The morning call., 1893-11-25
THE BRAKEMAN.

"It had been bad week all round. The
baby had been sick. an I'd lost such little
sleep as I could we got, an Molly had been
restless an worried an cross. bad been,
too: there's no use o. thinkin' hadn't. an
when I'd been later'n I ought to be at the
train couple o. mornin's l got hauled
over the Goals for it. an that didn't make
me feel any better. Then lost a few dol
lars through countin' my pay in the street
Felt so sure could handle it, when-whiff
the wind had taken one of my bills way
out of sight. Well. chasin' a thing don't
always mean catchin' it. an / was out
suit of clothes, or a new dress for Molly,
or the money for the doctors bill.
so. when l went home. an Molly was
tired and impatient. l didn't think of how
she'd had to bear somethln', but / just
blurted out about my own loss. Myi but
she did blaze up! No use to save a few
pennies for me to throw away dollars!
No use tryIn' to be careful of ten cents
when could let ten dollars blow away
like puff O. smoke!
81 didn't answer back much. but got my
supper an had nap, though by this time
[ was so mad l didn't want even to look at
her-my Molly!
when woke up it was gettin' to train
time. an l went over an looked at the
youngster, who was gettn' on fine by this
time. l bent over an kissed him, an stood
minute an looked at Molly an then l
said-ugly. 1 s'pose-'Good night'
It'll be good night if you dom spend
or waste any more money! she said.
''Jove! The mad I'd felt before was
nothin' to the rage that seized hold o. me!
l don't scuse myself. but I've always had
little more sympathy for the people that
do terrible things in rage! [ know the
blood rushed to my head an face, an l
fairly trembled. My voice was sort o.
choked as l said, ltd be good night if
It'd rid me O. you an your waggin'
tonguep AM l slammed the door as l
went out.
"The breeze was comm up cool an
damp, but II didn't cool my temper. Our
little house was only few blocks from the
station, an sometimes the boys would
make it easy for me il 1 was late by start
in on time, an slowin' up a little ill |
swung on. OF course mean when l was
late an hadn't time to report. for they
knew they could always rely O. my bein'
on hand
"We made the trip. L was on the local
then. an the return an all was made in
about two hours an half. We used to
get back about midnight. SO L could al
ways depend upon havin' half a nights
sleep anyhow. Bein' so lucky as to live
most of the other boys.
We'll, my temper hadn't cooled on the
return one bit. No. I'd got worse-a good
deal worse. I'd thought of how hard I'd
worked. an the things I'd done to make
Molly's life comfort'ble. an the ways I'd
tried to help her. But didn't think o.
the way she'd worked for me, an tried to
help an encourage me. No. | wasn't on
that tack just then! AM thought more
m more of her temper, an her always
waggin' tongue; an I'd got SO far as to
think if it wasn't for the young 'un it'd be
best to make misstep some night like this
in the dark like this
Just then the whistle came for down
brakes an as l leaned over l saw the
draw was open, an for a minute l
thought how easy it'd be to drop down an
have it all over in an instan'--if 1t wasn't
got down on the step an leaned out Just in
kind O. curious way. | never knew how
1t happened, but my feet slipped, an there
l was clingin' by one hand. an the train
gettln' along faster every moment.
over the draw. over the bridge-an'
thinkin' l was goin' to drop, till managed
to get my other hand up an hold OH with
all my life's strength, doubln' my feet
under till thought they'd snap off with
The tryin' TO keep 'em UP from the rails
You see. couldn't touch anything to
steady 'em. an | couldn't pull myself up.
l just hung there till it seemed as If l must
let go!
Then all of a sudden l seemed to see
Molly an the baby left all alone, | saw
Molly with her tired body an achin' heart
a-takin' care o. the little one-an' ALWAYS
remem rim those last cruel words o. mine.
an a. a-blamin' herself for her last words to
me! tell you-I can't don't dare to
think over again all the thoughts had as
L clung there between life-the little hold
| had on life-an' the death so near if
let go. For there was no stoppin' till
we reached the ferry, and no chance
O. being discovered. Once or twice the
conductor OF some one came through, an
L thought l called, but my voice wasn't
whisper. All my strength was just in my
hands. II ever livin' man can seem to
feel as If heaven was near L did when the
whirrin' o. the brakes an the clankin, o.
the rails showed we was gettln' in. Then.
O. course. it was all right. One of the bows
got off to help the passengers just in time
to catch me as | dropped
Il didn't know anvthin' more till l found
myself in the office a-lyIn' on the bench.
with M0lly-at that time o. night!-a hold
In my hand an cryin'.
'Oh, Jack! she whispered, are you
better. dear? Oh. thought you'd left
me-for good! j couldn't rest, an left
the baby next door. an come down to wait
sorry. Oh. Jack. forgive me for my cruel
tongue, an I'll try TO mind it more
Stop there, my girl! l whispered.
found l was terribly weak, an the tears
came in my eyes. Forgive me, too was
all | could say.
But right there before all the boys
an someof 'em a-grinnin'-I drew my wife
down to me at kissed her."-Harper's
Bazaar.