New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-06-29
GUELDENS LAST DRINK.

GUELDENS LAST DRINK.
IL have travded this road every day of
nv life, ever sine j. was laid. in charge of
the San Francisco, the prettiest and best
engine on the line. 1t was % southwestern
road. running al we will say from A to Z.
At A my mothe' lived, and at 4 l had the
sweetest little wife in the world, and a
baby. the very image Of It's pa. / had
always had a ibllac or two pu. by for a
rainy day. and me boys spoke Of NE as al
odd kind of han. To be shu. mp with an
engine. watching with all your eyes, and
heart. and sou, cont make conscientious
man talkat!ve, and ] never squanGered
my leisure. spinning yarns and listening
to railway jokes L the round house. My
wife's name vas Josephine. and ! called
her Joe
II never belonged TO any of the railway
clubs or other organizations, and never
should If il hadn't been for CRANKY. Gran
by was a nephew OF our division superin-
tendent, and IFS failing Of we men Of the
road that we Ike to be noticed by the fel-
lows at Headquarters, if only permitted to
touch the hem of their garments. CRANKY
was a snowy fellow, and often rode with me
from a. to Z. He had good opinion OF me
and, as far as know. we were good friends.
Once he said to ne:
"'You ought t. belong to the Railway
Scientific Club Glelden.'
"'Never heard Of it, said l.
awe meet one fortnight he replied,
and have Jolly good tine. We want
practical, thinkln, men of your sort, and
I'll propose you ityou like
II was fond of such things, and l had
ideas that fancid might be worth some
p,,tt ha n n,1f hov
nights or days L himself, and the club
would have one Uening . fortnigh, from
Joe, said:
~ will ask her If she likes il, yea
.'Ask whom 2 10 said.
"'Joe,' said I.
".If every manhad asked hi. wife. every
mans wife wouldhave said, Can SPARE
you, my dear" and we should have Lad 10
club at ALL said (ranbv.
But made nOanswer. A: home :old
Joe. She said:
al shall miss yu, Ned; bu. You DO :ove
such things, and If Granny belongs 20 1t
they must be superior men,.
$50 said yes, nj CRANKY proposed me.
Thursday fortnight l went with hin 20 the
rooms. The real business o. tie evening
was the supper.
II had always ,een a temperate man.
did not know whf effect wine would have
on me, but comm. to drink more OF it than
had ever before II club ia bic. :ounG it
to put steam OF. After 80 many glasses l
wanted to talk. AMI after 60 many more /
did.
Il seemed ike omebody else. tie words
were SO ready. Wy ideas came Cus and
were listened to. made sharp hits and
indulgeG in reparte, told stories. and even
came to puns. heard somebody say.
Granny. by Geoge. that's man worth
having. though him dull at first Yet
l knew it was bettr to be Guie: Ned Guei-
den, with his ten words an hour. tran the
wine-maGe wit vas.
Il was sure of itwhen. three hours after.
l stumbled up stars to lind Joe waiting 70.
me, with her babyon her breast.
"'Youve been Gece;ving me- sad Joe:
4 suspected It, bu wasn't sure. a scientific
club couldn't smel like a bar-rOGm.'
(which means hat do. said !.
".Ani look Ike one,' said Joe, as size
locked herself ant oaby in the spare bed
room.
lone night WIS dressed IN my Sunday
suit, ready to go.o the club, when joe
stood before me.
Med said ste I never had a fault 20
find with you bepre. You've been kind
and good and !ovig ALWAYS: but l should
way. Don: ask wat 1mean. YOU know.
"'It's only club hight SAID !.
81: Will grew. aid she.
''Then size pat her arms around mv neck.
Ned said she do yon think thing
so much like bo-ed and strapped down
demon as steam il. IS I'll 20 pat into tie
hands OF drunken man, AND some day,
mark my words. nj only Thursday night.
but all the DAYS the week Will be the
same. l have oten heard you wonder
what the feelings an engineer who has
about the same as murdered train full OF
people must be, ad you'll know If YOU
don't stop where va are. A steady hand
and clear head lave been your blessing
all these years. DIN: throw them away.
Ned, if you don are tor my love, don:
ruin yourself.
My little Joe. sle spoke from her heart,
and bent over AM kissed her.
Don't be atrah, child: III never pain
you again
And meant it; but q: twelve o'clock
that night felt that l had forgotten my
promise and my resolution.
Il couldn't go hone to Joe. made up
my mind to sleep on the club sofa. and
leave the place fU good the next day.
Already felt my tain reel as It had never
done before. In al hour was in a kind of
stupOr. 1t was mrning. A waiter stood
reary to brush mycoat. l saw grin ON
his face. My heart seemed ready to burst.
My hand trembled looked al my watch.
had only just 1v' minutes to reach the
depot!
''Joe's words care TO my mind. Was l
fit to take charge o an engine! was not
fit to answer. Olgh. 10 have asked some
sober man. As it vas. ! only caught up my
hat and rushed away. ! was just IN time.
1.-The San Francico glistened III the sun.
The cars we're filing rapidly From my
post ! could hear tie people talklEg-oid-
ding each other !ood-by. Among them
was an old gentleman knew by sight-one
of the shareholder he was bidding two
timid girls adieu.
"Good-by. Kitty gocd-hy. Lou" l heard
him saw: don. be nryous. The San Fran
cisco is the safest mglne on the line. and
Guelden the most careful engineer.
would not be afraid TO trust every norta!
to their keeping. Nothing could happen
wrong with the two together
Il said: Well get through i, somehow.
and Joe shall nevertalk 20 me again. After
all. it was easy enough reeled as spoke.
heard the signal. We are off.
Five hours from L. to d.: five hours
back again. | knew now that on the last
run | should be myself again. | saw a fut-
Ter. and never guessed what it was until
we had passed the train at the wrong place.
Two minutes more. and we should have had
} collision. SOMEBODY told me, and l
laughed. I heard he shareholder say. re-
spectfully:
"'Of course, MI Guelier. you know
what you are about
Then was alone. and wondering
whether should gofaster or slower. did
and the Cars rushed on at tear
ul rate. The same man who had spoken
o me before was shading near NE. heard
he question
"How many milee an hour are We max.
ngi didn't know
Rattle, rattle. rattle! was trying now
0 slacken the speed OF the San Francisco.
conid not remember what | should do
vas it thi. or that-faster or slowers Twas