Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1869-02-10
TIE WARNING Al. the BRIDGE.
BY HERO STRONG.

the dorWlch and Rocky River Rallroad.
1t was q line which did good run oi
business, connecting as it did great city
with fourishing back country, and We
ran pretty good number of trains ovel
the rails in the course of twenty-four hours
The daily trains were every hour, but al
ter nine in the evening there was only one
train until the steamboat accommodation al
hAlf-past three in the morning.
This intervening train was the Belpori
mail 1t was made up at Belport, and ran
as far as Clinton, express all the way.
Belport was the large city of which
have spoken, and it was there that my Of
fee was located, for the business of the
road was all settled and arranged at that
end of the line. ...
OF course give fictitious names, and the
reader need not expect to find Belport on
any railway map. ....-
The IL: 80 train, or the midnight mail as
it was more frequently designated, was run
by Earl Rogers, young man of seven OF
eight and twenty, who had been employed
ON the road for several years.
He was the best engine driver on the cor
poration, md for that reason he had been
selected for the train, it being deemed ex-
pedient to place men'of the best judgement
on the train, because there was Il better
look out required by night.
Earl, taken in all, was one of the finest
fellows | ever saw. Frank, handsome, gen
erous to a fault, and very well educated.
He had fallen into the vocation of an en-
gineer more from his love of excitement
and danger than anything else perhaps ;
and if there WAS ever any particularly per-
lous business to be done, Earl Rogers was
always our man.
For some time he had been desperately
IN love with Laura Domain, the daughter
Of a rich old fellow just on the other side of
Rocky River, half-dozen miles beyond
Belport. This love vas fully returned
! for Laura was a noble hearted girl, and did
not care for wealth or ambition when
weifed il the balance with love but old
| Domain and she we're two, and there was
no probability of his ever giving his con-
| sent
| He had set his heart on her marrying
Prince Carleton, young blood of the Vi
cinity, reputed wealthy, and of an old fam
ly.
Demains opposition naturally made the
IoYers more determined, and they only
waited an increase of Earl's salary to be
married in spite of Papa Demain. Earl
| was faithful fellow, and was doing my
best with the company to get an advance
for him with every probability of success.
Somehow took strong interest in
Earl's love affairs, am an old cooger, and
love matters are rather out of my line, my
forte being the calculating of accounts, the
regulation of freight rates, and the man
agement of business so as to secure the lat
est dividends to the stockholders.
Perhaps my interest in Earl's love for
Laura might be because / most cordially
detested Prince Carleton. He was always
'eblowing". our road, finding fault with the
rate Of speed, with the grade, with the car
| riages, with the ventilation, with every
thing in short, for nothing suited him.
Then upon one occasion he and had a
few words neither very pleasant nor very
| choice, and he call me a odd old scOun-
drel, and had returned the compliment
with interest After that we we're worse
friends than ever.
One dark rainy night in November, just
after the nine o'clock train had got off, and
/ was sitting in the office trying to balance
an account hat would not balance, the
door opened and Earl Rogers walked in.
He had on his waterproof suit, the hood up
over his head, and the collar buttoned
closely, but I saw that his face. was very
pale and his eyes cleaned with unnatural
fire,
s'What in the world has happened Rog-
ers 2" said T. .'You look as grum as if you
were going to your own funeral"
''Mr. Woodbury." said he, earnestly,
sDo you believe in presentiments ?"
NO" said L Il certainly do not They
are old women's whims y
'IerndllS 50, WISH cplA't llllnh SD,
said he, sadly. II have been trying hard
to-"
"What is it, Earl Anything gone
wrong with Laura ?" for did not know but
the little jade had been playing off with him
after the manner of women.
ME You will laugh at me, Mr.. Wood
:, bury, but must tell somebody, or l shall
get ont of my wits, " said he half laughing,
''and before Heaven I tell you it is all
truth. Thursday afternoon, took hand
car and went over to Rocky River Bridge
do not mind confessing that 1 went on
purpose to get a glimpse of her home-per'
|. haps of herself stood at one end OF the
bridge-looking across at the house-en.
/ raptured at sight of scarlet shawl which
. knew was hers fitting in and out through
T the frost-bitten shrubbery Of the garden.
d "And while was looking at her, heard
footsteps, and glancing up, / sGU myseJ