The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1906-03-15
1T HAPPENED AFTER THE
MlSSUS HAD WARNED HIM
TO STOP "cUsSlN'."

You see-you see l never had but
one child. but that was enough con
sidering the kind. just as fine lit
tie chap as ever drew the breath o
life. When he was years old and
began his schoolin', he shot ahead
of the other children in a way that
surprised even his mother and me
My wife kept telling me all those
days that I oughter quit swearin'
I never was one to drink strong
drink, but I know that when II
came to rollin' out strong oaths,
there wasn't a man on the road
could beat me. And the worst of
it is knew it was shameful wrong
knew it from my mothers teach
ing when was boy.
Well, wife she kept on worr'in'
and I was kind of stubborn, when
even saw that dear child listenin'
to my rough words, and on morn
ing wife said in a kind of discour-
aged way: I'm afraid God will do
something to you some time or
9th riuyfeoukepgoinnes LpRrumete
other If you keep on using His
name so free and defiant like"
Our boy was about years old
then, and one mornin' about a cou-
pie o. days after wife said what
she did, the little fellow came to
me to see the Racer" start off as
he often did. Well, that mornin'
had her runnin' in splendid order
as usual, and was already to start
when the time come, when l got
into a discussion with another en-
gineer who declared his locomotive
could outrun the Racer" any time
l was furious enough to let the man
drive me into a passion, and my
language need only be limited at;
that darlin' child standin' by listen
ing, too!
After the man had moved on
heard sweet, quiet voice say: "Oh
papa, what makes you talk so? II
makes me feel 'fraid."
ooh, you run home. Willie" says
I, for was scared at the minute
to think Of the cusses the child had
heard me use. 1t was time to start
and just then one of the railroad
bosses came up and told me it had
been decided that, instead of my
going my usual route to send me
and the Racer" some miles up the
road to pilot an excursion train.
was not start for an hour. Al
first l thought to go home a while
but l felt kind of backward to see
my wife, for feared the child had
told her of my tough talk at the
depot. Sharp on time l jumped
aboard the Racer" and off, off she
sped up the smooth track, with
every join oiled to make her glide
like a streak of lightning, but at an
hour when trains were not expect
ed to 60 boundin' over that portion
of the road. But on she tore, no
thought or mishap in my mind, till
all at once l saw what near froze
my blood and nigh stopped the beat.
ing of my beart-my little son, with
his mimic express wagon, mounting
the bank to cross the track just
ahead of me!
You see, once in a while, a per
son seems to live a whole lifetime
in about one-half minute, and in
that one instant all my whole soul
went out in volumes of prayer to
the name l had taken so many
times in vain. Yet only said two
words-"God. God!" For / knew
not what to do. To slacken speed
on the instant would be simply i'm
possible; sho&id push her sudden
ly on would perhaps mean the death
of my boy.
l raised my hands in dumb en-
treaty, and at the moment a great
piece from falling branch of a
tree shot into the engine and hit
the lever, sending 1t violently down
a notch or two, and the obedient
Racer" at the sudden impetus
bounded forward like living thing
And looked back and saw my baby