The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-05-13

to be expected. And so on in the same
strain.
Bessie did not die of disappointed love
1T IS not customary with the girl of the
period. Still she felt that i'll her ''heart of
hearts" why should Hamlet only have a
plurality of them p she loved poor Kitten,
as her sister had mockingly nicknamed him
in a happier hour.
She loved him with redoubled tender
ness since he had uttered that touching,
tragic word "good-by," for,
elbow oft, if at the court of Love
Concealment be the fashion,
When How'd ye-do. has failed to move,
Good-by reveals the passion -
=
The sisters passed four years in gayety
and fashion, skimmering from one water
ing place to another, and then Ellen mar
riud.
Mr.. Nandecken came home one evening,
saying that he was going out West on bus
mess; that if Bessie could be ready by
seven o'clock the next morning she might
go with him.
large Saratoga trunk stood in the pas
sage at six. They travelled in safety till
the last evening Of their journey.
"Only one night MORE said Bessie to
herself, as she loosened her dress and I'M
buttoned her boots, "that shall have to
crawl into this dusty, draughty berth in a
sleeping car"
Tired ont, she soon fell into an uneasy
slumber. She was suddenly awakened by
a terrible crash as if two trains had rushed
together. followed by shouts, cries. groans,
and confusion. She was instantly thrown
forward, it seemed to her, out of the car;
then she lost consciousness. When she
partly recovered her senses she heard the
same agonizing moaning and cries, and
thought she had been killed and sent to
perdition; for above her head there glared
great binding red light; she seemed to
be lying on hard, iron hay rack; then
a demoniac face bent over her. and two
brawny bare arms grasped her and bore
her swiftly away. Was it the arcll-fend
himself bearing her down, down to still
more terrible punishment?
Two trains had collided-one dashing
into and shutting up into the other like
telescope. By some miracle Bessie was
flung uniniured on the cow-catcher of the
engine, which burst in the end of her sleep
ing-car. Just as she fell the engineer man
aged to jump out, seize her, and drag her
off the perilous place. He carried her to
the nearest hotel, where soon the dead and
wounded were brought in heart-rending
numbers. Among the former was Mr..
Nandecken.
In the agony of grief word was brought
that the engineer wished to see her.
"Let him come in, she said tearfully.
" Though, now my father is gone, can
not thank the man for saving my life
The engineer was tall, muscular man,
with heavy beard. This time his face
was not begrimmed with coal dust. Bessie
saw at once that he was not the arch fiend
as she had thought on the cow-cather; but
there was something familiar about his
features. Still she felt sure she had never
met him before, as she had no acquaint-
anceS among men who worked like that for
a living!
"Don't you know me, Bessie % he said,
falteringly, but with no touch of shame.
She uttered cry, and straightway fell
sobbing into the outspread arms of the
dirty engineer, who wore red flannel shirt,
shabby, coarse pants turned up at the
ankles, clod hopping boots, and worked
like that for a living!
ats Kitten! it's Kitten. it's my dear
old darling kittenn'
And so it was Kitten; though no wonder
she did not recognize him till he spoke
The slight, smooth-faced youth of tw enty
had changed into a bearded man of pow
erful build. The dainty hands which once
wore ladies-sized kid gloves were now large
and strong enough to drive an engine and
guide flying train; and the Kitten of fast
horses and swell clubs was now content,
even proud, he said, to earn his living by
the sweat of his brow. 1t was an humble
calling but "a mans Il man for a that
To be true to nature, almost every story
ends with a marriage, and so does this; for
in eighteen months after her fathers
deccase, Bessie, the heiress, but true-heart-
ed little girl of the period, became the wife
of the stalwart engineer, the once meek,
purring little Kitten.