Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-04-17
GilSOn'S
Little Girl.
BY LULU JOHNSON.
Copyrighted, 1908, by K. @. PARCELS.

0esOOOOSSO0O
my little GIRL" Gibson called her to
himself, and of all In the human tide
that twice day swept through the
gates Of that section Of the concourse
devoted to the suburban traffic the
gateman liked best the little blue eyed
girl. She reminded him so strongly
of that other little blue eyed girl who
In a happier day had greeted his COM
lngs and goings and had called him
father"
That was before the tunnel wreck
three years back, when they had car
ried her and her mother home-two
Victims of the worst disaster the road
had ever known.
The claim agent had learned that
ellison was without work and had set
tied the damage claimed by providing
him with life position as gateman
on the big station. Ever since then
Thomas ellison had watched the tide
of humanity ebb and flow through the
Iron gates and had found solitude In
the crowd.
Until the blue eyed girl had come,
not quite three months before, he had
watched Indifferently the hurrying
throng. The busy clicking of his
punch kept time to the dull monotone
of the announcer's megaphonic voice.
Then one night he glanced up into
the face of girl SO like his own dead
daughter that his punch dropped from
his nerveless hands, and he held them
forth yearnlngly IL unconsciously
The ring of the metal ON the con-
crete pavement reused him. His hands
dropped to his side, and he took up his
dull routine Of inspecting tickets. but
the grimy train shed, with Its smoke
stained walls and its wastes of clnder
bed tracks. held new interest for
him.
The monthly ticket which she pre-
scented was brand new and proclaimed
her recruit to the army Of workers
city's commercial field. and he knew
that each night he should see her come
hurrying down the concourse toward
the gate.
Later, when she learned that the reg
ular commuters never displayed their
tickets, she would perhaps give him
the little nod and smile of friendly
recognition that the more experienced
always youchsafed the guardian Of the
gate. Gllson's memory for faces was
remarkable. He knew all of the com
muters by sight and had nod for
each
1t was not long before ellison got
her trains" She came In on the 1927,
and every night she hurried to catch
the GAS. Sometimes she was late and
missed that train, having to wait for
the 1853 and thereby missing also her
dinner.
She never went out for dinner when
she missed the earlier train, but sat In
the great marble waiting room. Gil
son, quick to deduce, knew that the
money she earned was so sorely need
ed at home that she could not spare
the sum that would buy an extra meal
In town.
The old gateman did not go on duty
until 8 O'Clock In the morning. but he
was always there now at 1927, stand
Ing by the exit gate when the subur-
ban trains came rolling In. and that
was how he came to know that Met
calf was becoming interested In her
Usually they came together down
the platform, and only a glance at the
girls face was needed to tell that she
liked Metcalf. Later on Metcalf took
to going out on the Gas instead on the
CAB which was an express and stop
ped only at the more important sta
lions. No matchmaking mother ever
watched the social progress of her
daughter with greater solicitude than
did Gibson watch the growth Of love
between Metcalf and Miss Traynor.
He had known Metcalf Che had learn
ed the names on the communication tick
ets) ever since he had come to the sta
ton. Metcalf seemed a nice, steady
going young fellow, for he seldom walt
ed over until the theater train, and
each morning his eye was clear and his
hand steady. His appearance betoken-
ed his prosperity, and ellison reJOlced
that his little girl was making 40 good
a match.
Then came the day when the little
girl came down the platform by her
self, her head held high and her cheeks
flaming. Metcalf fingered in the rear,
and he, too. was flushed and angry.
Gilson's heart was troubled, though he
tried to tell himself that all would be
made smooth that night.
But II was not made smooth. Met
calf did not appear until Just In time