The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-01-06
THE RIGOLETTA'S ENGINEER.

'Hetty, WOULDN'T you ike 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 L would be in the road, and John
would stop the Rigoletta, and leave
her in disgust. If you know what is
good for yourself, keep a-ay from
mel"
He laughed, and said:
''Yes, | know you'll go 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 know what Bradley thinks of
you"
Hetty Mcfarland yielded to the en-
fore the Rigoletta threw smoke rings
heavenward, 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.
Pity miles south Of Stanton, in the
city OF Hamilton, GwcIt Hetty Nc
Farland's uncle, whom the girl had
long thought of visiting. Therefore,
to carry out her purpose, she prom
ised 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
conductor Of the road, and was in
debted to her for the many well-chosen
bou Iuets he wore during the flower
season.
Then, as Julius had said, a ride on
the engine would be so exciting, and
with such good fellows as her lover
and John Nixon, the engineer, she
anticipated a pleasant time.
When the RiGolctta, oiled and pol
ished till her machinery and mount
ings 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 a jiffy, and assisted her
TO the little apartment which he had
fitted up anew for her reception.
Glow fo"gy it is tonight" she said
to him. There is moon, but it does
no good"
That's 50, 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.
l spoke to Bradley about you going
down with us, and he said, Certainly
lust as knew he would"
Hctty was sitting on the green
plush cushion that covers the lid of
the tool-box Of the engine, and her
lover, talking, leaned against the jamb
of the door.
Excuse me for one moment, Het-
ty," he said. and sprang from the en-
ginc and disapI
He walked about the platform, look
ing for some person, whom it seemed
he could not find.
81 don't like affairs tonight" he
said TO himself. lie looked as if he
had been drinking, and we want a
soberman Orln the IiiSolctta through
this terrible f1S."
Across the track and almost direct
ly opposite the depot building stood a
groggery to which access could be OBJ
tanned through a garden behind it.
This was not the sole avenue of in
gress, but it was called the secret way,
and sometimes the employees of the
road made use of it to procure a sly
drink. After a while the young fire.
man crossed the track and traversed
the garden to the groggcry.
He did not enter, for beyond the
threshold of such place he had
promised a fair young girl that he
would never step. He paused at the
door, which was open, and looked be-
tween the green Stats of the shade in
TO the room.
At the counter, with 81 glass of bran
dy in his hand, stood the man for
whom he had been looking-John
Nixon, the engineer.