Nebraska advertiser., 1867-02-21
NO. 81.

ges, and we have to pay. lis a shame.
"Our domestic lfe-our life al Zone,
YOU mean 2 Well, as to this, we don't
see much OF sur futniiies. Z leave home
half-past seven in the morning, and dOn't
get back cgain unuIshalf-past niHs, and
may be later. The chhdern are not up
when leave, and they've gone 20 led
arain before come home. This IS about
my day Leave Isond0n at $40; drive
for four hours and a half cold snack on
engine step drive back again elssa
engine report Ulysef; and home
Twelve hours hard and anxious work,
and no comfortable victuals. Yes our
wives are anxious about Gs; for we nev.
er know when we 20 ont, if we'll evsr
come hack again. We ought 10 90 hom8
the minute we leave the StaliQU, and re.
port ourselves 10 those that are thinking
or us and depending on us, but I'm
afraid we don'l always. Perhaps We gG
first to the public house, and perhaps you
would too, if you were in charge of an
engine all day long. Bu. the wives have
a way Of their own, of finding out if we're
all right. They inquire among each 9TH
er. Have you seen my jim I! one says.
NO says another, 'bGt Jack see him
coming oat the station half en- hour ago.
Then she knows her Jim's all right, and
knows where to find him if she wau's
him. It's a sad thing when any Of as
have 10 carry bad news to a mates wife.
None of us likes that JOB. 1 remember
when Jack Davidge was killed, Done Of
US could face the poor missus with tbe
news. She had seven Children, poor
things and two Of 'em, the youngest. was
down with the fever We got old MRS.
Berridge-Tom Berridge's maIber-tO
break it TO her. But she knew summal
was the matter, the minute the old wo-
man went in, and afore she spoke word,
fell down like if she was dead. She lay
all night like that, and never heard from
mortal lips until next morning that her
George was killed. But she knew it in
her heart It's hard and toss kind Of
life. ours
And yet never was nervous on an en-
gine bat once. never think Of my O6n
life. You 90 in for stalking lhgt, when
you begin, and you get used to the risk
/ never lhiuk of the passengers eTher.
The thoughts Of an engine-driver never
60 behind bis engine. If he keeps his
engine all right, she coaches behind will
be ali right, as far as the driver is con-
cerned. But once | did think CT The pas
sengers. My little boy, Bill, was among
them that mOrRing. ole was a poor lit
tie crippled feAow that we all loved more
nor the Others, because he was a cripple
and so quiet, and wise-IiAe. He was 60
ing down to his aunt in the country, VII,
was to take care Of him q while. w
thought the country cir would do him
good. l did think there were lives pc
hind me that morning at least, thought
hard Of one little life that was 10 my
hands There were twenty coaches on
my little Bill seemed TO be in every one
of 'em. Ny hand lrembIed as l Iurne
on the steam. l felt my heart thumpiD
as we drew close to ihe pointsman's box
as we nea-ed the Junction, I was in
cold sweat 1T tbe end Of the first fft
miles l was nearly eleven minutes be
llul IilS. ~ AAL lilc matter VIII you
this morning 3 my stoker said. Did You
have a drop 10 much last night 2 'DJu'
speak to me, Fred, ] said, 'till we getto
Petersborough; and keep a sharp lc0z-
out, there's a good fellow I never was
SO thankful in ny LIE as when / shut oe
steam TO enter the station az Pelersbo-
rough. LiuIe Bills aunt was waiting
for iiira, and saw her lift him out Of the
carriage. l called on. to her n bring
him to me, and took him upon the err
gine and kissed hiu-ah. twenty times 1
should thiuli-making him in such mess
with grease and coaI-du-. as you never
saw.
4 was all right for tie res. Of the
journey. And | 40 believe, sir, the pas
sengers were safer after liIle Bill was
gone. il would never 90. You see, for
engine-driyers to know much, or 10 feel
much. '-.NugJy Junction.