The Van Buren press., 1872-07-16
MISCELLANY.
Only an Engine Driver.

hS W viz ShAtho uiiNSi V"S ~
away from the railroad station where hit
daily work began This had to be, part
ly because the officers Of the road want.
ed to make large dividends, and to tina,
end paid him too little money to enable
him to live nearer his work, and partly
because the engine driver and his wife
from the country wanted their home to
be in a house where they could have all
| to themselves.
Our engine drivers name WAS Frank
Dee. He had been on the road twenty
wears, and was one of the tried and trustv
men that somehow cannot get promoted
because they are so useful and yet he
was always hoping to get up higher and
have a bigger salary. One night, no,
long ago, it was very cold. The cola had
been getting stronger every hour for two
days, but Frank Dee had zen exposed
to it-but now it was tin'e Tor him to
come home. l wish you cfSld'have seen
him. him. y 70 = be sure, it vasMNsys' 'brish, M
With order and cleanlinesb,s nigh
night We are writing ,Ssw ,aons With
wonderful welcome
Christmas greens stll hung upon the
walls The engineer had jumped from
his machine one day, when waiting near a
wild glen and gathered wreath Of prin.
cess pine and mountain laurel. He had
carried them home to beautify the place
at Christmas time; and, as wrote they
were still on the walls this night
80 mamma amt you glad papa doesn't
have to be out all night this winter p
asked Mary Dee, as she stood looking
and watching for her father to get down
from each car that passed the corner on
the avenue.
Every glad, Mary. said Mrs. Dee
from the kitchen close by. She was Civ.
ing the last baste to a chicken that she
was roasting tor their comming supper.
"Here he is" shouted Mary, "and
Frank is with him. Now we shall have
them both all the evening" and away
she sprang for the table cloth. Before
it was fairly spread the engine driver and
his son came in
"Are you frozen 2" asked his wife lift
ing up her warm face to his cold cheek
for kiss: "And did you get through
all right to. day yi'
"All right, Molly, but l had narrow
miss to day, and il it had happened l
should have left off railroading for the
rest Of my life.
"Papa! exclaimed Mary, the dsugh-
ter, "y ou didn't come near getting kill
ed. did your"
"No, but, and the mans eyes filled
with a sudden moisture, "a home some.
where came near having dead child in it
to night A little chap, in dresses, came
sliding on sled down a hill when the
Van Wrinkle was close by The boy was
not old enough to know anything about
q sled, and it ran right on the track and
got caught on the second rail, leaving
the child righ: in front. V
20 papa, what did you do ?" cried
Mary, clasping her hands together
"Do, what could l 10 but spring to
Inc front, seize the petticoats and toss
him off into the snow just then heard
q shrek, and, looking up the hill, saw
some woman, ito mother may be, lifting
her arms over her head She saw me
thro the child, ana then she came down
the hill but she didn't get to him be-
fore was out Of sight, but the boy
Jumped up and swung his little hat in the
air, and knew he was all right; but
when he came to look for his sled, ]
reckon the little fellow was puzzled to
And It. D."
"Bless you for that goodness to some
mother, Frank; il anything happens to
you, I shall be glad you did it, said
Mrs Dee.
There isn't anything going to hap
pen to father, he 10 too good for that, "
spoke up Frank. "He is going to live
until I grow up and know enough to
drive ON engine, aren't you. fathery'
IL hope so. boy, but you mustn't talk
like that, I don't like to hear you. Molly,
am a hungry man tonight.
"And your supper isJnst roady "
While they were at the table, boy
touched the bell knob at the door. and
Mary,sgoing to the call. found tele
graphic message there.
"Papa, it's for you. Maybe the man
whose boy you saved has sent you u
present, " she said, as she gave 1t to him.
!" I would, II were him"
The engine driver held the bit Of pa
Der In his weather.beaten fingers 1 full
minute, Il seemed TO his wife, ere he had
courage TO say, molly Ben Lanes bs.