Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-04-24
ENGINEER BOB.

To use us owl kfuphle lAhNWAA't w
hadn't never had no tics worth spcakin'
o." lie was considered the best engineer
on that part of the road. and besides his
regular trips. he WIS called on 20 take out
many special. The "maln guys" ~ Bob
called the chief dlgniiarics Of the road
never felt 20 safe as When Bob was iu the
cab. and II began 10 hc considered that Bob
must take out every fast train II they
wanted a smooth, safe run.
bob took his honors stoically, Only say
ing sometimes In that grim way Of hisi
ats better for me 10 20 than any Of you
feller. II you gct Killed there's your
wives an the klds, but u ever | 40 down
nobody's hnrt"
one day, ~ bis train ran In beside tho
depot of Texas town, moil0nlcs. among
the crowd on the platform Wa n poor,
thin, forl0rn looking woman, with baby
IL her aims. and every one could see that
her eyes were red with crying and that
she was getting the worst Of II In her bat
lie with the world.
Anything the matterr asked new
conner, moved by curiosity and ou the alert
for u sensation.
"No,hin much, % was the idle reply Of a
nan pcrched on the outer edge Of the plat
form. swinging pair Of large shoes In the
space below. Woman wants To 10 to the
city and ain't got money enough. You can
hear scch A. that eyer' day"
"yon bot. The wood, h full Of EN-"
exclaimed the qucstioner, going about his
business. with biz curiosity satisfied
The conversation had gone on with the
amlable disregard for the feelings Of the
poor thst Il sometimes shown by very
charitable people Suddenly the woman
broke out IN helpless way. fresh tears
running down her checks
hut, oh, u could only 20 there, per
hap. could get work. aud can't get any
here. have tried aud tried. They won't
even let me cook for them unless can
give references, and dispose Of the baby,
and what eau dor
a digniilcd and prosperous looking gen.
tleman turned away. lingering his gold
watch chain.
1.-THE same old cry" he said; anybody
that wants work eau gct IL In this coun-
Try"
Into the litiie rilence that fell after this
speech came aolear voice, saying with some
emphasis
Heres my pilci'
And looking up they saw the engineer In
tho cab lust above them going down into
the pockets OF his greasy oycrall,. aud
bringing out what silver they conf sine,l
The next minute he had climbed down.
taken tho astonished and half dismayed
woman by tho arm and was leading her
down the platform aud helping her Into q
coach. When he had placed her In seat,
and had poured his money into her lap,
his courage suddenly Deserted him. and Il
wa with quito a shnmctsccd air that he
touched his cap. Summarizing
Good eyenin', ma'am. llopo you'll.
have pleasant journey"
And 40 the tide. bore thcm apart, and
they met no morn. H..I
Actions like this were not 80 rare that
Bob held any Of them Ia special rcmem.
brance. Indeed. ho hal forgotten all about
this event when. about three years later, a
portly woman, wearing q straw rat with
bedraggled plumes, aud clad Ia q cheap
green dress, walked suddenly up To Bob az
the train was about 10 start, leading by
the hand a tiny bit Of n girl with long. fair
hair.
Air you Engineer Bobf" asked the new
conner, "lIecau.e II ye air. I've brought W
this child, ~ was left fur yc by is mother
when she died NJ my house night nf0rn
last That was her las will an testament,
she sald, that you wis TO have the child on
accounts OF your givin' her money to come
horc with matter o. three years ngo, an
mighty glad am that she give tho young
'un to YOU, fur I've got siS of mo own, an'
that's enough to keep one woman ADJUST.
lln'.n
Aud having delivered this extraordinary
specch, she NJ onto took herself OIL.
! am sorry 10 say that Engineer Bob
stood still aud stared down at the last
will and testament" ~ Disconnected and
spcechless a. though some eccentric friend
had mAdo him present Of white elo.
plant, or u roc'z egg, or perhaps Of the roc
itself. With her hands behind her, the
little creature starod up at him IN turn:
but her survey ended sooner than his. NJ
vexing question OF what will he do with
itN disturbed her reflections, aud she held
up one tiny hand toward his lnrg, and
brown one. saying with a seltposscsslon
orators might envy
"Howdy, liobfn
She was In his arms next minute. nc
cepted "a gift from the dead, and IL was
with queer, soft FEELING Juggling At nj.
heartstrings aud making a foolish mo /,
ture In hi. eyes that Bob climbcd into the
cab with her. and put her up on the seal
beside him, thanking his stars moAnwhil,
that nons Of the imam guys" wrr,
around.
'for they wouldn't allow Il, that's !
fact" he said to himself AN yet, tn,
Lord ouly knows what Pm goln' TO d,
with her. Maybe IN think up somothin
after awhile. but can't now, Ia sac me. :
lie was very lnconsideratr, this Engineer
Bob. lie did not stop 10 inquire whether
this child had any ancestry, or, II .ha did
whether II were quite CORRECT, lilo tool
her IA she was, bringing no family rccor,
with her, and not even grnced with
name. When he came 10 inquire he ioun,
that she was BABY and Baby she No
malnsd, the sweet dimluntive falling ton
derly, ia little awkwanlly, FROM tho lin
OF this man, who had never folt the love o
wife or child
All day long Bob pondered over his per
picking problem, and came no nearer
solution. lie caught himself q hundre
times staring helplcssly ut his small eharp,
only TO be met with the calm look Of th
threeyearold philosopher, whose problem
other people must solve. Between station
she swung her little feet and sung bali
songs In some strange. tongue Bob ha
never learned or had Perhaps forgotten
and she made friends with the people a
stations, and shouted ny by at then
aud threw airy ki-ses as the traiu role
away
1t would DO difficult to tell how man
hearts Baby made captive during tbnt rid,
As night hppte nhed, while thetraln Ava
AtAstatlon, Bob took her In his arm. NJ,
slipped around To his particular friend Al
mail agent.
SEQ here, Lane he said, with some Am
harrassmont, ~ wish you'd nut tbis M /
there on tome VI the man Aaek. nn' la, D,
sleep TIL the train gets In. Yon sre dan
Know Jest whit 10 do with herr
"ross 'er up, Bob said Lane ch...n,
leaning out 70 catch her, and Bsl,v bsic
tossed mp and caught, Kissed her hand sr