The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1866-10-05
What lite engineer IOII.


What lite Engineer Told.
| am an engineer. Ever since -
roadSEas lail, I've travelled over ii every day,
or nedrly evefy Gay. of my life
For good while I've had the same engine
in~AaggS~s1he semi rsaoises~rlAe prettiesi
engine on the road and as well managed, il
ssy il, IS the best. ..=. -.
II was Southwestern road, running, we
will say, from Al. to Il. At A. my good old
tie wife under the SUM- and baby; and |
always hsdsaf jorar or two put by for a
saRiny day. LMas an odd kind Of q man.
Being shut up with the engine, watching
with all your eyes and heart and soul,
i1side Gnd out, don't make man talka-
tive.
Ny wife's nanc was Josephine, and I
called her 10. Some people called me I'M
6oclable, and cou.lAt understand how a
man could eeffriendiy Without saying ten
Mcrde an "hour. 50, shoogh L had few
sOlatriendsv ones, too-l~dilnot have
so many acAuaintanccs as most people, and
did not csse to have. The house which
heldany vito 4nd baby was the dearest
place on earth to Inc, except the old house
that held ny mother, up MA
g 4 never beieug ed to y club, or mixed my
set up With Strangers, in any such way,
and never shoaitf, II II hadr't been for Gran
by You GEE Grumpy was on Of tho share
holders, han dsome, SNOWY fellow, liked
TO talk to him, ana We were Friends. He
often rode from r. to a., and back again.
aadonce piie ssid:is So
~, 10y ought T. belong to the s. Scientific
q .sNever heard Of it, said III! ,as,
!. an ameAber," said he, eve meet
once fortnight, and have jolly good time.
We want thinking men like you. We have
some among als NOW. III propose you, ii
you like"
r was fend of such things, and I had
ideas THAI fansied mighhSbe worth some
thing, But then an engineer don't have
nights and dayseto himself, and the club
would have one evening a fortnight from
""I1l ask her II She likes it, yes"
TASK whom?p saidhe.
"Jo," said |.
''lt every man had asked his wife, every
mans wife would nave said, Cant spare
you, ny. dsar., and we should have had "a
club al all, said Cranky.
But made no ans wer. At home told
10. She said:
- shall miss you, Ned; but y gu love such
Things, and then if CRANKY belongs to it,
they must be superior men,
mo Doubt sald |.
e~s'1t-isnt everybody who could be made q
membeH,o said 10. Way of course you
must say yes"
So said yes, and CRANKY proposed me.
Thursday tDnn glt l went with him to the
There w it,
there, and some without The real bust
ness of the evening was the supper, and SO
1t was every evening.
I'd always been temperate man. ac-
tuaaly did Rotsknow " nat effect wine would
have upon me- but coming TO drink more
OF 1t than l ever had before at the club
table, found it put the steam on. After
so many glasses l wanted to talk; after 50
many more did
l seemed like somebody else, the words
were so rfady. My little ideas came out
and were listened to- | made sharp hits;
indalged in repartee; told stories: l even
came TO puas. l heard somebody say to
CRANKY: "By George, that's man worth
knowing. Thought hin dull at first" Yet
knew it was brtters tcsbe QUIET Ned Guel-
den, with his ten wsrds an hour, than the
Wine-Nade wit | was.
was Sure Of it when, three hours after,
| stumbledup stairs to find 10. waiting for
me, with her babe on her breast.
"l ou've been deceiving me- said 10. 81
suspected II, but wasn't sure. A scientific
Club couldn't smell like bar room.
(Which means | do said |, waving in
the middle Of the room like signal flag a,
a.stalion. and seeing twoaJo's.
and look like one said Jo.; and sht
went and locked herself and the baby up II
the spare bedroom. lft4.
One club night, as was dressed to go
10. stood before me.
sa"Ned, sud she, 81 never.had q fault t
find with you before. You've been kind
and good, and loving, always; but shoult
30 sorry we ever met if you are to go on il
this way. Don't ask me what Imean. Yo,
know" .@
"Jo.,' said l.; otis only on club night
's"It will grow said she.
stThen she put her arms around nv neck
Ned" said she, "do you think thin,
90 pueA like bottled up anu strapped dowi
demon as steam Ii, is fiji 10 be put into ID,
hands Of Q drunken man? And sope day
mark my words, the time will come wher
not only Thursday night but all the DAYS 0
the week viii be The same. I've often heart
you wonder what the feelings Of an enei
neer who has about the sane as murdered &
train full Of people must be, and you'll
know If you don t stop where you are. A
steady hand and a clear head have beer
your blessings al These years. Don't throw
them aways Aad. IF yon don care for my
love, don trugp,I oYYseE''', ~
Ny little %. She spoke from her heart,
andsI bent ovsfeud Kissed her.
,spon;. y afr+iJ,ehilA- III never pain
sAaS rnesn if:d but at twelve O'Clock that
1igptl teltthas4 had forgotten my promise
and my resolution.
! COULDN'T 60 home to 10. made up M
mind to sleep ON me club sofa and leave the
pace LOT good next day. Already fel. my
hsAr Nas in a k,ndaof srnpor.
brush ny ceas = saw grin on his t1f face e
ny hesa3 seemed ready to burst; my han
t!em olsd looked at my watch; | had
cnlysjust I'VE minutes to reach the deno,,
30. . words came tosmy mind Was fl
totake charge, Of an engine? Twas not II
to answer. ! ought to have asked sam,
sebertman. All it Was, i only caught y,
my hat and rushed away. | was lust i
time. -
s.,AeSen Ffsncisco elittered in the morn
ipgt syn. The ears were filing rapidly
From my post could hear the people fall,
ipg-biNding each other good bye, promis
Ing to wife and come. again. Among then
was an oldsgen'leman knew by sght-on
OF the shareholders; he was bidding tw
tilaid girls adien.ss
GOOD bye, Kitty-good bye Lue,"
heard him say; ssdon't be nervous, TIL