The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1867-02-23
THE STORY,

was LAID, I've trNNelcu over IL every utlt Vt
nearly every day, OF my life.
For q good while I've had the same en-
CINE In charge-the San Fransisco-the
engine on the road. aud rs well
managed, i'll say u, ~ the best,
IL was a southwestern road, running, so
we " IN SAY, from A to u. Ala my good
old mother lived at u | had the sweetest
httie wife under the sun, and baby and !
always had q dollar or two put by for a
rainy day. | was an y Kind OF a man
Being shut up with the engine, watching
with all your eyes and heart and soul, inside
and out douit make n man laxative.
NV wife's name was Josephine, and l
called her 10. Some people called me un-
sociable and couldn't understand how a
man could feel friendly without saying ten
words an hour. So, though had a iow
friends-dear ones, too-l did not have SO
many acquaintance as most people and
did not care to have. The house which
held my wife and baby was the dearest
spot on Garth to me, except the old house
that held my mother, up at A.
1 never belonged TO a club, or miXod my-
self up with strangers In any such way,
and never should, II IL hadn't been tor
lGranby. You see CRANKY was one of the
shareholders, u handsome. snowy fellow. !
liked to talk with him and we were friends.
lie often rode from u to A, aud back again,
with me, and once he said
''You ought TO belong to the Scientific
Club, Guelden:
~ never heard of It," said |.
~ an a member said he. ave meet
once q fortnight and have u jolly good
time. We want thinking men like you.
We have some among ms now. I'll propose
you IL you like
Twas fond Of such things and | had ideas
THAT | fancied might be worth something.
But then an engineer don't have nights or
DAYS to himself, and the club would have
one evening u fortnight from 10. said;
am ask her. II she likes II, yes
ASK whom ~ said he.
'Jo,' said |.
.If every man had asked his wife, every
mans wife would have said, Cant spare
you. my dear and we would have no club
at all, g said Granby.
But | made no answer. At home told
lJo. She said:
81 shall miss you.N Ned; but you do love
such thugs, and then If CRANKY belongs
they must he superior men.'
mo doubt said |.
at isn't everybody who could be made a
member" said 10. "Why, of course, you
must say yes
SO | said yes, and CRANKY proposed me.
Thursday fortnight | went with him to the
rooms. The real business of the evening
was the supper, and SO IL was every even
ing.
I'd always been a temperate man. ac-
ltually did not know what effect VIM would
have on me; but coming to drink more of
it than | ever had before at the club table,
| found it put steam on. After so many
glasses ] wanted TO talk after so many
more did.
/ seemed like somebody else, the words
were so ready. My little ideas came
out, and were listened to. ! made sharp
hits | INDUCED in ropartee; l told stories;
Ieven came to puns. | heard somebody
say to CRANKY;
S.Bv George. that's n man worth know
ling. | thought him dull at first" Yet |
knew It was better to be quiet Ned Guel-
den, with his ten words an hour, than the
wine-made wit | was.
| was sure of it when, three months after,
| stumbled up stairs to find 10. waiting for
me with her baby on her breast.
you've been deceiving me- said 10.
l"I suspected It, but | wasn't sure. A sclen-
tific club couldn't smell like a bar-room."
(which means | do said ! wavering in
the middle of the room like a signal flag at
u station and seeing two Jocs.
"And look like one" said 10; and went
and locked herself and baby In the spare
bedroom.
One club night, as l was dressed to 20,
10. stood before.
Med" said she, ~ never had a fault to
find with YOU before. You've been Kind,
and good, and loving always; but | should
be sorry we ever met if you go on In this
way. Don't ask me what | mean. You
know"
'Jo,' said |, ats only on club night
sit will grow" said she.
Then she put her arms around my neck.
Ned" said she, rdo you think II thing
so much Ikea bottled up and strapped
| I.s.A. .v.M. ~. ,N.n.. L. L., a. -. ,.N ut
the hands of a drunken manp And some
day, mark my words, the time will come
when not only Thursday night 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 n train full of people, must be,
and you'll know ii you don't stop where
you are. A steady hand aud a clear head
have been your blessings all these years.
Don'tthrow them away. Ned, If you don't
care for my love, don't ruin yourself"
My little 10. She spoke from her heart,
and | bent over 0nd kissed her.
Don't be afraid, child. I'll never pain
you again."
And 1 meant 1t; but at twelve O'Clock
that night | felt that | had forgotten my
promise and my resolution.
| couldn't get home to 10. | made up
my mind to sleep on the club sofa and
leave the place for good the next day. Al
ready | felt my brain reel asst had never
before. IN an hour | was inca kind OF
p stupor.
Ii was morning. A waiter stood ready
to brush my coat. / saw n grin on hi,
=, face. My heart seemed ready to burst
my hand trembled | looked Mt my watch
I'll had only just five minutes to reach the
Idepot!
} JOS words came TO my mind. Was l fl
to take charge of au engine2 / was not fl
@ to nswer II ought to have asked som
= sober man. AS 10 was, l only caught my
hat and rushed away. l was just in time.
. The San Francisco gllttered III the morn
: ing sun. The cars were 6lling rapidly
From my post | could hear the people talk,
ling-bidding each other good-by, promis'
ing to write and come again. Amongs'
] them was an old gentleman / knew by
4 lsight-one Of the shareholders he was bid,
ding two timid girls adieu.
~'E6ood-byc, Kitty-good-bye, Lue!'
heard him SAY don't be nervous. Tn,
5 San Francisco is the safest engine on thu
line, and Guelden the most careful engin-
eer. | wouldn't be afraid TO trust ever
mortal | love, 10 their keeping. Nothing
{ could happen wrong with the two to
= gether.
l said I'll get through It, somehow, ant
10 shall never talk to me again. After all
"