Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1877-05-03
BEHIND THE.

lie was the son or poor man, and
his mother was dead. His father
was confrm,d invalid of the rheu-
matte order, and George played the
datifal son to him in q way that
would astonish the yoGng men OF to-
day.
Somehow, nobody knew exactly
how, George had managed to pick
mp good education, and he had
polished it off, SO 10 speak, by two
years. course at a commercial col
lege.
Kirke began on the Sandy Hill
Railroad when he was about u or
- years old. First he was brake
man. The railroad business is a
regular succession, and, generally
speaking, 4 maa has to work his way
up. 1t amt often that he gets right
up to the dignity of q conductor at
one step, with a chance to pocket
10cent scrip, aud tho privilege Of
helping all the good-looking and well
dressed ladies cut of the cars, and
let the homely ones, with babies and
band-boXes in their arms, stumble
out as best they may, while he Is
engaged in talking to man"
George did his duty 50 well that
he was soon promoted to fireman,
and after he had learned the work
iRgs of the machine he was made
engineer and given an engine. This
engine was one OF the newest and
best on the line, and was called tie
Flyaway, and George was very proud
: CT it, you may well believe.
Iwill tell you now, sig, your true
engineer-one as is out and cut for
the business, and feels his response
bility-takes as much pride in lis
engine as the jockey does 10 his IA
vorite raee-horSe, and would sit up
nights, or neglect his sweetheart. to
keep tue brasses and ilagrees Of his
machine SOS you could see your face
in 'em.
There was another man wanted
Georges chance. There's generally
more than one after a paying job.
Jack Halliday had been waiting for
some time to be engineer of the Fly
away. and when he lost it he was
mad enough to pail his hair. He
T1.a-A1akeman likewise, and had
been on the road full two years long
or than Kirke, and it would seem
that tie chance really belonged to
him, but he was a quagrelsome, dis
agreeable fellow, with Independence
enough to have set an emperor up in
business and still have some left.
When Jack realized that George
had got the inside track OF him his
anger was at white heat. He cursed
ki1ke and cursed the company. and
old NYllately, the Superintendent,
and things generally, until 1t seem
ca to be pity that there was not
something else to curse, he was in
such a fine cursing order.
There was more than oae thing
which made Jack Halliday doNn on
George Kirke. George had been his
rival in many respects, and particu-
larly where the fairer part of crsa-
tion was concerned. George was
great fayorite with the girls, f3r he
was handsome and generous, and
good natured, ans Jack was sarcas-
tic, and always On the contrary side,
and the girls avoided him 2s they al
ways do such man
Well, we all expected that i'll
would come to George from Jacks
bad blood against him, and.we warned
him more than once. bat he always
laughed and reminded as Of the old
saying that 'barking dogs meyer
b;te,'' which is true in the main.
And, rs the time went on, until two,
three, four months had passed since
Kirke's promotion, and nothing had
occurred, We forgot all about our ap-
prehensions OF evil. aud if we thought
Of the matter at all, we concluded
we had wronged Halliday By our sus-
picions.
It was a dark night in November
with considerable fog in the air, and
strong appearance Of rain. I was at
Golosha, the northern terminus of
onr road, looking after some repairs
on a defective boiler, and was com
Jug down to New York on the 7:30
train-Kirke's train. Aboat Z there
came telegram from old Whately,
whose summer residence was nearly
midway between Galosha and New
York, end the Old heathen had not
yet forsaken it for the city. The
telegraph operator came into the en-
gine room where Kirke was at work
for lie was always at work-and
read It to him. Kigke made note
Of it in his pocket. book