New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-07-23
what the Engineer Told.

Tot care "a have, Me house that held my wife
ana babies was the dearest place on earth TO me,
except lie other honse that held my old mother
I'd never belonged to a club, or mixed myself
IN with strangers in any such way, and never
should, if it hadn't been for Cranky. You see,
CRANKY was one Of the shareholders, handsome,
SNOWY fellow. liked to talk to him, and we were
friends. He often rode from 7. to A. and back
again with me, and once he said:
aYoa ought to belong to the Scientific Club
Guelden.N
Never heard Of III said I.
81 am member. said he. 1--WE meet once
fortnight, and have jolly good time. We want
thinking men like you. We have some amongst
us now. I'll propose you. if You like
| was fond 81 such things and had ideas that
/ fanoied might be worth something. But then an
engineer don't have too many nights or days to
himself aud the elnb would take one evening q
fortnight from 10. said
'tIi1 ask her. Ii she likes it, yes. ]"
ASK whom ri said he.
"Jo., y said ].
III every man had asked his wife, every mans
wife would have said Can't spare You my DEAR
ana NE should have had no club at all, said
CRANKY.
But i made no answer. At home told 10, She
said
things and then III. CRANKY belongs, they must
be superior men,.
Y No Doubt said ].
q Ii isn't everybody who could he made mem
ber, said Je Why, OF course you must say
S. said res, = and CRANKY proposed me-
Thursday fortnight went with him to the rooms,
There were some men with brains there, some
without. The real business of the evening was
the supper, and SO il was every meeting.
I'd always been a temperate man. I actually
did not know what effect vine would have on me !;
but coming to drink more of it than ever had
before at the club table, found it put the steam
on. After 50 many glasses wanted to talk after
SO many more I did.
II seemed like somebody else, the words were
SO ready My little ideas came out and were lis
tened to. l made sharp hits; Iindulged in repair.
tee: ! told stories; even came to puHs. heard
somebody say to CRANKY: By George, that's
man worth knowing! thought him dull at first
Wet I knew it was better to be quiet Ned Guelden,
with his ten words an hour, than the ne-made
was sure OF it when three hours after, STUN.
bIed Up stairs st home to find 10, waiting for me,
with her babe on her breast
z You've been deeeiving me- Y said 10. z sus-
ueeted it, bat I wasn't sure. A scientific club
couldn't smell like bar-room.n
(which means | do said /, waving in the mid
die of the room like signal flag at station, and
And look Ike onen said Jo, ana she vent
and locked herself and the baby il the spare bed
room.
one club night, as I was dressed to go, 10.
stood before me.
aNed, + said she, 4 never had fault to find
with you before, III say that. You've been kind,
L
sorry We ever met i you were TO go on this way.
DON'T ask me Whist mean. You know.
ftJo.,n said |, it's only on club nights,N
. 1t will grow, + said she.
Then she put her arm about my neck.
Med said she, do you think thing so
much bottled-up and strapped-down demon as
steam u.s. is Git to be put in the hands Of q drunken
man? And some day, mark my words, the time
Will come when not only Thursday nights, but all
the days of the week will be the same I've often
heard you wonder what the feelings of an engineer
who has about the same as murdered train full
Of people must be, and you'll know if you don't
STOP where yon are. a steady hand and clear
head have been your blessings all these years.
Don't throw them away, Ned. If you don't care
for my love, don't ruin yourself"
MY little Jo. She spoke from her heart, and
bent over her and kissed her.
Don't be afraid, child, said; Ill never
pain you again.
Aud meant it; but at twelve that night l felt
that had forgotten the promise and my resolution.
couldn't 60 home to Jo. made up my mind
to sleep on the club sofa and leave the place for
good next day. already Ifelt my brain reel as it
had never before. In an hour was in kind oil
It was morning. .A waiter stood ready to brush
my coat. saw grin en- his black face. My head
seemed about to burst; my hand trembied. I'll
looked at my watch | had just five minutes to
reach the depot
JOS words came into my mind. Was fit to
take charge Of the engine / was not fit to an
swer. ought to have asked some sober man. AS
it was, only caught my hat and rushed away. I
was just in time.
The San Francisco glittered in the morning sun
The cars were filling rapidly. From my post n
could hear the people talking bidding each other
goodbye, promising to write and to come again.
Amongst them was an old gentleman knew by
sight-one Of the Shareholders; he was bidding
two tinid girls adieu.
4 Good bye, Kitty good bye, Lue, heard
him say, don't be nervous. The San Francisco |
is the safest engine on the line. and Guelden the
most careful engineer. l wouldn't be afraid to
trust every mortal love In batch TO their keep
ing. Nothing eonid happen wrong with the two
{ said, sem get through ii somehow, and Jo
shall never have to talk to again.. After aliit
was easy enough. lreeed as lspoke / heard the
sgnal--We were on
five hours from Il. to D.; Ave hours back. on
tile last should be myself again, knew now. Il
saw red flutter, and never guessed what it was
until we were past the flag. heard shrek, and
we had passed the down train at wrong place.
Two minutes more we should have had collision.
Somebody told me. ! laughed, heard him say,
respectfully;
sfof course Mr.. Guelden, you knew what you
were about
Then / was alone and wondering whether
should 90 slower or faster. did something, the
cars rushed on at fearful rate.
The same man who had spoken to me before was
standing near me. heard some question,
How many miles an hour we're we making
didn't know.
Rattle, rattle, rattle was trying now to
Hltchtus tAe HpesA OF HilH SdH ffaMG1eeOs i could
not remember what should do. Was it this
or that2 Faster-only faster. was playing with
the engine like a child
Suddenly there was horrible roar--a crasl I.
was flung somewhere, Ii WAS into the water By
a miracle, was only sobeIed, not hurt. gained
the shore. stood upon the ground between the
track and the river edge, and stood there gazing
al my work.
The engine was ia fragments; the cars iii splin.
tiers; dead, and dying, and wounded were strewn
around-men, women and ehildren--oId age and
tender youth. There were the groans and shrieks
of despair. The MANNED cried out in pain the
uniBjured beWaied their dead, and voice. I'M
heard by any other, was inmy ear, whispering,
murderer =
The news had gone back to A., and people came
thronging down to find their friends, The dead
were stretched on the grass. went with some
Of the distracted to find their lost ones, Searching
for an old mans daughter, / came to this place
under the trees and i've bodies lying there in ali
their rigid horr0r-an old woman, young one a
baby and two tiny children. Il was fancy, it was
pure fancy born OF my anguish-they looked like
oh great heaven they were my mother, my
wife, my children all cold and dead.
How did they come on the train What chance
had brought this about2 No one could answer
groaned, screamed, elasped my hands, tore
my hair. gazed On the good old face of her who
had given me BIRTH on the lovely features of my
wife. on my innocent children. | called them by
name there was no answer There never could
be there never would be. And as I cOmpre-
heDded this, onward up the track thundered an
nther train ITS red eve giared on me 7I flung