The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-02-24
THE WARNING AT THE BRIDGE.

OF tue no "fich and Rocky River Railroad
1t was line which done good run of
business, connecting as II did a great city
with foUrishing back country, and we
run pretty good number of trains over
the rails III the course of twenty four
hours.
The daily trains were every hour, but
after zine IN the evening there were only
one train until the steamboat accommo-
/ dation Of halt-past three in The morning.
This intervening train was the BeIport
mail. 1t was made up at Belport, and
ran as far as Clinton, express all The way.
BelPort was the large city of which l
| have spoken, and it was there my office
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 BeIport
on any railway map.
The 1880 train, or the midnight mail,
as Ii was more frequently designated, was
run by Earl Rodgers, young man Of
seven or eight and twenty, who had been
employed on the road for several years
| He was the best engineer driver on the
| corporations, and for that reason he had
/ been elected for the train, because there
was better lookout required by night.
Earl, taking all in ali, was one Of the
! finest fellows l ever saw-frauk, hand
| some, ecneIUns TO a fault; and very well
! educated.
lie had fallen into the vocation of an
engineer more for his love of excitement
and danger Than anything else, perhaps !;
and if there Was any particularly periuus
business to be done, Earl Rodgers was
our man.
For some time lie had been desperately
| in love with Laura Domain, the daughter
of a rich old fellow just on the other side
! OF the Rocky river, half dozen miles be-
yond BeIport.
! This love was fully returned, for Laura
was p nUble-hearted girl and did not care
! for wealth and ambition when weighed in
/ the balance with love; but old DemaIn
and she were two, and there was no prob
ability OF his ever giving his consent.
lie ht d Sc. his heart on her marrying
! Prince Carleton, young blood OF the
vicinity, repuied wealthy, and Of an old
family. Deman's opposition naturally
made the lovers more determined, and
they only waited an increase of Earls
salary TO be married, in spite of papa De-
malu. Earl was faithful fellow, and
was doing my best with the company to
get an advance for him, with every prob
ability of success.
Somehow, took strong interest in
Earis love affairs.
am an old codger, and love matters
are rather cut os my line, my forte being
the calculating of accounts, the regulation
Of freight rates, and the management of
business SO as to secure the faitest divi-
dends to the stockholders.
Perhaps my interest in Earrs love for
/ Laura might be because | most cordially
deIesied Prince Carleton, He was all
ways "blowing" our road, finding fault
with the rate of speed, with the grade,
wi h the carriages, with the ventilation,
with everything in short, for nothing suit
ed him.
1 hen upon one occasion he and | had
few words neither very pleasant nor
scoundrcl, and l returned the compliment
with interest. After that we were worse
friends than ever
One dark, rainy night in November,
just after the nine o'clock train ha6 got
off, and | was sitting in the office trying
to balance an account that would not bal
ance, The door opened aud Earl Rogers
walked in. lie had on his waterproof
suit, the hood over his head and the col
lar buttoned closely, but l saw his face
was very pale and his eyes cleaned with
an unnatural fire.
"What in the world has happened,
Rogers % said l. ''You look as glum as
If you were going to your own funeral >
MIR. Woodbury." said he, earnestly.
go you believe IN presentments p
"No," said l. II certainly do no:,
they are cid womens whms -
"Perhaps SO. l wish could think SO, -
said lie sadly. II have been trying hard
to-"
'.What is it Earl? Anything gone
wrong with Laur, ?'' for did not know
but the little jade had been playing off
with him after the manner of women.
'FNo. You will laugh at me, Mr..
Woodbury., but must tell somebody, OF
l will so out of my Wits said he, hal
laughing, land before heaven | tell you
ii is all truth. Thursday afternoon took
: a hand car and went over TO Rocky River
Bridge. do not mind conlessing that
went on purpose to get a glimpse of hel
homo-perhaps of herself stood a
one end of the bridge, looking across a
the house, enraptured at The sight of i
scarlet shawl, through the shrubbery o
The garden.
''And while was looking at her
heard footsteps, and glancing up saw
T myself coming mp from the opposite sid
of the bridge l was dressed IN TINS sui
Of waterproof, my face was as pale a