The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-08-10
But as they rounded a sudden curv

"Why," she cried there's Daddy
Hunt down on the tracks! How do you
ever suppose he got there:'
Daddy Hunt was an old blind negro
who lived alone in a tumbledowu hut
near the railroad, refused to go to the
poorhouse and would have died OF
starvation long before had it not been
for Mrs. Stebbins, who was wont to de-
clare that she hated beggars in general,
never gave them anything and hoped
this one in particular would die with
the very same breath in which she ask
ed what clothes he needed Or gave him
the run of her orchard or kitchen gar
den.
The old man stood now in the middle
of the tracks, tapping fearfully about
with his worn old cane and grasping
by the legs lively and defiant chicken,
who was persistenrly doing her best to
bewilder and annoy her present owner:
"Guess he must have tumbled IN, .
said Gus languidly, as he pointed to a
place where the embankment gave evil
dencs of recent slide. Hello, Daddy,
where'd you steal that chicken?''
81 didn't steal him" replied the old
man Indignantly, "Mis' Stebbins just
dun glib him to me, an l wisht you uns
ID come down heah an kill him.
darsen't le' go m stick, an he gifts tween
M legs SOS can't walk nohow. Keep
still dar!'' And he gave the offending
fowl a shake which sent it into series
of frantic squawks and struggles.
Throw her away then, daddy. She
no good, suggested Gus, and the young
folks laughed as the old man set up a
loud and indignant protest.
But as the sound died away they
turned to each other with strained whit,
faces, for coming toward them was an
other sound, swiftly rushing roar that
deadened every other noise about as it
rang cchoing out from the narrow cut
below them.
Daddy heard and understood it too.
"De train. de train, they heard him
cry. (Which way, which way::" and
he turned helplessly round and round,
cropping in his pitiful blind way with
both stick and chicken.
Ito the right, daddy, to the right, %
cried Gus Sanderly wildly as he leaned
down over the bank, for each one knew
it was too late now to climb down and
lead him safely of.
Mechanically the ole man turned, bis
hands relaxed with fright, the chicken
felt it, made last dash for liberty,
and as he grasped to save her the shut
fling feet stumbled, and he fell just III
the track of the advancing traiI. He
was up in moment, but so frightened
and bewildered that as Gus shouted
frantically at him to move, move but a
yard and he would be safe, he merely
turned his sightless eyes imploringly
toward the voice and stood silently fac
ing them.
Eudora saw the engine rushing round
the curve, then with cry threw both
arms before her face and sank down on
the path, while Gus stood by her, mo-
tionless with fear and horror.
And then. above the rush and roar
and rattle of the train, Eudora heard
not the shrek of awful agony for which
she waited, but wildly ringing cheer,
and when she looked again the cars
were rushing swiftly by, and she and
Gus were standing all alone upon the
bank-for little Joe had vanished.
Where''-she began, and then the
train had passed, and she saw him-saw
him lying helpless on the farther track,
side by side with Daddy Hunt, and the
next moment she aad slid, stumbled,
roiled-she knew not how-doTn the
steep bank and was bending over him.
''Itwa the bravest thing ever saw, -
Gus Sanderly was saying brokenly. "He
jumped, you know, just as the train
was almost there He jumped right
down before the engine, and the force
of it knocked him and Daddy both safe
over here But, George, it was close
shave" and the big man gazed admir-
ingly down at the little one, who lay
bruised and battered and almost sense
less below.
But old Daddy, though rather shaken
was unhurt. He 1ns saved my life, -
he admitted grumbingly, but o might
"a been more gentle like about it-'e
knocked dat chicken clean out'n my
hans an 'e's gone y
Eudora turned about with flashing
eyes Daddy Hunt she exclaimed,
'if ever hear you say anything like
that again I'll never let ma give you
another thing. Remember now Mr..
Sanderly, you help Daddy home. I'll
take care of N1r. Sampson. % And this
time she really and truly did lift her lit
tie lover up into her strong young arms,
and, walking down to where the cut
ended, just below her own home, she
disappeared from view, leaving big Gus
stricken dumb with wonder and amaze
ment.
Not once did she falter. Past two
grinning boys she stalked, past their
curious "hired help" past Ger astonish-
ed mother, never stopping till she had
laid her nrecious burden down upon the