Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-07-03
THE SWITCHTENDER.

A little white house seemed asleep
among the blossoming apple trees. 1t was
early morning, and all was light and
freshness. The door opened man APP
peared at the threshold, smile on his
face and an expectant look in his eyes.
There was a movement behind the trunk
of an apple tree The mans smile grew
broader, and from the tree, like dryad,
rushed charming little flaxen haired
girl, who threw herself with a burst of
laughter into his arms.
May take the little one, Celine?" said
the father.
"Again!" she said, with a shade Of an
noyance.
"Oh, we share her very fairly" said
the man, with the kindest and most pa
ternal smile. @If you knew" he re-
sumed, show quickly the hours pass
when she is down there with me.
"Don't you think know, when find
them so long in her absence?"
1t was embarrassing. Aimee herself
began to be troubled by this conversation,
and feeling that she could not please both
these beings that she loved so much, she
was ready TO cry. Celine saw it at once
and yielded.
"Take her, Laurence; / would rather
have her go than feel badly about it,
"No," said he in his turn, "keep her
you deserve il; you love her best.
The discussion began again, but it was
this time struggle OF generosity. At
last the husband took his darling in his
arms, and a smile reappeared on the
child's lips.
One morning, without saying anything
to Celine, Laurence took the little girls
hand to lead her away, when her mother
suddenly appeared.
What" she said. "You would take
her without telling me?"
Don't think that. said Laurence, in
some confusion. "We were in fun-we
were going to hide behind the trees and
see you look for us. ("
"Listen, laurence" she continued.
"Aimee grows more restless and trouble
some every day. 1t is dangerous to let
her go with you.
"What do you mean?" said the man,
turning pale.
q 1 mean that am afraid of your rail-
road, with its trains and locomotives.
"You are very foolish.
"I.eave her here. l can hardly breathe
while my little girl is down there. 1t is
frightful to think of it, but she might get
away and be killed.
"Don't talk so, Celine."
"She might run away while you are at
the switch, and if you left it TO look after
her, you would fail in your duty, and
might be the cause of a dreadful disaster. :"
The young woman did not insist. The
switchtender gradually recovered him
self.
Celine smiled, and the conversation
ended as usual with these words from
Laurence:
"You viii come for her at noon.
Little by little their terrors faded away.
Laurence reasoned with himself.
%The child, he said, sis familiar with
the passage of trains, it is true, but she is
old enough to comprehend the danger. "
And his apprehension vanished.
One evening, however, when he went
home he found he had been preceded by
the rumor of an accident which had oc-
CURED at neighboring station. A brake
man had been crushed by an express
train. Celine questioned her husband
while they were at supper.
is it true that Simon is killed." she
asked.
@No,' replied Laurence, she was in
great danger, but he escaped, thanks to
his wonderful GOODNESS.
Then he is not dead?" said Celine.
@No; and yet the whole train went
over him. When Simon saw it was too
late to save himself, he laid fat down in
the middle of the track, and when the
train passed by he got up again safe and
sound. Isaw him. / asked him how it
made him feel At first, he said, when
the engine went over him, he was very
warm; after that the time seemed long.
That was all You know Simon is not
easily frightened. He is ready to go to
work again, added Laurence tran
gully.
Some time after that the hours Of serv-
ice. were changed and Laurence took the
night section. He could no longer think
Of taking Aimee with him.
One evening" however, a poor woman
In the village was taken very III. The
doctor who came wrote prescription and
said 70 the neighbors he found there:
These medicines can only be had in
the town and you must not wait for
them. Let one Of you 60 to the railway |
station, where there Is a portable
pharmacy, and ask the station master on
my account for a little laudannm. That |
win quiet the pains till you can have the |
Which of you viii 9OS"