The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1877-11-08
General Copies.
A Romance OF the Rail

l1uth 81 romance, t- 4Ettv& ~su4t Il
nights e on ~ the runelIul r,I
roads running INTO Charlotte. AMI
singular i II III All IF its details. th4, |
We venture 10 make il public. conceal |
Ing names and localItic, for reasons
which Viii become obvious - til,
reader.
II Was at an early hour 81 tLv
morning. long before daylight, when
the mani tram ON = certain one Of cur
railroads, had pulled out 81 the switch
OF a small station. coming toward
Charlotte. and the wind whlstlei
sharply through the cr,viC,~ III tn,
car windows a the engineer -gaNch,r
steam IN order To make his Counec
ton NJ Charlotte. The conductor. ~
Is his . after leaving each station.
had made a tour OF ms train and cN-
ahmed each platform To see II a tramp
had climbed up to takcarlde. and step
ping out upon the rear platform ot a
sleeping car. dcSccrned a form crouch
ed upon the steps.
"Nha are You doing there Com,
in here. he demanded grutilv. and hc
turned his lantern upon the almost
nude form of a fair-faced. slender girl
OF sixteen. who arose At the command
and confronted the conductor. tin,
!" Nlobe. all III tears. The hear If
the conductor oOftencd.
Are YOU not Captain" the
girl inquired sobbinglv. II receiving
an affirmative reply she pleaded pite-
ously. "Oh, captain. spare me, spar,
me-"
lie assured her that she should not
be harmed. and then inquired her
name. Upon its being given. he was
surprised To learn that il was one with
which he was familiar. and he asked
for an explanation of the girls strange
conduct-where she was gong, and
why she came in that scant dress.
Don't YOU see that | am running
away / am going to Charlotte To get
work. and | didn't have time To get
my clothes" When asked how she
expected TO get work or - 20 about
-, o4, ..f,g4, ma
ON her body and that Z thin one, ~
tears flowed atresh and her =plf-po~
session was entirely gone. The con.
ductOr,s Sympathies had been won.
Long before this time he hac
brought his strange guest within tn,
car. and commanding the porter I,
bring a blanket, the Young girl wa.
wrapped in this, given a seat and tol,
by h conductor that he would brinl
her on and then do for her whatevc.
he could. He cudgeled his brain a
he CO up his tickets. and present.,
the ladies Home and Hospitalin Char
lOtte occurred to his mind. That VA.
the idea and there. he determined. sh,
should De taken. He told the girl %
his plan. and that there she would h,
provided for; and arrived here. sh
readily consented to be put in a car
riage, wrapped in the blanket. and car
ried to the conductors home. IT
presented the modest. attractive crca
!, ture to his wife and told her the story
The lady, with a heart as kind as tina
, of her husband. interested herself j
the stray ones behalf. and soon ha
: her comfortably clothed. Breakfa-
was given her and all her Temporal
wants supplied. and when the mes
was over She was conveyed to tn
[ Home and Hospital, the story was r.
? peated 70 several of the ladies who ar
{ chief in the maintenance Of that ben,
, tlCent institution. and she was at ono
! provided for.
| The strange story caused exCeedin
interest to attach to her. and befor
h had remained more than ; or
: days at her new-found home. theT
/ was found for her another which ca
> be a permanent one If She chooses I
make it. \ lady who was advised ,
| the facts in the case gladly took her j
\ her family and there She now remain.
. half companion. half house-maid. con
. Portable and apparently happy.
The conductor IN question has sine
this time seen the step-father Of hI
II temporary charge and told him Of hC
new surroundings. The step-fathere g,
s pressed his regret that the girl -houl
/ have fled herholne. which he said WAS
; happy one. and advised writing 10 IN
: uncle who i likewise her guardian
e The conductor wrote accordingly. ma
{ rating the same story which we haI
II told here. and has received a letter e,
presSive OF thanks and surprise. Tn
/ letter. which i now III the hands -,
: the Ladies Aid Society Of the Epi9cl
. pal church. SAYS that the ward j.
i Young lady Of means and Of accom-
i plishments. and mentions among ojl
er things in connection with her p-
q .onal history. that she graduated but
n short time ago from Salem Fema
;. College. The conductor, who certain
: IL did the thoughtful and kindly pa
from first 10 last. has placed the co
resDondence a. well as the whole "a.
II in the hands Of the ladies Of the =
: cietv spoken Of. and the sequel To Il
: story viii be told IN the result Of II
/ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Obserre
= In copying the above We desire
+ add thar not once in one thou,an
If times would similar good fortune b.
Ie fall a sixteen year old girl under sim
? lar circumstances. and not yer
ir young girl who may think herself i
,r treated at home need now start i