Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-06-23

AN ENGINEER's CONFESSION.

LII ~ t'Aing' as we Will say, from A. to T.
l nau tne sweetest little wife in the world
aha oaoy the very image of its pa. | had
St"aYs dollar or TWO to put by for rainy
Jay; and the boys spoke of me as an odd
Aihd oil man. To be shut up with an en-
gine' watching with all your ewes and heart
anu soul, doesn't make conscientious man
laxative, and | never squandered nv time
spinning yarns and listening to railroad
jokes In the the roundhouse. Nv wife's
name was Josephine and called her "Joe. =
never had belonged to any of the rail
way clubs or organizations, and never shouId
II hadn't been fer CRANKY. CRANKY was a
nephew OF cur division superintendent, and
1t $ failing with we men of the road that
we like to be noticed by the fellows at head
| quarters, If only to touch the hem of the ir
garments. CRANKY was snowy fellow.
and often rode with me from Z to z. He had
a good opinion of me, and as far as | know
We were good friends Once he said to
me
You ought to belong to the railway
Scientific Club, Guelden."
Never heard of it." said /.
We meet once a fortnight" he replied
'and have Jolly good time. We want
practical, thinking men of your sort, and
Il propose you, if You like
L was fond OF such things, and | had ideas
that | fancied might be worth something
But the engineer doesn't have many nights
or days to himself, and the club would have
one evening fortnight from Joe. said ::
Il will ask her. Il she likes it, YES"
ASK whom ?'' be said. joe" said |.
AT every man had asked his wife, every
mans wife would have said Can't spare you,
nv DEAR - said Cranky.
But | made no answer. At home | told
Joe. She said
Il shall miss you, Ned. But you do love
such things, and if CRANKY belongs to it they
must be superior men,"
So said yes. and CRANKY proposed me
Thursday fortnight | went with him to the
rooms. The real business of the evening
was the supper.
had always been a temperate man. l
did not know what effect wine would have
on me. But coming to drink more of it
than had ever done before at the club table,
| found it put steam on. After 50 many
glasses wanted to talk; and after 50 many
more | did
| seemed like somebody else, the words
were 50 ready. Nv ideas came out, and they
were listened to. | made sharps hits. and
INDUCED in repartee, told stories. and even
came TO puns. | heard somebody say
"Granby, by George that's man worth
having. | thought him dull at first" Yet
| knew it was better to keep quiet Ned
Guelden, with his ten words an hour, than
the wine-made wit | was
was sure Of it, when three months later
stumbled upstairs to find Joe waiting for
me. with her baby on her breast.
You have been deceiying me, said Joe.
Il suspected it, but WASH { sure. 4 scientific
club couldn't smell like bar-room.
Nv hich means that DO, " said |
And look like one" said Joe, as she
locked herself and baby in spare bedroom.
One night was dressed in my Sunday
suit, ready to 20 to the club, when Joe stood
before me.
Ned. - said she, a never had fault to
find with YOU before. You've been kind.
good, and loving always; but.I should be
sorry we ever met if you 60 on in this way.
Don't ask what mean-you know"
its only club night" said |.
at Will grow, said she.
Then she put her arms around my neck.
Ned, >" sad she, "do you think i thing
so ike bolted and strapped-down demon
as steam is. Is fit TO put into the hands of a
drunken man? And some day, mark my
words, not only Thursday night, but all davs
Of the week. will be the same. have Of
ten heard YOU wonder what the feeling of an
engineer. who has about the same as mur-
dered a train full OF people, must be, and
you Il know if you don't stop where you are.
A steady hand and clear head have been
YOUR blessing all these years don't throw
them away. Now if you don't care for my
love. don't ruin Yourself
Nv little Joe She spoke from her heart,
and bent over and kissed her.
Don't be afraid, child III never pain
you again"
And meant it, but at L O'Clock that
night felt that had forgotten my promise
and my resolution
couldn't 20 home to Joe. l made up
nv mind to sleep on the club sofa, and leave
the place for good the next day. Already
felt nv brain reel as it had never done before,
In an hour was in kind Of a stupor. 1t
was morning. A waiter stood ready to
brush my coat. | looked at my watch |
had only five minutes to reach the depot.
Joe's words came to my mind. Was | fit
TO take charge Of an engine? was not fit
to answer | ought to have asked some
sober man. As it was, only caught my
hat and rushed away. | was Just in time.
The "San Francisco" glistened in the sun.
The cars filed rapidly. l could hear the
people talking-biddIng each other good
bye and promising to come again. Among
them was an old gentleman | knew by sight
one of the shareholders he was bidding
two timid girls adieu.
Goodbye, Kittie; goodbye, Lue," |
heard him say. Don't be nervous. The
San Francisco is the safest engine on the
line. and Guelden the most careful engineer.
would not be afraid to trust every mortal
to their keeping. Nothing could happen
wrong with the two together"
said, "We'll get through it somehow
and Joe shall never talk TO me again.
After all, it was easv enough. | reeled as
spoke. | heard the signal. We are of.
Five hours from L to D five hours back
arain. saw a hutter, and never guessed
what it was until we had passed the train
at the wrong place Two minutes and we
should have had collision. Somebody
told me, and laughed. heard the share
holder say respectfully;
"Ot course, Mr.. Guelden, you know what
you are ABOUT
Then | was alone. wondering whether
should 90 faster or slower. did some
thing. and the cars rushed on at fearful
rate. The same man who had spoken to
me before was standing near me. heard
the question
How many miles an hour are we max
ing ~ didn't know.
Rattle, rattle. rattle was trying tc
slacken the speed of the San Francisco.
I could not think what | should do-was 1t
this or that faster or slower? | was play
ing with the engine like a child
Suddenly there was a horrible roar
crash was thrown somewhere. was II
the water. By miracle | was sobered and
not hurt. / gained the shore and gazed Oh
my work.
The engine was in fragments, the cars II
snlipters dead and dying and wounded
we're strewn around. There were groan:
and sbrieks of despair. The MANNED crieC
ont in main the unipjured bewailed then
dead and voice. unheard by any other
was in nv ear, whispering Murderer -
The news had gone to A. and peopl'
came thronging down to find their lost ones
Searching for an old mans daughter, ! can't
n a place in the trees. and found five bodle'
wing there all in their rigid horror-an old
woman. a Young one, baby, and two smal
children. Was it fancy-was it pure ianey
born of nv anguish ?-they looked Ike
heaven they were my wife, my chudren
all cold and dead
How had they come on the train ? No ont
conId anwer. | groaned, l screamed,
clasped my hands, | tore my hair, l gaze
on the lovely face Of my wife, my chiidren
| called them by name. There was no ah
swer. There never would be-
whistle Great God! Onward up IN
track thundered another train Its red eye
glared upon me; threw myself before II
felt il crush me TO atoms
.sU;s head is extremely hot, SAID some