Ka Nupepa Kuokoa, Volume XXIX, Number 51, 20 December 1890 — Our English Column. [ARTICLE]
Our English Column.
*'/* Ycu/h Prīpart fcr Mankoodr L'NO.K n!II.S I>KSK. Hcrc, g»rl, »* a *tory {(r you, »bout what • bravc !nisc giri diH Hcr luune was D»<^v. ' Thcre no morc lone!y a tpot io tbe Korky Moumam% or the greai pīai*s (>f thc WeM., than wa* the teJc*?ation on a railrof'i in Ohin. I he <■ahin wa% right in thc heart oi a j;rcat f<;rc»t, m»ies away froro any kinrj oi a housc. A jjood many frei;jht trains pa*s the caS>n ca*h tlay. but u*uallv goby wiihou! stoppmj; 'l'he rabin*itsclf wa» an oi(S bo\ far, sct at thc suic oi thctrack, ar,d paintcd a rcd <olor 50 that (iie c»v»necrs scr. 1; a *rea: ways r,ff It had !*o ri.iDm-> in it. one for :he !eJc>jrat'h artd i!s work, and the I'hcr t"T thc w/ rkrnan t foc I>cnrr»an. cvht ' r mne ycar> ago, on a .uu moon in thc suninjer nme, b took arr.» < hair and {rantcd it ( ctwtcn thc(a!/in and thc tra*k, and
j rr|.art fl i a d rcad in his news* j>aj'Cr. loe rcad m !ur morc than an ho :;r, when h.e <tartcd ne3rly out of his hur, !i r he lc't thc slecve of his coat ; i'.Uii. whiie a baby voi« e said swccl!v en-'iUL'h, "heiio (oe g.i/cd upon ihe;. chiid, a littie /!ri, |.crhn{>s fot;r, or tivc \cars cid. >hc nas vcry [ rcttn, with s' ū plumf/ « hccks an»! hands. and hcr hair wai :....»c »bitc ih;in Hcr tiny «!rts S w.is (,t .. hcr thi< k shocs w* rc < i the < !r.«| tsl kind and hcr ljrgc str »w |~it w.»s iintiiniincd "Mii «>," slu .«niHn, and with a swcct b..bv Miun, .<s il s' e had knuwn f« e ail hi r s;i. rt iiie lnne. "W hs. I» ! cs% n y M»ul ! Why, littlc un, whrrc t!ul )«>u biow fr<»m ?" he askt(i thc ( hi.d, as he !i.«t hcr on hi*. knee, and wi|nd U e d st fruvn hcr sh(.cs with his rni brai.ddiitius hand ken'hiel'. "Th.it w.»y" shc answtrcd } rou>i t)y, hcr <ln,bby t'n £>.ts to thc W( st Ji»c pu/zkd. Hc knew thcre v.\»s no how«ic withm fuur mi!es in thiit (!irc( tlon. "What is thc babys name ?" askul Jl»tV "I >issy.'' "S|ss) ?" rq>eatcd Joc, who thought he eoukl intcrpTtt baby nu e!y. " l'.s, 'm" said the ehikl, her hcad. "I>issy. M In all the ycars that followed, Joe nc\cr lcarncd thc history of thc baby nor whcre sho eame from that Sunduy ;\ftcrnoon. As thcrc was no rulc ol the rai!road to prcvent him, Joe adcptcd thc tidy, fair haired stranger. Morc than scven ycars pnssed away, and I)issy nnist havc heen twelvc years old. Joc began to think it was about linie to scnd hcr to some good school
One aftt*rnoon I>issy sat alone in thc telegrjph ortice, f\>r Joc and his crutrh hail gone away with a man who had hin) to shew him a stavc Uctory, thrce rnilcs haek in the woods. Joe. perhap$ f shou)d not have left tbe orticc, but 1 >issy was a good an opera« tor as he was, even better, and thc girl did not roind being left alone for an hour or 50. It was a dreary allemoon, and netrly cvcnmg, and l>issjr was getting to feel vcry loncly. She was having a fu of the hlues. She had read many stories of good and nohle g»r!s, who had beeome grand womrtv, and she wondcrcd if any of them would havc heeoene hcroines, if they kad heen brought up »n »uch a lonely plaee as she hved »n. As shc was thinking, a heavy foot< stej> s<)unded on thc thrcshold Dissy lookcd aroiind to scc a tall, jHiwerful man "'l'hē <»|K;rator ts aw.»y ?" he ask<d, m 4 t< m*« f v< i<e nhieh shuwcd he kiu w ihui h< f re. "\ s. sir." m(1 n>sy f rmcesorry to st e a new kct. "tiow long bctv-rc No. 9 p4sses hcrc ?" asktd ihe m«n. L>issy lo< ked at cl-ek on the wall, and saw w. * j- st 6 » 'eloek * 4 ln thirty-thrce m>nutcs,'' >he s<»d, »nd the» added, ' that !•«. if it 1» on titue; No. 0 is »ometimvs I> ssyhopcd»t w-uld be Ute this cvening, t"or shc knew No. 9 was the train inade up of cjr and shc d»d not like the k>oks of thb nian. Oh that ]oe might rcturn soon ' He had been gone an hour. But thc tnan, who was a bad fellow, knew very well that the oper»tor would not l>e haek sooa The nao who had «nticed him away w*s oot of his helpert. "1 want you to stop No 9/ said the man, with a shaxp kowl vhich my aucb frighteoed the gtri "But I caonot do that, tir," she re* ptied, u withovt orders from the tnin aoapauhen" M You nem mind the tnun despatch er, or his orders» M gruffly rep(led the nua m Jftts% do as X tell yott tad 11)
to the train people. Hl gnre thcm a m»ghty good cxcuse," »aid be grim!y. **o»ckety—cl»ck-<lick-click-click.'' wcnt thc !ittk haeorocr. **What arc they saying T asked tbe *īlUia "Thcre »re asking if »t ts all nght to lct Na 9 start from NewbeTTy. w ,4 Y«: and all jrou have to aoswer a O K «nt it T | "No, sir. Befcre the eall the rotd clcar, 1 must tcU tbem what uroc tbe last train lcft hcre guing e«st* "WeU, horry op §n<i cot it as short as pcsnblc. For look yoo, my girU you mustn't fcol w»th roc. I bare lots of fncnds, aod if anythiog happcns to roc, it »i)l go hard with you." I>issy thought o( Joe Dcnnaan's kind neM to hcr, and how he raight get d»schargcd fromhisplaceifa«ythrogserious happened; and sbe tbought of Grace Oarling, and Joan cf Arc; and that sbe must be true to her trust So she skillful'y touched the little telegraph key. j "Click-ciick-clicketty-<:lick-click — eliek," was all it said to the train robber, but to the operator at Newbcrry )t said:— u Send the shenff and other help on No. 9; Robbersbere. w "Now tben," siid the man, l4 you wate the red light right here t and when tbe engine is at the mile post yonder, wave thc white light for her to stop. Understand now. My boys and I will be near the post, and if you don't do as I tc!l you, the balls from half a dczen pistols will fly right through you. I'hat's all."
i he man walked slowly up the track, and Oissy waved the red ligbt. The heavy train turobled up slowcr and slowcr until the engine was oppositc the post. 'lhen five or*six heavily armed men got aboard No. 9. Hut instead of finding exDressmen al their work, they tumbled right into the anns of the shcnfT and his band. Dissy told her story to thcconductor and cngineer, who left"a eouple of men with the child, to keep her company until |oc should return. Well, I)issy is now it school, in one of the bcst seminaries in Ohio and isof n«» txpense to Joe, for she is cared for by the Express Coropany; and she has the satisfaction of knowing that she did her duty, under great difficulties. What £irl or boy could do more ?