The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-12-25
The Rigoletta's Engineer.

"Hetty, wouldn't you like to go
down on the engine tomorrow night?"
The speaker, good-looking young
fellow of nineteen, leaned against one
of the monster drive wheels of the
Rigoletta, which stood putting before
Stanton's unpretentious depot.
The girl addressed looked up into his
face, with smile that displayed two
rows of pearly teeth.
"You want somebody to bother you, :"
she said. "Why. julie, all the time /
would be in the road, and John would
stop the Rgoletta, and leave her in dis
gust. # you know what is good for
yourself, keep away from me -
He laughed, and said
"Yes, l know you'll 60 down with
me on the engine. The ride is so ex-
citing, and, Just think, we will take
Governor Knox and his staff down to-
morrow night. John will be glad to
have an angel on the engine, and you
kno W what Bradley thinks of you"
Hetty Mcfarland yielded to the en-.
treaties of the young fireman, before
the Regletta threw smoke rings heaven
ward, and moved off like monarch.
The sun was setting behind the hills
In the rear Of the town, and the girl
waved her lover good-by, as she turned
toward her home.
Fifty miles south Of Stanton, In the
city of Hamilton, dwelt Hetty McFar-
Ian g uncle, whom the girl had long
thought of visiting. Therefore. to
carry out her purpose, she promised to
go down on the Rigoletta the following
night.
She knew that conductor Bradley
would not object to her presence on the
engine, for he was the pOlitest conduc-
tor of the road, and was indebted to
her for the many well-chosen bouqrets
he wore during the flower season.
Then, as Julius had said, ride on
the engine would be so exciting, and
with snch good fellows as her lover and
John Nixon, the engineer, she antici-
pated pleasant time.
When the Rigoletta, oiled and polish.
ed till her machinery and mountings
glistened like FURNISHED silver and gold,
again reached Stanton on her down
trip. Hetty Mcfarland was prepared
for her ride.
Julius sprang from the engine, found
her In jiffy, and assisted her to the
llttly apartment which he had fitted up
anew for her reception.
=" How foggy it is to- might" she said
to him. "rhere is Q moon, but 1t does
no good"
"That's so, Hetty. We've got to
feel our way. You see, Governor
Knox and his staff are aboard, and we
have been ordered to be very careful, I
spoke to Bradley about you going down
with us, and he said, Certainly just
as l knew he would"
Hetty was sitting on the green plush
cushion that covers the lid of the tool
box of the engine, and her lover, talk
ing, leaned against the jsmb of the
door.
Excuse me for one moment, Hetty,"
he said, and spEang from tue engine
and disappeared.
He walked about the platform, look
ing for some person, whom it seemed
he could not find.
don't like affairs to night" he
said TO himself A" lie looked as II he
had been drinking, and We want so
Der man to run the Rlgoletta through
this terrible fog"
Across the track and almost directly
opposite the depot building stood a
groggery 70 which access could be OBJ
tained through garden behind 1t.
This was not the sole avenue of ingress,
but 1t was called the secret way, and
sometimes the employees Of the road
made use of it to procure sly drink.
After awhile the young fireman crossed
the track and trayersed the garden to
the groeRery.
He did not enter, for beyond the
threshold Of such place he had pro-