The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-11-28
SELEC.TED STORY.
WHAT AN ENGINEER TOLD,


engine in eharge-the San Francisco.
the pre,tiest engine on the road, and as
we'll managed, if say it, as the best.
1t was south western road, running,
from A to z. Al A my good old mother
lived /; at Il had the sweetest little wife
under the snu, and a baby; and | always
hada dollar or two.put by for rainy day.
Was an odd kind of man. Being shat
up ~ith the engine, watching with all
your eyes and heart and soul, inside and
out don't make man taIka,ive.
My wifs's name was Josephine, and I
called her Joe. Soma people called me
ansccfable, and couldn't understand how
man could feel friendly without saying
ten words an hour. 81, though had a
few old friends dear ones, soo-I did
not have 80 many acquxin,ances ms mos,
people, and did not care TO have. rhe
house which held my wife aud baby Hss
Tue dearest place on earth to me, except
tho old house which held Try mother up
in A.
| never belonged to club, or mixed
myself up with strangers in any such way,
and never should II i. had hot been for
Cranky. You See CRANKY was one Of
The shareholders, handsome, snowy fel.
low. | liked to talk with him, and We
were friends. He often rode from Il 10
A. and back again, and once he ssd:
"fou ought to belong to the Scientific
Club, Gueldou"
Never heard Of it," said I.
IL am 4 member" said he. ave NEE.
once fortnight, and have jolly good
time. We wan, thinking men like you.
We have some among US now. I'll pro.
pose you, il you like"
/ WAS fond OF such things, and I had
ideas that fnpciel might he worth
something. Bn, then An engineer don't
have nights and days to himself, and the
club would have one evening in fort
hight from Joe. said
g"rl' ask her. Ii she Ikea il, yes" .
ASK whomr said he.
"Joe," said '.
III every man had asked his wife, every
man. wife would have said, cant spare
you, my dear. aud 10 should have had
nofelub a, ALL" sAid Grauby. ...
But I made no answer. At home I
ield Joe. She s.iji on"
s"Tbsn IL CRANKY belongs to i. they
must be superior men, ..- -..
F"No doubt" said =.
at, isn't everybody who could be made
member" said Joe. why, OF course
you must say yes" ,,--. ....... ...
30 .aid Yes, and Granny proposed
me. Thursday fortnight, went with
him TO the rooms. There were some men
there with brains, and some without
The real business OF the evening was the
supper, and so it was every essnine.
Id always been temperate nan. I
actually did no. know what effect wine
would have upon me, but coming to
drink more Of il than I ever bad, at the
cfub table, found IL pu, tho steam on
After so many glasses 7 wanted TO talk;
AFTER 80 many more did.
1seemed like somebody else, the words
were so ready. Ny ht,ls IDEAS came out
and were listened to; 7 made sharp bits;
I INDUCED in fepsrtee; told stores |
even came to puns I heard one say to
CRANKY:
"By George, that's a man worth know.
ing. thought him dull a, first"
70 Yet knew it was better TO to quiet
Ned Gusldoo, with his ten words an hour,
than the .siss made wit was.
I was sure oft, whom, three hours after,
Istumbled up stairs to find Joe, waiting
FOR me. with her babe on her breast.
80 sYou'vs been deceiving me-" said Joe.
81 suspected il, but I wasn't sure. A
sciepaac club couldn't smell like bar.
ROOM
ga (which means do" said I, waving
Sa the middle OF the room like a signal
nag At . station, aud seeing two Joes.
"And look IKE one" said Joe and
abe went and locked herself and the ba.
by rppin tho spare bedroom together.
ta"Ned," "ssll aho, edo you think'a thing
90 much like bottled up and strapped
down demon !" steam ic, is tt to put into
the hands OF drunken man I Aud some
day, marx my words, the uns will come
wher not only Thursday night, but all
the days Of the week will Se the same
I've onsn heard you wonder wha. the
feelings OF an engineer, who has abou,