St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-05-10
My Midnight Trip on the Lady
Franklin.
TIE ENGINEERS STORY.

and Carew's genial countenance looking
into mine. We had been close friend.
and allies two years ago, when he had
been conductor and | was engineer OF
the same train. | had left my post or
the LADY Franklin" and undertaken
the supervision of large machine shop
yet still retained a pleasant recollection
OF my railway days, and tonight as
saw the LADY" gliding out of her place
of shelter with FURNISHED sides and fam
ing headlight, | almost wished myself
back again in my old post.
''les, | thought | should. How:
the old Lady! Holds her own pretty
we'll ;"
"Yes; Mcleod keeps her well up.
say, Frank, McLeod's wife is going
through tonight"
Carew had known all about the one
disastrous love affair Of my youth; he
knew that pretty Isabel Martin had sud.
denl V turned round and married John
Mcleod after encouraging my suit fol
nearly a year and he knew also how
sensitive still was on the subject. !
had not blamed Isabel so much IS some
might have been disposed to: she wa.
very young, and entirely under the in
hucnce of her father, with whom Nc
Leod was a great favOrite But none
the less had received 4 great and en-
during shock.
Poor little Isabel" said Carew, 81
rather think she has got pretty well sick
of Mcleod by this time.
"Why ? does he ill-treat her !''
"Nell, | don't suppose he either locks
her up on bread and wafer, or beats her;
but | do suppose that in every other par
ticnlar in which 4 man can neglect OF
i'll treat woman she is neglected and
ill-treatcd
The old brute ;" | muttered between
my teeth.
"WelI-l shall See You again said
Carey, vanishing into the crowd with 4
slnuouS ease and swittncss peculiar. be,
licve to the race of conductors
1t was tempc<tuouS night in Marcl
the wind howI;ng and shricking lik,
an infuriate demon. and the rain beat
my stormy iugue on the depot roof, a:
| advanced TO help a woman in.
She looked up to thank NE, but the
words died OIL her lips a. her eyes mct
mine. 1t was Isabel Mcleod, the LOST
love whom | still cherished in INV heart
OF hearts, and the wife of the engineer
Oh the night express. WAS the first It
recover my compo-urc for this. be it re.
membcred, was the first time we had met
since her marriage, more than three wear.
before
Here is vacant seat, Isabel: dt
you wish to sit 50 near the stove ~
SIT makes no difference, said Isabel
hurrledly, Il am very much obliged tc
YOU, Mr.. Atwater."
GLOW does it happen that you are 20
ing through such a stormy night ~
asked, unmindtul Of her anxiety 10 b,
left alone.
Il do not know myself; except thai
John wishes it,
Still fingered. is there anything
more can do for you I-abrl?'
There was no answer. stopped ny
head little lower.
Isabel, you are crying What la
grieved you Tell Inc what the troubl,
is p
"Nothing-nothlng," she sobbed be
hind her veil. "OnIy-I had not Seer
you in SO long time, and it WIS like til,
old days once more, and-and am yer,
foolish. Please leave me now, won
you"
| obeyed her, puzzled and Indignant
The train soon started, and dropping in
to seat, ! sat absorbed in 4 revere, til
all at once the train Stacked lis motion
moved more slowly still, and came to
dead standstill. | knew we were an cx
press that stopped but twice before w
p reached our final destination, and thi
p lonely pine-barren was certainly ncithc
OF our stopping places.
"W hat is it, Carew?" Iasked, swing
j ing myself on the ground where the con
ductor stood with his lantern in his han
, looking under car.
G "Only a Journal box heated"
n '.We can cool it in fifteen minute:
4 sir" said one OF the bra keincn.
= .'Fifteen minutes and we Just ruI
: ming on time, with the Lightning t
q catch us at B."
r '.lt's too bad to get behind the Light
ming train" | said.
h "Worse for me than Mcleod. for
:. catch the curses. Well, Trueiit, do til
S best you can :"
d In spite of .iruefit's sanguine pre-
G phecy it was full twenty-five minutes b,
r fore we were again under way / ha
v gone back to Isabel Mcleod, whose dila
il ed blue eyes were glancing from one +
}. another in an apprehensivc agony of tel
d ror that no one but nervous woma
e can fully appreciate.
J. "Frank-NIr. Atwater! do tell II
, what is the matter ~
n "Only a 'hot box'-there is no occa
ion for uneasineSs."
"Cpon your sacred honor ?"
e. al pom my sacred honor. Why, Is
at bel, how frightened you are can s.
,e you tremble even here. What is Il
J. matter, child ?"
ID "Sit down and | will tell you," 81
I'd said, hurriedly, motioning me toward
id vacant seat directly back of her. 81 kno
in it is piece of mad folly-a-deluSior
" but | must tell somebody or l shall
,e mad :"
id First promise never 10 tell hm-
i John"
n. 81 promise"
.ir "Well, them" she went on, speaki
ce in husky, nervous whisper. 'he is We
of peculiar-tull OF the strangeSt tanci,