upon the dead mans
breast Jack turned to his mother.
There was no childish outburst of grief:
only an awakening, as it seemed, of the
young manhood in him as he opened his
arms.
Here am, mother" he said, and she un-
derstood
1t was then Jacks life began in earnest.
The pet name Of "Baby Jack" no longer
trembled upon his mothers lips. She called
him instead MY son." MY boy" or else
twas Mothers man. So is the heart won't
to clothe with strength that which it leans
upon.
She trusted him entirely, and his quick
mind recognized it.
The prohibition no longer confined him to
the wood pile, but every morning when the
whistle sounded the cottage door would open,
the gate click, and pair of bright stockings
flash for moment in the sunlight as pair
OF rimble legs went hurrying down to the
platform. - 49,.
"Pies! pies. fresh pies and cakesln He had
turned peddler. Such a tiny, industrious
little peddler as he was, too, and with SO
many rough bearded, warm hearted friends
among the trainmen, Jacks business was
bound to flourish.
One day the red stockings went dancing
down to the platform with unusual speed, SC
fast, indeed, that his mother, who was follow
ing, had scarcely reached the platform when
No 6 pulled up, and Engineer Robinson
dropped from his engine and caught the boy
in his arms and tossed him up to the fireman
Catch the little engineer, Sam, he shout
ed 1--WE promised TO let him run No. to-
dav.n
There was happy little laugh and then a
vision of golden curls at the window.
Mother, mother! Can you spare me a
whole day?"
She smiled and nodded.
I'm come back at $40" (the wheels began
to turn, land the wood is in, mother 1.-THE
train was moving, land the kindling"-the
rattle of the cars drowned his voice-"box
fulln (how the steam roaredD Not one word
of what he was saying could reach her now,
but he talked on, and when the steam ceased
to roar, and the train glided smoothly out,
he leaned from the window. "Good-by,
mother"
She heard and waved her hand. And then
Engineer Robinson pulled him to look al
some roasted chestnuts the train hitcher had
sent up for him.
1t was a wonderful ride for the boy, who
never ceased to wonder at the proud old en-
CINE and its magnificent strength.
But for all the pleasure and freedom there
was a shadow all day on the boyish face,
which neither the good things nor the wonder
full stories which Engineer Robinson brought
to his entertainment could quite dispel.
He would climb up to the engineers velvet
cushion and lean mis- elbows on the window
sill, and, dropping his cheek into his hand,
fall to dreaming while he watched the clouds
or the trees fitting by. '.-
Once the train stopped TO wait for delay
ed freight, and the engineer spoke to the boy
sitting silent at the window.
"Hello. Jack !" he said. "You're not asleep,
are youl Engineers can't sleep, sir; remem-
Der that. Whatever other folks may do, he's
got to keep his eyes open"
Jacks eyes filled as he looked at his old
friend.
Eyes, sir, be said, that's just what father
used to say"
Engineer Robinson turned to look out at the
other window down the track, the straight,
treacherous track along which poor Jack Con
nor had travelled to eternity.
The boy at the other window.
Young Jack TALKED on; softly, but dis.
tinctly.
"And father said, the night they brought
him home, sir, he said: Every man may
Jump but the engineer-the engineer must
stick to the engine And he said, father said,
away off it seemed to me, like you try to
l. 49, -, 81, ha Il,
Stick to the engine and stand by your moth
er, jack And I've been a-thinking, Mr..
Robinson"-the engineer leaned further out,
the sleeve of his blue overalls brushed his face,
while Jack talked on-"Tve been a-thinking
all day as maybe ought not to have left her
by herself a whole day"
The engineer answered without turning bis
head:
"Oh, she's all right Jack; she's safe"
"But you know what father said. Stand
by your mother, Jack, and here l am away
off on your engine, sir
The delayed freight ratified by twenty min
utes late; the fireman threw in some coal, the
steam began to puff and No. 6 sped on its
way.
The wind, could it have spoken, must have
carried strange stories of what it saw and
heard in its passage through the engine
box that day. Strange stories of rough
forms and gentle hearts, gruf voices and
tender words, bearded chin and childish
cheek pressed together in sympathy and love-
No. drew up on time at Antioch, $40 A
door few open as the whistle sounded four
times, as if to say, "Here l am, mother"
little form was lowered from the engine
and went flying through the mist and fog to-
wards the lighted doorway. As the train
pulled out Engineer Robinson leaned from
his window.
Here | am. mother the ioyful greeting