Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1871-06-24

IN her "heart of hearts /" (why should
Hamlet only have plurality Of
them p she loved poor Kitten, as her
sister had mockingly nicknamed him
In a happier hour.
She loved him with redoubled
tenderness since he had uttered that
touching, tragic word, ''good by" for,
How on, II at the court OF Love
Conceainent be the fashion,.
When hOw-d ye-slo7 has failed to move
uooj-ty reveals the passion"
The sisters passed four yenrs In gay
ETY. and fashion, skimmfng from one
wateriHg-place to another, and then
Ellen married.
Mr.. vandecken came home one
evening, saying that he was going
out West on business that If Bessie
could be ready at seven o'clock the
next morning she might 70 with him.
A large Saratoga trunk stood In the
passage at six. They travelled In safe
ty till the last evening of their jour
ney.
"Only one night more" said Bes-
sic to herself, as she ioosened her dress
and unbuttoned her boots, "that /
shall have to crawl into this misty,
draughty berth in sleeping car"
Tired out, she soon fell into an I'M
easy slumber. She was suddenly
awakened by a terrible crash, as if
two trains had rushed together, fol-
lowed by shouts, cries, groans and
confusion. She was instantly thrown
forward, 1t seemed to her, out of the
car; then she lost consciousness.
When she partly recovered her senses
she heard the same agonizing moan
ing and cries, and thought she had
been killed and sent to perdition; for
above her head there glared q great,
binding red light; she seemed to be
lying on a hard, iron hayrack; then
demOniac face bent over her, and two
brawny bare arms grasped her and
bore her swiftly away. Was 1t the
arch-fiend himself bearing her down,
down to still more terrible punish
ment?
Two trains had coiIided-one dash
ing into and shutting up in the other
like telescope. by some miracle
Bessie was flung uninjured on the
cow-catcher which burst In the end Of
her sleeping Car. Just as she fell, the
engineer managed to jump out, seize
her, and drag her off the perilOus
place. He carried her to the nearest
hotel, where soon the dead and wound
ed were brought In hoart-rending
numbers. Among the former was
Mr.. Vandecken.
In the agony Of her grief word was
brought that the engineer wished to
see her.
"Iet him come in," she said, tear
fully. although, now my father Is
gone, cannot thank the man for
saving my life."
The engineer was tall, mucular
man, with heavy beard. This time
his face was not begrimed with coal
dust. Bessie saw at once that he was
not the arch-fiend, as she had thought
on the cOw-catcher; 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 living.
Don't you know me, Bessie ?" he
said, falteringly, but with no touch
of shame.
She uttered cry, and straightway
fell sobl,ing into the outsprend arms Of
the dirty engineer, who wore red
flannel shirt, shabby, coarse pants
turned UP at the ankles, clod-hopping
boots, and ,corked like that for a liv-
ing.
ats Kitten! it's Kitten it's my
dear old darling Kitten!"
And 80 1t was Kitten; though no
wonder she did not recognize him till
he spoke. The slight, smooth-faced
youth Of twenty had changed into a
bearded man of powerful 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, tn earn his living by the
sweat of his brow. 1t was humble
calling, but "a mans a 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 decease Bessie, the
heiress, but true-hearted little girl of
the period, became the wife OF a stall
wart engineer, the once meek, purring
little Kitten.