Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1873-04-08

My little Joe. She spoke from
her heart, and | bent over and kiss
cd her.
One club night as ! was dressed
to go she stood before me.
"Ned," said she, 81 never had n
fault to find with you before. You
have been kind and good and low
ing always; but ! should be sorry
we ever met if you are to go on in
this way. Don't ask what mean.
You know"
",Toc," said I, "it's only one club
night"
"It will grow" she said.
Then she put her arms around
my neck.
Don't be afraid, child. I'll never
pain you so again"
And / meant it: but at twelve
o'clock that night felt that | had
forgotten my promise and my rcso-
luton.
/ couldn't go home to Joe. ]
made up my mind to sleep on the
club sofa, and leave the place for
good the next day. Already / felt
my brain reel as never had before.
IN an hour l was in land Of stu
por.
1t was morning. A waiter stood
ready to brush my coat. saw n
grin upon his face. Ny head
seemed ready to bust; my hand
trembled; [ looked at my watch !;
/ saw / had only five minutes left
to reach the depot.
Joe's words came to my mind
Was l fit to take charge of an en-
gine! / was not fit to answer. /
ought to have asked some sober
man. As it was l only caught mp
my hat and rushed away. was
just IN time.
The San Francisco glittered in
in the morning sun. The cars were
filling rapidly-bidding each other
goodbye, promising TO write and
come again. Among them was an
old gentleman | knew by sight
one of the shareholders-and he
was bidding two timid young ladies
adicu.
Goodbye, Kitty; good-byeLue,"
| heard him say. Don't be nerv-
ous. The San Francisco is the best
engine on the line, and Gueldon is
the most careful engineer. Iwould
not be afraid to trust every mortal
| love in the batch to their keeping.
Nothing could happen wrong with
the two together
/ said to myself, "I'll get through
and Joe shall never talk
to me again" After all i. was easy
enough. / reeled as l spoke. /
heard the signal. We were off.
Five hours from l.. to ID. Five
hours back. On the last / should
be myself again. knew | saw a
red light futter, and never guessed
what it was until we passed the
down train at the wrong place.
Two minutes more and we would
have had collision. Somebody |
told me. laughed. I heard him
say respectively, "Of course, Mr..
Gueldon, you know what you are
about"
Then | was alone, and wonder
ing whether ] should go slower or
faster / did something and the
cars rushed on at fearful rate.
The same man who had spoken
TO me before was standing near me.
| heard some questions.
How many miles an hour were
we making! l did not know.
Rattle, rattle, rattle. l was try
ing now to slacken the speed of the
San Francisco. Icould not remem-
Der what / should do. Was it this
or that? Faster, only faster.
was playing with the engine like q
child.
Suddenly there was a horrible
roar-a crash; j was flung some
where. 1t was into the water. BY
a miracle | was only sobercd, not |
hurt. gained the shore. l stood
upon the ground between the track
and river edge, and there gazed at
my own work.
The engine was in fragments, the
cars in splinters dead, dying and
were strewn around-men,
women and children, old age and
tender youth. There were groans
and shrieks of dispair. The maim-
ed cried out in pain; the injured
bewailed their dead, and n voice
unheard by any other was in my
ear whispering "MurdererY
The news had gone back to A.,
and people came down to find their