Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-09-19
BOB'S BABY.

a.
,Sst matter. To use,his own graphic
LANGUAGE, he "hadn't never had no
,,es worth speabin Of" He was con-
.iserps the best engineer on that part
~ the road, and besides his regular
Trims he was called on to take out
r,anv a special The main guys, "
= Bob called the chief dignitaries of
,ba road never felt so safe as when
Rob was in the cab, and it began to be
.,nsidered that Bob must take out
re-v fast train If they wanted
= smooth, safe run.
Bob took his honors stoically, only
wy.ng sometimes in that grim way of
his
,Its better for me to go than any OF
rou lo. ors. If you get killed there's
YOU wives an the kids, but if ever
70 down nobodys hurt"
One day, as his train ran in beside
Ne depot of Texas town, motionless
Kmong the crowd on the platform was
a door. thin forloru- looking woman,
with baby in her arms and every
one could see that her eyes were red
With crying and that she was getting
He worst of it in her battle with the
world
Anything the matterP" asked a
Aeweomer moved by curiosity and on
The alert for a sensation.
,NotAin' much was the idle reply
ia man perched on the outer edge of
he platform. Woman wants to go
the city. and amt gotmoney enough.
lou can hear sech as that ever day.
A diglified and prosperous looking
gentleman turned away, lingering his
gold watch chain.
The same old cry" he said; any
body that wants work can get it in ibis
county
Into the little silence that fell after
his speech came clear voice, saying
with some emphasis;
Here my pile"
And looking up they saw the engin-
ssr in the cab just above them going
down into the pockets of his greasy
oyeral.s and bringing out what silver
they contained.
And 80 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
remembrance, Indeed, he uad forgot
ten all about this event when, about
three years later. a portIy woman,
walked suddenlyup to Bob as the train
Was about to start, leading by the
hand a tiny bit Of a girl with long, fair
hair
Air YOU Engineer Bob?" asked the
newcomer Because if We air, I've
brought 80 this child, as was left fur
Se by its mother when she died ut my
house night afore last. That was her
las will an testament she said, that
you was to have the child on account
Of your givin' her money to come here
9TH "a 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 a-hustlin'.n
After having delivered this extraor-
binary speech, she at once took her
self off.
ann sorry to say that Engineer Bob
lood still and stared down at the
last will and testament" as discon-
serta4 and speechless as though some
eccentric friend had made him a
present of white elephant or roc's
egg or perhaps of the roe itself With
her hands behind her the little crea~
sre tared up OF him In tucn but her
survey ended sooner than his. No
vaNing question OF what win he do
with it2' disturbed her reflections, and
lhe held up one tiny hand toward his
lbr-e and brown one saying with a
possession orators might envy:
"Howdy Bob?'
sas was in his arms the next minute
accepted as a gift from the de- and it
va queer. soft feeling Juggling at
bs heartsDrings and making foolish
moisture ia the eyes that Bob climbed
u'1 The cab with her, and put her up
u ME eat beside him, thanking his
tans meanwhile that none Of the
'Uaa guys were around.
Ior they wouldn't allow IT, that's
fact he said to himself An yet
ne Lord only knows what rm going
g do with her. Maybe I'll think up
'oae.am after awhile but Icant nov,
70 save me.
Al. day long Bob pondered over his
PfrpleEirg problem, and came no
nearer solution.
II would be hard to tell how many
hearts Baby made captive during That
F1e A night appf 3ched, while the
'raln was at "a station, Bob took her in
ais arms and slipped around TO his par
aaa.ar friend, the mail agent.
~ee here Lane he said, with some
saoae as-ment II wish you'd put his
Ela in there on some Of the mail sacks.
Az .et er sleep ill the train gets in
leu zee. | don't Jest know what to do
with her
Toss FER up. Bob. sid Lane,
2aeeriiy. leaning out to catch her and
ba9y ge.nr tossed Up and caught
Kissed her hand and called back,
'boos night Bob"
Boo went hack to bis post ard Eay-
NJ brushed his eyes with his griny
aand was ready 10 90 on 1t began to