Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-02-06
A BRAKEMAN'S HOLD.

sit had been bad week all round. The
baby had been sick, an I'd lost such little
sleep as could've got, an Molly had been
restless an worried nm cross. had been,
too-there's no use o. thinkin / hadn't
an when I'd been later'n ought to be at
the train couple o. mornin's got hauled
over the Goals for it, an that didn't make
me feel any better. Then I lost 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 thing
don't always mean catchin it, an was out
a suit Of clothes, or new dress for Molly,
or the money for the Doctors bill
$50 when I went home an Molly was
tired an impatient, didn't think of how
she'd had to bear somethin, but just
blurted out about my own loss. My, but
she did blaze up!
"'No use to save few pennies for meto
throw away dollarsl No use tryin to be
careful of 10 cents when l could let $40
blow away like puff of smoker
II didn't answer back much, but got
my supper an had a sap, though by this
time was so mad I didn't want even to
look at her-my Molly!
"When woke up, it was gettin to train
time an went over an looked at the
youngster, who was gettin on fine by this
time. bent over an kissed him an stood
minute an looked at Molly, an then
said-ugly, s'pose- - Good nightv
sssIt'll be good nightif you don't spend
or waste any more money! she said.
glove, the mad I'd felt before was nothin
to the rage that seized hold o. mel don't
scuse myself, but I've always had little
more sympathy for the people that do ter
rible things in rage! know the blood
rushed to my head an face, an fairly
trembled. My voice was sort o. choked as
/ said, IT'D be good night if it'd rid
me o. you and your Vaughn tongue' An
slammed the door as went out.
ssThe breeze was comm up cool an damp,
but it didn't cool my temper. Our little
house YVES only few blocks from the sta
ton, an sometimes the boys would make
it easy for me if was late by startin
ON time an slowin up little till swung
on. OF course mean when I was late an
hadn't time to report, for they knew they
could always rely o. my bein on hand.
"We made the trip. was on the local
then, an the return an all was made in
about 2N hours. We used to get back
about midnight, so could always depend
upon havin half nights sleep anyhow.
Bein 30 lucky as to live near the station
gave me more than most of the other boys.
"Well, my temper hadn't cooled on the
return one bit. No, 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 comfortable 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. An thought more an
more o. her temper an her always Vaughn
tongue, an got so far as to think if it
wasn't for the young I'M 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 leaned over l saw the
draw was open, an for minute
thought how easy it'd be to drop down
an have it all over in an instant-if ii
wasn't for the baby. When we started
again, I got down on the step an leaned
out just in kind o. curious way. l new
er knew how it happened, but my feet
slipped, an there was clingin by one
hand an the train gettin along faster every
moment.
.'Over the draw, over the bridge ar
thinkin was goin to drop till managed
to get my other hand up an hold on will
all my life's strength, doublin my feet un
der till thought they'd snap off with thu
tryin to keep em up from the rails. Yor
see, l couldn't touch anything to stead,
'en, an couldn't pull myself up. just
hung there till it seemed as If l must lei
60.
"Then of sudden.I seemed to see Molly
an the baby left all alone. / saw Molly
with her tired body an achin heart a-takir
care O. the little one, an always remem
b'rin those last cruel words o. mine, ar
a-blamin herself for her last words to me
tell you'll CAN'T don't dare to think
over again all the thoughts had as
chung there between life--the little hold
had on life-an the death SO near il lei
60. For there was no stoppin till W,
| reached the ferry an no chance O. beir
| discovered. Once or twice the conductor
or some one came through an Thought
called, but my voice wasn't a whisper
All my strength was just in my hands. Il
ever Twin man can seem to feel as il
heaven was near, I did when the whirrir
| o. the brakes an the clankin o. the rail.
showed we was gettin in. Then o. course
| 1t was all right. One of the boys got of
to help the passengers just In time to catcf
me as dropped.
II didn't know anythin more till found
myself in the Office allyn on the bench
with Molly-at that time o. night-a-hold
in my hand an cryin.
ooh, Jack, she whispered, ARE yor
BETTER dearS Oh, thought you'd left mt
for good! l couldn't rest, an left the
baby next door an come down to wait fol
your train. WANTED to say was sorry
Oh, Jack, forgive me for my cruel tongue
an I'll try to mind 1t more
"'Stop there, my girl, whispered.
found l was terrible weak, an the tears
came in my eyes. Forgive me, too, was
all could say.
"But right there before all the boys-ar
some o. 'em a-grinnin-I drew my wifi
down to me an kissed her. "-Minnie G