Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1894-10-05
Miscellaneous.
LITTLE KATE AND I.

on, little Kate and L. We had no rich
relations to leave legacies, or to send
pearl necklaces, diamond ornaments, or
thousand dollar bonds for wedding pres
ents. | was brakeman on the East
ern Michigan railway, long and lone
ly stretch of rails over desolate marshes,
steep mountain grades, and solitary
sweeps of prairie land; she was the
bright-eyed waitress in one of the res
taurants along the line. But when |
fell from the platform whom the great
accident happened-you'v heard Of the
great accident, suppuse, when there
was such shocking loss of life--it was
Katc's care and nothing else that
brought me back into the world | had
so nearly quilted for good and all.
II would have done it for anybody,
Mark" said she, when tried to thank
her.
would you 2" said I. "But it is
not everybody that would have done it
for me, Kate !"
So | asked her to marry me, and she
said yes And | took little cottage
on the edge of Swampscot woods and
furnished it as we'll as could, with n
red carpet. cheese cloth curtains at the
windows, real Connecticut clock, and
set of walnut chairs that | made my
self with seats of PUSHES, nicely woven
in by old Billy, the Indian, who carried
his baskets and mats around the coun-
try, and Mrs. Perkins, the parson' 3
wife, made US wedding cake, and so
we married Pretty soon found out
that Kate was pining little
"What is it, sweetheart" said |.
Remember it was contract between
us that we were to have no secrets from
each other 2 Are you not perfectly
happy"
"Oh, yes, yes cried Kate, hiding
her face on my shoulder. "But it's
my mother, Mark She's getting old,
if | could only go East to sec her, just
once before tho Lord takes her away"
1t was then that | felt the suing of
poverty more. If | only had been a
rich man to have handed her check
and said, "Go at once!" think |
could have been quite happy.
"Never mind, sweetheart" said /,
stroking down her hair. "We'll lay
up few dollars from month to month,
and you'll 90 out and see her before
she dies"
And with that little Kate was forced
to be content. But there was hungry,
homesick look upon her face which went
to my heart to sec.
'If was rich !" kept saying to
myself "Oh if was only rich"
Que stormy autumn night wo wero
belated on the road. for the wind was
terrible, shaking the century old oaks
and pines as if they we're nothing more
than tall swamp grasses, and driving
through the ravines with shrek and
howl like pack of hungry wolves
And the heavy rains had raised the
streams SO VIC were compelled to go
carefully and keep a long look ahead
for fear of accident.
was standing at my post, ia front
of the second passenger car, stamping
my feet on the platform to keep them
warm, and hoping little Kate would not
be disturbed at my prolonged absence,
when the news agent came chucking out
Were to stop at Stumpville sta
tion," said he.
Nonsense" said !, 81 know better.
This train never stops short of Wauke-
sha City, least Of all when we are run
ming to make lost time, as We are to-
night.
"Oh, this is an exceptional occasion, I"
said JOHNNY Mills (Which was the news
agents namc.) We're going to put an
old woman of. She has lost her ticket
she says. More likely she never had
one. Goes on as though she had her
pockets picked"
otis most pity, isn't it, to put one
off tonight ? said /. "Least Of all at
such lonely place as StumpvilIe sta
ton, where there arc only Two houses
and blacksmith shop"
''Yes, I know" said Mills, adjusting
the newspapers that he carried in rub
Der case under his arm. "But the SUP.
erintendent Of the road has got out a
new set of instructions, and he's that
particular that Jones would not dare
overlook case like this. There's beer
SO many confidence games played OF
the road lately"
(Which is the one p said I, turning
N look at the end window Of the ca
which was at the rear.
Don't you see The old party at tn
back Of the fat women in the red shawIs
She's haranguiDg Jones now"
! LT Il 4.