Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1873-07-16
One club night, as I was dressed to

way. Don't ask me what mean.
You know"
"Joe," said I, "irs only one club
Tonight
at viii grow" said she.
Then she put her arms around my
neck.
"Don't be afraid. child. Ill never
pain Won so again"
Aud I meant It; but Mt twelve
o'clock that night felt that had
forgotten my promise and my reso-
luton.
| couldn't go homo to Joe. I made
up my mind to sleep OH the club sofa
and leave the place for good next day.
Already felt my brain reel as Inever
had before. In an hour was in
land OF stupor.
It was morning. A waiter stood
ready to brush my coat. | saw n
grin upon his face. My head seemed
ready to burst : my hand tremb,ed
looked at my watch; l saw had
only five minutes left to reach the
depot!
Joe's words came to mind. Was !
fit to take charge of an engine? /
was not fit to answer. | ought to
have asked some sober man. As il
was, only caught my hat and rushed
away. was just in time.
The San Francisco glittered in the
morning sun. The cars were filling
rapidly. From my post could hear
The talking-bidding each other good
bye. promising to write and come
again. Among them was an old gen.
t!emnn knew by sight-one of the
shareholders: he was bidding two
timid girls adieu.
"Good-bye, Kitty goodbye,
Lue," l heard him say; "dom't he
nervous. The San Francisco is the
safest engine on the line, and Guelden
the most careful engineer. wouldn't
he afraid to trust every mortal love
| in the batch to their keeping. Moth
ing could happen wrong with the two
together.
said. '1'll get through it some
| how. and Joe shall never talk to me
again." Afterall il was easy enough.
l reclc,l rs spoke. l heard the sig
nal. We were Of.
Five hours from J.. to H.; five hours
back. On the last should be myself
again, l knew. l saw red flutter.
and never guessed what il was until
we were past the down train Mt a
wrong place. Two minutes more
and we should have hal collision.
Somebody told mo. I laughed.
heard him say respectfully.
"Of course, Mr.. Gpeldcn, you
Know what you are abOut ?"
| Then | was alone. and wondered
whether should 20 slower or faster.
| did something, and the cars rushed
on at a fearful rate.
The same man who had spoken Ia
me before was standing near ne.
heard some questions.
How many miles an hour are we
making. lido not know.
Rattle. rattle. rattle. was irving
to slacken the speed of the San Fran.
cisco. could not remember what
should do. Was it this or that
Faster-only faster. ] was playing
with the engine like a child.
Suddenly there was horrible roar
Ia crash; I was flung. somewhere
1t was into the water. Bya miracle
III was only sobercd-not hurt.
gained the shore. I stood upon the
ground between the track aud the
rivers edge, and their gazed at my
own work.
The engine was in fragments, the
cars in spliEters; dead. dying and
wounded were strcwn around-men
women and children. old age, and
tender you'h. There was groans and
shricks of despair. The manned cried
out in pain: the uniniured bcwailetl
their dead and voice. unhearcd by
any other was i'll my car whispering,
sMurdcrcr."
| The news had gone back to A
and people came thronging down TO
find their lost ones. Searching for
an old mans daughter. I came to n
place under the trees, and five bodies
were lying there in all their rigid
hOrrOr-an old woman, q Young one,
a baby and two children. It was
fancv-it was pure fancy, born to my
anguish-thcy looked like-oh great
Heaven there were old mother, nv
wife, my children all cold aud dead.
| How did they come on the train |
gaZcd on the good old face of her who
had given me birth, on the lovely
features of my wife, on the innocent
children. I called them by name
there was no answer. There never
could bc-ncvcr would be. And as I
cOmprchcndGd this. onward up the
track thundercd another train. It's
red eye glarcd on me; | flung myself
before IL; felt it crush me to at 0ms
His head is very hot" said some
body.
| Iopcned nv eve aud saw nv wife.
elbow do you feel ?" said she ga little
bcttcr?"
was rejoiced aud. so astonishcd by
the 81 ght of her, that could not speak
at first. She repeated the question.
| 81 must be crushed to pieces" said
|, "for the train went over me but
feel no pain"
"Thcrc hc goes about the train
again" remarked my wife. "Wby
Ned ~
tried to move; there was nothing
tho matter with me; sat up. Iwns
i'll my own room, opposite the crib In
which two children were asleep.
My wife and children wcrn safe
Was I dclirous, or could it be p
"Joe." cried "tell mo what has
happened"
dts 0 O'clock" said Joe. "You
came home In such u dreadful state
from the club that couldn't wake
you. You wcra not IL to miunngy
| swami "hN tieN ptVItc lNtSs ! Nv
San Francisco Is half way to A.,
suppose, and YOU have been fri"hirn.
ing me to death with your dreadful
talk"
| And Joe bcgau to cry.
1t was n drcam--oniy an awfu
dream. But | had liyed through Il
all as though it was re,ikty.
"ls there u Bible in the house, Joe?'
said I.
"Are we hcathcns," said Joe.
"Giveit to me this moment, joe"
She brought and put my han,
OH il aud took an oath ttoo solemn t.
be repeated here) that what had hap
pemcd never should occur again. Il
never has, And ifthc San Francisco
ever comes to grief, tho verdict vii
not be as it ought TO be SO olten-tht
engineer got drunk.
i Another Man Wanted.
| Old Farmer Pettingill went into
his house ono day and caught John
the hired man, hugging Mrs. P.e
/ The farmer said nothing, aud wenl