The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-05-25
ONLY An ENGINE DRIVER.
BY 3. ]. PRICHARD.

The house of The engine driver was
far away from the railroad station, where
his daily work began. This had to be,
partly because the officers of the read
wanted to make large dividends, and, 10
that end, paid him too little money to
enable him TO live nearer te his work, and,
partly, because the engine driver and his
wife trom The country wanted to lie in a
house they could have all to themselves.
Our engine divers name was Frank
Dee. He had been on one railroad for
more than twenty years, and was one of
the tIled and trusty men that somehow
cannot get promoted, because they are 50
useful; aud yet ne was always hoping to
get up higher and have Il bigger salary.
One night, not long ago, it was very cold
The cold had been getting stronger every
hour for two days, and the wind was bit
ter and cutting. All day, Frank Dee had
been exposed to but now, it was time
for him TO come home. | wish you could
have seen how bright the little room was
made for him. 10 be sure, it was always
bright with order and cleanliness, but his
IL
wonderful welcome.
The Christmas green's still hung upoE
the walls. The engineer had Jumped
from his machine one day, when waiting
near wild glen, and gathered a wealth
of princess pine and mountain laurel =
lie had carried them home to heautify the
place at Christmas time. and. as | write,
they were still upon the walls on this
night.
80 mamma! ain't you glad papa
doesn't have TO be out all night, This wins
:er?' asked Mary Dee, as she s. ood look
ing and watching for her father to get
down from each Car that passed the cor
ner on the avenue.
Very glad, Mary" said Mrs Dee,
! from the kitchen, close by. She WAS Civ
/ ing the last basic to a chicken that was
roasting for the coming supper
"I1ere he is !" shouted Mary, stand
Frank is with him. Now, we shall have
them both all evening"" and away she
sprang for the tabIe-cIoth Before il was
fairly spread, The engine driver and his
son came in.
care you frozen % asked his wife.
lifting up her warm face to his cold cheek
for kiss; ''and did you get through all
right to>day p
"AIl night, Molly, but had narrow
mss to-day, and if it Ind happened, |
should have left off railroadirg for the
rest of my life.''
''Papa - exclaimed Mary, the daueh-
ter, "you didn't come near getting killed,
did you g.
"No, but" and the mans eyes filed
with sudden moisture, "a home s0p,e>
toltere came near having dead child in
1t tonight. A little chap, in dresses,
came sliding on sled down hill when
the ''Van Winkle" was close by. The
] boy was not old enough TO know anything
about sled, and il ran right on the track
and got caught on The second rail, lear-
ing the child right in front
90 papa! what did you do ," cried
Hlary, clasplng her hands together
dol What could l do but spring
to the front and seize the peiticoats and
toss him Oft into the snow. just then |
heard shrek, and, looking up the hill,
saw some woman, its mother may be,
lifting her arms over her head She saw
me throw tue child, and then she came
down the hifi, but she didn't get to him
before l got out of sight. but the boy
jumped up and swung his littlO hat in the
air, and | knew he was all right but,
when he looked for his sled, reckon the
little fellow was puzzled to find it."
''Bless you for that goodness to some
mother, Frank if anything happens to
you, shall be glad you did it, said Mrs.
Dee
"There Isn't anything going to happen
10 father. He is too good for that
spoke up Frank che is going to live