The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-03-21
THE ENGINEER OF THE WARRIOR -

| never said Duke Osborne was not hand
some-never, even when | was angered at
him. He had gipsey brown skin, gipsey
like, too, for the matter of that, and all
manner of kinks and curls in his black
hair, and such throat He wore his col
lar turned back, and knot of some bright
color under it, and he had bright and
dashing way with him that no one could
help liking.
When the Warrior came in with the
three o'clock train-the Warrior was the
name of his particular engine, you must
know-1 used to see him up in the engine
house, on the bright lookout along the
road. He never took any notice of me
then, so could look as much as | liked;
not that l caught more than a glimpse,
either, yet somehow, l was always at my
window with my work by ten minutes to
three. Then I'd catch the first scream of
the whistle, and then I'd see her turn the
curve, and hear her chip, chip, chip, as she
slackened speed and came into the station.
Mother and father used often to say that
they should sell the old house and move
away, on account of the noisy new railway;
but liked it. l might not but for the one
little fact of seeing Duke Osborne run the
Warrior in at three every afternoon.
Did only see him then? Oh, no. He
was off at six every evening and at half
past seven he was with me. He'd been
counting me for half year, and, not that
l told him SO for anything, | loved him
better than my life-a deal better. l used
to wonder whether, perhaps l did not love
him too much; but it was not sort of love
to be ashamed of, l felt it because he was
good and true, and great in his way, if he
was but a hard working engineer on rail
road.
There was one OF two men in town who
had been through collisions, and bore the
marks of it, and when l saw them l used
to think if that sort Of thing ever happen
ed to Duke, and he should lose his hand
some looks as they had, Pd-1'd- oh, you
know all about it; or / would if | cared for
him at all. But l wasn't much afraid,
because, as he said to me often and often
elf an engineer never drinks, and does
his duty, those behind him are not in much
danger. And l know the voice of the
Warrior as l know yours my dear; and if
she sobs too fast or too slow, know it in an
instant l never forget what trust l have
in charge; and may God forget me if l
ever do.'
And, chip, chip, chip, she came in every
day, just at three, the train of steam be-
hind her, and all ashine, like some great
jewel, with care and polishing. | never
shall forget her until my dying day, for the
the first little far off scream that seemed to
say, " Mamie, look out; Duke is coming"
WE'LL this went on without any change,
for six months, as have told you, and we
were engaged; and Duke brought me the
| dearest little ferget-me-not ring. And l
wore it openly, and did not care if every
one knew whose ring it was. ! was proud
that he had chosen me to be his wife as
though he had been king; and when any
one told me that there was never a love
affair that did not give some pain to a
woman, or that an engagement never ran
its pace through wit hout a quarrel, used
to laugh. | have any pain because loved
Duke! He quarrel! That couldn't be.
You see didn't know all yet.
was making up some of my things al
ready, when cousin Charlotte came down
from the city to pay me visit. | never
had been fond of her, but blood is blood,
and she was my mothers sisters child, and
we always asked her once a year. She
kept a miliner's shop in-street, and she
made money by it too, and was rather a
brisk, bright looking young woman; but
perhaps the whims of her customers and
the mistakes Of her hands had soured her
temper. She had a way of talking against
people, and scandalous story about every
other one she spoke of, that made me
almost angry.
eff all the world is so bad, don't want
to know it," I said over and over again to
mother, and she used to answer; " Well.
well, | know it seems 30; but we all have
to come to it at last. Perhaps Charlotte
don't like it as much as she seems to"
Well, Charlotte came down, as l say,
and great budget of news she had for us,
That evening Duke came. | hadn't told
Charlotte anything about him, but she
could guess what there was between us, |
suppose. She was very silent that evening,
and looked at him with a strange searching
gaze that certainly was not polite; and she
went to bed early, and never said "good-
night" But when Duke was gone, and l
was alone in my room l heard some one
tapping at the door, and said " Come in, !"
and in came Charlotte.
| saw tears come in her eyes.
tI, va rot ethipu a sav tO-nioht and