Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-07-31

'Den tome here, and teach yon
one" she commanded
Bob slowly. and with II very red
face. came around on the other side.
She made him kneel. and saw that his
hands were properly clasped and his
eyes shut She had almost left off her
baby lisp, but this prayer had been
learned so long ago that she said it
now just rs she learned TO say it first
Now I'm gay me downer s'eep."
dictated the little teacher, perched up
on the side of the bed.
Now | lay me down to sleep"
murmured the brown and bearded
giant kneeling before her.
All Engineer Bob. how many years
since you said that last? And where
is the little mother that bent over you
while you said it?
When the lesson was finished and
Bob had tucked the baby in again no
went back tc his place with II curious
moisture in his eyes and was half i'm
patient with himself about it.
And then began strange era in
Bob's life-a time when this child was
away from his side. She grew to be
the train baby and every man was
her obedicnt slave. Bob was still de-
batting with himself what he would do
with her, and in the meantime he did
nothing but keep her with him.
When an entire week had passed and
the prayer had still to be dictated,
Baby expressed her sentiments with
all the candor OF candid babyhood.
bob, you is awful dull" she said,
you ought to be ASHAMED of your
self"
Torn by conflicting feelings, knowing
that he was daily in danger of dis
charge, Bob was leading a miserable
life enough; and yet the light that
never was on sea or land was shining
upon his life and transforming it.
When he walked about town could
he go into saloons or gambling dens
with that littlo figure beside him?
Like tho angels of the old stories she
lowered about him and kept him from
harm. Bob the most profane of rail
road mon, could utter no oaths now.
because tho baby would hear, and tho
one or two that made use of language
more forcible than elegant in the pres
cnce of the baby found themselves in
serious trouble. Tho little white soul
had been given over to Bob's keeping,
and it made an atmosphere of purity
around 1t. Engineer Bob began to
wish that he were different man.
very few weeks had passed when
Bob, going to the mail car one night
after Baby, found her fevcrish and n
little inclined to wander in what she
said. Like one distracted. he rushed
to his room with her and sent for Il
doctor. Wild with anguish he sat be-
side her all night and gave medicines,
but the next morning she was no bet
ter.
Somebody else took out Bob's train;
he neither knew nor cared who.
Wholly forgetting all the rest of
tho world wholly absorbed in
the child that was more to him than
life itself, he sat there and watched
her own faint little life slowly ebb
away. Tho railroad men came. one
after another, and bent over Baby
and pressed Bob's hand, telling him
TO cheer up. and went away wipinp
their eyes. The superintendent came
and sat down by the bed, smoothing
the pretty, tangled hair and chatting
her little hands as tenderly as Il
woman. These things were hard to
bear, he said, and he was not good at
consolation.
But suddenly at last Baby claspcd
her tiny hands and began to murmur:
d" Now I'm gay me downer Sleep
Tome say your payers, Bob"
"Oh, yes, Baby. I'm here" cried
Bob, falling on his knees beside the
| bed.
Il payer Ford my soul to teep;
If ! sould die before | waite
as you sayin' your prayer Bob?
Il pay Ford my soul--.to-tate
'Oh, take mine, too Lord; take
mine, too" was the helpless cry
wrung from the strong heart of En-
/ gineer Bob.
And then as night had come. and
the evening prayer was said. the baby
went to sleep.
A little withered old woman stepped
down from the cars IA month later and
into the arms OF II strong, grave man.
'Oh. Bob. y She cried. tremblingly,
with her arms about his neck. Just
TO see you once again, after eighteen
years. And you really sent for your
poor old mother. after ALP"
Mother" said Engineer Bob with
a quavering voice. I've got home
ready for you, an'-if you can forgive
what's past-I'll make you good son
yet"
An out under the shadows of lonely
trees in the cemetery the little one
slept, with the marble shaft above her
hearing no other name than The
Baby" and the simple inscription be-
+ low, "A Little Child Shall Lead
Them. Chicago Herald.