Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-09-28
Miscellany.
THE ENGINEERS STORY.

I AM an engineer. Ever since -
road wss laid, I've travs led IL every day,
or pea ~ every day, Of my life.
For good while I've had the same en-.
CINE Ia charge-tho San FranciscO--the
pfet,iest engine on the road, and az well
managed, ii lay 1t, as the best.
II vas a southwestern road, running,
so we will cay, from A 10 u. at A my
good old mother iiyed; nj y | had the
sweetest lite wife under the sun, and
baby and always had dollar or two
put by for rainy day. was an odd kind
of man. Being shut up with an engine,
watching with all your eyes and heart and
soul, in-iie AMI out, don't make man
t4lkative kM
My wife's name was josephine, and
called her Joe. Some people call me I'M
sodable sni ceuldnt understand how a
man could feel fri ndly without sayiag
ten words an hour so, though had q
few frlends--dear ones, tool did not
have 80 mary acquaintance az most peo-
pie, and did not care To hsvc. The house
which b. Id my wife and baby was the
dearest spot on earth To me except the old
konse that held my m other up at A.
! never belonged TO club, or mixed
myself up with strangers In my such way
and never should, IL it hadn't been for
CRANKY. You see Grsnby was one Of the
share holders handsome, snowy fellow.
I liked To talk with him aud we were
friend. He often rode from u TO A, and
back again with me and once he sa d.:
You OH ht TO belong 10 the Scientific
Club. Gue,oen."
II never h. ard OF IT," said I.
AZ am a mcmter" said he. "We meet
once fortnight, and have Jolly good
time We want thinking men like you.
We have some among US now. III pro-
poe you II you like" -
was fond Of such things, and had
IDEAS that fancied might be worth some
thing. But the engineer don't have nights
or days to himself, and the club would
have one evening fortnight from Joe. l
said:
twill ask her. II she likes It, yes"
Ask whom y said he.
"Joe." sad /.
eff every man had asked his wife. every
mans wife would have said, Can't spare
you my dear and we should have no club
a. ALL" said CRANKY.
But ] made no answer. At home told
Joe. She said:
AZ shall miss you, Ned; but you do
love such thin.s o, and then Ii CRANKY be-
longs they must be superior men,
mo doubt" said l.
ut int everybody who could be made
a member" said Joe. why, Of course
you must say yes"
So said yes, and CRANKY proposed me.
Thursday fortnight went with him to
the rooms. The real business of the eve
ming was the supper, and 80 1t was every
ia always been temperate man. ! &C
tually did not know what effect wine
would have on me; but coming TO drink
more of It than I ever had before, at the
club table, l found IT put steam on. After
go many glasses wanted to talk; after 30
many more ala.
seemed like somebody else, the words
were 80 eady. My little ideas came out
and were listened to. madc sharp hits ;
l INDUCED In repartee; told stories; leven
came TO puns. heard somebody say to
CRANKY: BY George, that's man worth
having. thought him dull at first Yet
/ knew Il was better TO be quiet Ned
the wine. made wit was.
was re of 1t when three months af.
ter stumbled up stairs to find Joe wait.
ING for me with her baby on her breast
aYou'ye been deceiving me" said Joe
AT suspectea 1t, but wasn't sure. A sci
entiflc club couldn't smell like bar.
room"
(which means do" said / waverine
in the mid lie of the room like signal
flag at a stat n, and seeing two Joes.
I" And look ike QUE" 50 d Joe; and went
and locked herself and the baby in the
spare bed room.
One club night as was dressed to 60
"Ned," said che, ~ never had fault 70
find with You b. fore. You've been kind
ard good, ard loving always; but ! should
be sorry we ever met If you 90 on in thii
way Don't ask me what mean. Yor
know"
"Jo, ,"ssid I, "its only on club night
cit will grow" said she.
Then che put her arms around my
neck.
"Ned,w said she, edo you think thing
M much like bolted up and strapped
down demon as steam Il, is fit to put into
the hants of drunken mani And me
day. maxi my words, not only Thursday
nigh:. but all the days of the week will be
the same have often heard you wonder
what the feelings of an engineer who has
about the same as murdered train full oil
neople must b., and you'll know II you
don't stop where you are. A steady hand
and a clear he sd have been your blessingl
All these wears. Don't throw them away
Ned, II Won don't care for my love, dom
ruin yourself"
heart, and bsnt over and kissed her.