The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-29
ENGINEER BOB.

To use his own graphic language, hi
hadn't never had no ties worth speakin
Of" He was considered the best engineer
on that part of the road, and besides his
regular trips, he was called on to take out
many special. The "main guys" as Bot
called the chief dignitaries Of the road
never felt so safe as when Bob was in the
cab, and it began to be considered that Boil
must take out every fast train if they
wanted smooth, safe run.
Bob took his honors stoically, only say
ing sometimes in that grim way of his:
Its better for me TO go than any of YOU
fellers. II you get killed there's your
wives an the kids, but if ever I go down
nobody's hurt"
One day, as his train ran in beside the
depot of a Texas town, motionless among
the crowd on the platform was a poor
thin, forlorn looking woman with baby
in her arms, and every one could see that
her eyes were red with crying and that
she was getting the worst of it in her bat
tie with the world.
Anything the natter" asked a new.
conner, moved by curiosity and on the alert
for sensation.
'Nothin' much" was the idle reply of O
man perched on the outer edge of the plat
form, swinging pair of large shoes in the
space below. Woman wants to go to the
city and amt got money enough. You can
hear sech as that ever day."
you bet. The woods is full of 'em,' -
exclaimed the questioner, going about his
business, with his curiosity satisfied.
The conversation had gone on with the
amiable disregard for the feelings of the
poor that is sometimes shown by very
charitable people. Suddenly the woman
broke out in helpless way, fresh tears
running down her cheeks:
But, oh, if l could only go there, per
haps / could get work, and | can't get any
here. have tried and tried. They won't
even let me cook for them unless l can
give references, and dispose of the baby,
and what can I do?"
A dignifed and prosperous looking gen.
tleman turned away, lingering his gold
watch chain.
''The same old cry" he said; anybody
that wants work can get it in this coun-
try"
Into the little silence that fell after this
speech came a clear voice, saying with some
emphasis:
Here's my pilel''
And looking up they saw the engineer in
the cab just above them going down into
the pockets of his greasy overalls, and
bringing out what silver they conf aimed.
The next minute he had climbed down,
taken the astonished and half dismayed
woman by the arm and was leading her
down the platform and helping her into a
coach. When he had placed her in seat,
and had poured his money into her lap
his courage suddenly deserted him. and it
was with quite a shamefaced air that he
touched his cap, stammering:
Good evenin', ma'am. Hope you'll
have pleasant Journey"
And so the tides bore them apart, and
they met no more.
Actions like this were not so rare that
Bob held any of them in special remem-
brance. Indeed, he had forgotten all about
this event when, about three years later a
portly woman, wearing a straw hat with
bedraggled plumes, and clad in cheap
green dress, walked suddenly up to Bob as
the train was about to start, leading by
the hand tiny bit OF a girl with long, fair
hair.
Air you Engineer Bob?" asked the new
conner. Because if We air, I've brought ye
this child, as was left fur ye by its mother
when she died at my house night afore
last. That was her las will an testament,
she said, that you was to have the child on
accounts of your givin' her money TO come
mere with matter o. three years ago, an
mighty glad | am that she give the young
'un to you, fur I've got six of me own, an
that's enough to keep one woman ADJUST
lin"
And having delivered this extraordinary
speech, she at once took herself off.
am sorry to say that Engineer Bob
stood still and stared down at 1.-The last
will and testament" as disconnected and
speechless as though some eccentric friend
had made him a present of a white ele-
plant, or roc's egg, or perhaps of the roc
itself With her hands behind her, the
little creature stared up at him in turn:
but her survey ended sooner than his. No
vexing question of what will he do with
it?" disturbed her reflections, and she held
up one tiny hand toward his large and
brown one, saying with a self-possession
orators might envy:
"Howdy, Bob2"
She was in his arms next minute, &C
cepted as gift from the dead, and it was
with a queer, soft feeling tugging at his
heartstrings and making a foolish mos
ture in his eyes that Bob climbed into the
cab with her, and put her up on the seat
beside him, thanking his stars meanwhile
that none of the main guys" were
around.
For they wouldn't allow it, that's a
fact" he said 10 himself. AN yet, the
Lord only knows what I'm goin' to do
with her. Maybe I'll think up somethin'
after while, but l can't now, to save me-"
He was very inconsiderate, this Engineer
Bob. He did not stop TO inquire whether
this child had any ancestry, or, if she did,
whether it were quite correct. He took
her as she was, bringing no family record
with her, and not even graced with q
name. When he came to inquire he found
that she was Baby" and Baby she re-
manned, the sweet diminutive falling ten
derby, if little awkwardly, from the lips
of this man, who had never felt the love of
wife or child.
All day long Bob pondered over his per-
picking problem, and came no nearer q
solution. He caught himself a hundred
times staring helplessly at his small charge,
only to be met with the calm look OF the
rhree-year-old philosopher, whose problems
other people must solve Between stations
she swung her little feet and sung baby
songs in some strange tongue Bob had
never learned or had perhaps forgotten,
and she made friends with the people at
stations, and shouted by by" at them,
and threw airy kisses as the train rolled
away.
1t would be difficult TO tell how many
hearts Baby made captive during that ride.
AS night approached, while the train was
at station, Bob took her in his arms and
slipped around to his particular friend, the
mail agent.
See here. Lane.n he said. with some en-