The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1871-09-05
MING WILD.

rattle and jar, land the Kissing of steam
1t was the pay train.
Worbmen came pouring out of til
shops and depots, and laborers from TIL
track came hurrying up to the car, a
eager for their monthly wages; Will
troops of urchins focked up to the er
gine, looking it over for the hundredt
time, perhaps, yet losing none Of thei
admiration for their favorite engine, tn
Hercules.
Aleck Carson, the engineer, steppet
down from the cab, oil-can in hand, ant
went forward to oil his engine II
glanced casually up the street, but imme
diately took second look at the trim
graceful figure of ayoung lady who wa
coming toward him.
Carrie Davis!' he exclaimed in pleas
ed surprise 81 wonder why she is her,
alone! 1 hope she does not want TO g
back with us, for"
He did not utter the reason, but, aftel
casting an uneasy look at the car, as i
the danger might be there, he went Oh
with his oiling. He did not forget Car
rie, however, and when she came trip
ping across the street, her face all smile:
at the thought of the surprise she would
give that great, brave, cool-headed engi
neer, Aleck Carson, he looked up in the
quietest way and said:
"Good morning Carrie"
"Now, that is too bad!' exclaimed
Carrie with look of smiling vexation
81 was going to surprise you, and yor
meet me as if you knew all the time
was coming"
$50 1 did," replied Aleck, putting {
few drops of oil on the eccentric. 81
saw you when first got out of the cab
When did Ru come up?'
"On the morning train; and l want to
60 back with you. l have been hurry
ing so, to get ready. How soon do you
start? p
Aleck pulled out his watch.
"We cannot leave here until the
freight comes in, Carrie, she is due in
twenty minutes. But hadn't you better
wait for the express. We are running
wild, you know, and you will not gain
over two hours time"
"Oh, can't wait two whole hours p
said Carrie. 81 am going back on this
train that is, if can
A look of annoyance passed over
Alexis face, but he replied, pleasantly
enough:
II don't suppose there will be any OBJ
jections yet, do wish you would stop
over for the express.
Fearing that he had said too much,
Aleck now went around to the other side
of his engine, without waiting for re-
ply from Carrie. She, was about to fol-
low him, when Tom Emmons, the con-
ductor, came out of the car.
Carrie smiled to herself
"Aleck needn't be so jealous" she
thought. "fm not bound to him yet
and never shall be if he cannot trust
me-"
But for all this, when Emmons asked
her if she was going down with them,she
waited for Aleck to speak. But Aleck
did not speak, and she answered:
81 want to, Nj Emmons. l suppose
l can ride on the engine?"
"Do not think of it, Miss Davis" said
Emmons. ''Let me help you into the
car"
And Aleck Carson, on the other side
of the Hercules, heard all. A cloud
passed over his face, but it was one of
pain rather than anger.
IL wish she hadn't" he said to him
self "Emmons was right enough. l sup
pose, and perhaps l ought to thank him !;
but wish Carrie had waited"
He finished his oiling and went back
to the cab.
"Ten minutes, Johnny" he said to the
fireman. as he handed the oil can up to
him. "I'll step back into the coach, and
l guess you had better open your door.
Steam is pretty well up now."
Emmons was chatting gayly with Car
rie, but when Aleck entered, he said,
rather brusquely:
Gail ready, Carson. Go aheadn p
Aleck looked at his watch to make
sure that he was right.
eDo you mean 60 ahead?" he asked,
in some surprise.
"Yes; 90 ahead" said Emmons'quite
sharply.
There were several of the head men of
the road in the car. Aleck looked to-
1,,,d +bon, for ;,otrpotionc wolI kpOn-
ing the hazard of starting out on anoth-
er trains time. They took no notice of
Ills look, however.
"Of course you know that we are run
ming wild ?" he said to Emmons, loud
enough for all to hear.
81 know my own business" replied
Emmons. $50 ahead, say"
Again Aleck looked back to the other
end of the car, but more particularly to
Mr.. Harvey, the manager of the road
That gentleman said nothing, and once
more Aleck turned to Bmmons.
"Emmons are you sure you know your
business ?"
"Go ahead '' screamed Emmons, white
with rage. "And give her all the steam
you've got. If you are too much of a
"Stopr' said Aleck, his face pale, but
determined. eff you say go ahead, l
will 60, if I strip my engine to strings;
but it is the last time you ever run a
train that am coupled to-"
Aleck now turned to Carrie.
You must not go on this train," said
he. "Coiiie."
And before Carrie had time to exercise
a will of her own, she bent to his stron-
ger one and went out of the Car with
him.
"Good bye, Carrie, if / never see you
again." said Aleck, as he hurried away
to his engine.
He sprang into the cab, ,and, giving the
bell cord one pull, he opened the throttle
and the engine started.
"I'm afraid there's death To- some of
us, Johnny" said he, glancing back to
where Carrie stood watching the train as
it moved out of SIGHT. "The freight is