The Lamar register., 1891-08-01
BOB's BABY.


language. he hadn't never had no
ties worth spcaltin' Of" He was CON
sidered the lost engineer on that part
OF the rooo. and besides his regular
trips he was called on to take out
many {. special. The ..main guys,p
as Bob called the chief dignitaries of
the road, never felt so safe MS when
Bc5 f.as in the cab, and ii began TO be
considered that Bob must take out
every fast train II they wanted n
a smooth. safe run.
Bob took his houors stoically, only
toying sometimes In that grim way of
LIS:
uIfs betior for me to go than any of
you fellcrs. II you get killed there's
your wives an the kids, but II ever /
go down nobody's hurt
One day. as his train ran in beside
the depot OF Texas town. motionless
among the crowd on the platform was
poor. thin. forlorn-looking woman,
with u baby in her arms, and every
one could sec that her eyes were rcd
with crying and that she was getting
the worst of 1t in her battle with the
world.
Anything the matter9" asked a
newcomer moved by curiosity and on
the alert for a sensation.
';No;hin' much, " was the idle reply
OF n man perched on the outer edge OF
,he platform. Woman wants 70 go
20 tho city. and ain; go, money enough.
You can hear sech as that ever day. -
A dignlfied and prosperous looking
gentleman turned away. lingering his
gold watch chain.
The same old cry" he said; any
body ,ha; wants work can get it in this
county"
Into the little silence that tell after
this speech came clear voice, saying
with some emphasis;
Here's my pile"
And looking up they saw tho engin-
Ger in the cab just above them going
down into the pockets Of his greasy
oyeralls and bringing out what silver
they contained
And so tho tides bore them apart
and they me, no more
Actions like this wcre not so rare
that Bob held any OF them in special
rcmembrancc. Indeed. he had forgot
ten all about this event when. about
thrte years later, a portly woman.
walked suddenly up to Bob as the train
was about TO start, leading by the
hand tiny bit OF girl with long. fair
hair.
Air you Engineer Bob" asked tho
newcomer. '.Because II ye air. I've
brought: ys this child. as was left fur
yo by its mother when she died at my
house night afore last. That was her
las will an testament She said. that
you was 10 have the child on account
OF your giyin' her money TO come here
with q matter o. three years ago. an
mighty glad am tina; she give the
young un' TO You. fur I've got six OF
me own, an that's enough to keep one
woman a-hustliu'.'
After having delivered this extraor-
dinary speech. sho at once took her
self OF.
/ am sorry TO say that Engineer Bob
stood still and stared down al the
last will aud testament as discon-
certed and speechless as though some
eccentric friend had made him a
present of u white elephant or roc's
egg. or perhaps of the roc itself With
her hands behind her. the little crea-
ture stared up at him in tnrn; but her
survey ended sooner than his No
vexing question OF what will he do
with it2n disturbed her reflections. und
she held up one tiny hand toward his
large and brown one saying with
selt-possession orators might envy:
''Howdy. Bob?'
She was In his arms the next minute.
accepted as a gift from the dead, and it
was a queer. soft feeling tugging at
his heartstrings and making foolish
moisture in the 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
..nain guys" were around.
..For they wouldn't allow it that's
n fact" he said to himself. AN yet
the Lord only knows what I'm going
10 do with her. Maybe I'll think mp
somethin' after awhile. but cant now,
to save me-
All day long Bob pondered over his
perplexing problem, and camo no
nearer a solution.
1t would be hard 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 par
ticular friend. the mail agent.
See here Lane, he said, with some
embarrassment. Il wish you'd put this
kid in there on some of the mail sacks,
an let 'er sleep till the train gets IN.
You see. don't Jest know what to do
with her.
Toss 'er up. Bob" said Lane,
cheerily, leaning out to catch her, and
Baby. being tossed up and caught
kissed her hand and called back,
..Dood night, Bob
Bob went hack to his post and hav-
ing brushed his eyes with his grimy
hand was ready to go on. 1t began to
matter little with Bob whether any
thing happened TO him, and he had
never been so watchful or So careful as
he was that night
What pleasure it was when they
were in at last. and he could go and
get the sleepy little creature and carry
her TO his room at the boarding house.