Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1897-10-06

With a string he placed the placard
around the neck of the little girl. This
done he took her in his arms, kissed
her again and again, pointed to the
smoke that was becoming blacker and
longer, and told her that water was
coming. When the rails began to
sing of the approach of the COM
ing train, he placed her near
the track, and then ran and hid
himself behind the dug-out. From
his hiding place he looked out and
eagerly watched the child, while the
rattle and clamor and thunder of the
train grew louder in his ears. On it
came with a rush and a roar and flew
past the station in a gale of wind and
dust. The mans heart died within
him, and hen it beat wildly again.
The train had stopped several hundred
yards past the station, and was coming
back to the sentry box. The engineer
had seen the tattered flag.
As the long train rolled slowly back
ward, curious n inquiring heads pro-
truded from the car windows. The
gold-emblazoned conductor stepped off
and looked about him in wonder. Not
for several moments did he discover
the child. Immediately there was a
crowd about it and the placard was
passed from hand to hand A white
jacketed porter came out of a Pullman
car and placed a wooden step on the
ground before it. He was followed by
a lady in black, who descended from
the car and Joined the throng. A pair
of y%earning, eager, beseeching eyes
vvafcbad ~ all from tho Irn-nrt To
the man hiding it seemed hat the de-
termination of his child's fate never
would be reached. Finally he saw the
lady in black take the child in her
arms, kiss it, and reenter the car with
it. The passengers scrambled back
into the cars, the conductor waved his
hand, and the train moved on.
Then the father came forth and
gazed longingly at the departing train
-gazed at it until it became smaller
and smaller-until it became a dot in
the plains-until it vanished-and he
knew he was alone.
The terrible sun rose the next day
aud looked down upon him as its vic
tim. He endeavored to eat some of the
bread he had saved, but the dry crumbs
were torture to his throat One thing
only was there to do-to follow the
track until an inhabited station W.,
reached. 1t might he fifty miles
might Ice m1re-but there was no saliva
tion ava from the railroad
He started off bravcly enough, hi.
longing eyes fixed on the ever-receding
point where the glistening rails met in
the far perspective. But sometime s
his gaze wandered even further on to
where it surely seemed that blue-green
trees were bathing their feet in cool,
still waters
At noon. when resting for awhile,
he heard the rafting of an approach
ing freight train. Hope swelled up
within him as he stood on the track
and made frantic motions to stop the
train. The trainmen merely laughed
at him He did not know he had en-
ployed the favorite ruse of tramps.
Freight trains were not for the accom-
mediation of such gentry. Nor was it
a supposable case that a wayfarer in
the desert was unprovided with food
or drink, else why would he be therei
After this his progress was very SOW
On the third day he came to the end of
his Journey. He may have been deliri-
Gus or he may have been quiteueane.