Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-09-21
VOLUME XVI,
THE ENGINEERS STORY.

prettiest engine on the road, and as well
managed, if l say it, as the best.
1t was southwestern rosd, running
| so we will say, from A to z. At A my
good old mother lived at z had the
| sweetest little wife under the sun, and
| baby; and I 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, inside and out, don't make man
tslkative.
My wife's name was Josephine, and /
called her Joe. Some people call me un-
| sociable ana couldn't understand how
man could feel friendly without saying
ten words an hour. So, though had a
few friends-dear Ones tool did not
have so many acquaintance as most peo-
| pie, and did not care to have. The house
which held my wife and baby was the
dearest spot on earth to me except the old
house that held my mother, up at A.
never belonged to a club, or mixed
myself up with strangers in sny such way
and never should, if it hadn't been for
CRANKY. You see CRANKY was one of the
| share holders, a handsome, snowy fellow.
I liked to talk with him aud we were
f1iends. He often rode from z to A, and
back again with me, and once he SAID:
AOu OuSut W DSlOuS W tuS DClCubluC
Club. Guelden."
"I never heard of it." said l.
az am member" said he "We meet
once fortnight, and have jolly good
tune We want thinking men like you.
We have some among us now. I'll pro-
pose you if you like"
Twas 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. If she likes it, yes"
ASK whom ?" said he.
"Joe," said !.
If every man mad asked his wife, every
mans wife would have said, Cant spare
| you my DEAR and we should have no club
at ALL, said CRANKY.
| But / made no answer At home told
| Joe. She said:
II shall miss you, Ned; but you do
love such things, and then if CRANKY be-
longs they must be superior men,"
mo doubt" said 1.
at isn't everybody who could be made
member" said Joe. "Why, of course
you must say yes
So said yes, and Granby proposed me.
Thursday fortnight went with him to
| the rooms. The real business of the eve
ming was the suppsr, and SO it was every
evening.
I'd always been temperate man. &C.
tually did not know what effect wine
would have on me; but coming to drink
more of it than ever had before, at the
club table, found it put steam on. After
SO many glasses wanted to talk; after so
many more I did.
I seemed like somebody else, the words
were so ready. My little ideas came out
and were listened to. made sharp hits
l INDUCED in repartee; told stories even
came to puns. I heard somebody say to
CRANKY: "By George, that's man worth
having. thought him dull at first" Yet
l knew it was better to be quiet Ned
Guelden, with his ten words an hour, than
the wine-made wit I was
was sure of it when three months af-
ter stumbled up stairs to find Joe wait
ing for me with her baby on her breast.
You've been deceiving me-" said Joe.
"I suspected it, but | wasn't sure A sci
entifc club couldn't smell like a bar
room"
(Which means I do," said 1 wavering
in the middle of the room like signal
flag at a station, and seeing two Joes.
And look like one" saI d Joe; and went
and locked herself and the baby in the
spare bedroom.
One club night as I was dressed to 60,
Joe stood before NE.
"Ned," said she, az never had q fault to
find with you before. You've been kind,
and good, land loving always; but I should
be sorry we ever met if you go on in this
way. Don't ask me what l mean You
know"
"Jos," said I, its only on club night"
I" 1t will grow" said she.
Then she put her arms around my
neck.
Ned" said she, " do you think a thing
down demon as steam is, is fit to put into
the hands of a drunken man? And some
day, mark my words, not only Thursday
night, 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 of
people must be, and you'll know if you
don't stop where you are. A steady hand
and clear head have been your blessings
all these years. Don't throw them away.
Ned, if you don't care for my love, don't
ruin yourself"
My little Joe. She spoke from her
heart, and bent over and kissed her.
Don't be afraid, child. I'll never pain
you again"
And meant it, but at twelve O'Clock
that night felt that had forgotten my
> promise and my resolution.
couldn't get home to Joe. made uI
my mind to sleep on the club sofa, and
F leave the place for good the next day. AL
! ready | felt my brain reel as it had nevel
done before. In an hour I was in kinG
of stupor. It was morning. A waiter
stood ready to brush my coat. I saw 6
grin on his face. My heart seemed ready
= to burst; my hand trembled; looked al
my watch; had only just five minutes te
reach the depot!
Joe's words came to mind. Was I fit tt
| take charge of an engine? was not Fl
, to answer. I ought to have asked some
sober man. AS it was, I only caught my
The San Francisco glittered in the sun
! The cars were filling rapidly. From my
} post could hear the people talking-bid
? ding each other goodbye, promising tt
write and come again. Among then
5 was an old gentleman knew by sight
: one of the shareholders; he was bidding
, two timid girls adieu.
: Goodbye, Kitty-good- bye Lue."
q heard him say; "don't be nervous. TIL,
D San Francisco is the safest engine on tn
;. line, and Guelden the most careful en-
: glneer. Wouidt be afraid to trust every
}, mortal love to thsir keeping. Nothinl
u could happen wrong with the two to
:. gether."
3. said I'll get through it somehow, an,
Is Joe shall never talk to me again. Atte
g all, it was easy enough. I reeled as
y spoke. heard the signal. We were of
Five hours from L. to D.; five hour
back. On the last I should be myse]
A again, knew now. I saw red flutte]
D. snd never guessed what it was until W
le were past the down train at the wrop
y Place. Two minutes more and we shoul
= have had coll sion. Somebody told M,
.r laughed. l heard him say respectfully
], "Of course, MIR. Guelden, you knoy
h what you are about?'
t. Then was alone, and wonderin
le whether should go faster or slower.
is old something, and the cars rushs d on at
If fearful rate. The same man who hal spt