The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-11-23
TIE Mad ENGINEER.

"Whal?"
| The speaker was young man, and as
he spoke he leap9d from his chair.
Two men had been cOHversing in the
| same apartment, and the young mans
| exc amatiou had been caused by sUme-
| thing whoa he had heard them say.
| 80, yes" SAID ouG, ''She is 10 be mar
ried t, morrow night, aud it will be The
| most excellent combination of wealth.
! and beauty ever seen in this part OF the
world"
"BuC Wggles is such numbskull."
| "But Wiggles is wealthy, and what
more ought young girl ike Irene NAL
| traVers to desiref"
BY this time the young man had passed
out. One Of the speakers touched .the
other.
"Do you know that young manw
"No, indeed, not [; wa, lis he~
"lhaPs young Ned Afford"
| "The dickens!'
You know he has been in love with
Irene for this ever so long. He comes
up from New York every quarter TO see
her. wonder nOw he'll take thi,p
"Why did her father turn the girl over
10 Wiggles if she was engageuF'
"Oh, he wouidn't give a liz for engage
ments. He's surly, crusty old fellow,
ana DON'T unders anu anybody's wishes
but his own" AS th9 men spoke they
went cut.
MIR. Wiggles, the bridegroom, lived in
| a Little town Connected by railroad with
Bainsford, and not more than fifty miles
away. Early on The appotn ed morning
he might have been seen vending has
way 10 the railway alton. AS he ap-
preached an engine driver came up.
Bound to Batnsf,rd, srW
| "1es, SIR"
Gan, tnen, you're the gentleman.
There's no passenger train today, sir
| WON'T run Til midnIgAt. sir. The director
0i this o I'd loid me, sir, TO he sure and
get IL locomotive ready for you to take
| you there"
"N by ISN'T there a car 2" said Wig!
giles, AS the man pointed to the pulling
| ana shoItlng machine.
| please Sill, nO sir, there are no cars.
only THIS locomotive"
"Humph!' exclaimed W ggles, SOL
| emhly, Il suppose L must co."
The man put his carpetUag in, got in
himself, touched crank, and with IA
puff and snort away Went tne engine.
Mr. WIgg es at first telt a liLI.e flur-
ried, but alter a few moments he grew
accustomed to the novelty of his situa- |
ton, and amused himself by watching
the scenery. AS he looked at the Land |
one after the other flashing past, the |
strange thought occurred to MIS- mind |
thai he was travelling at a most learlully |
rapid pace. lie, therefore, touched The |
eng,neel's arm, and prepared 10 speak.
What was Wigglesi surprise at seeing |
the engineer turn and make Il Aideous |
grlmace. lie laughed in slckIy mar !
ner.
"Friend," he cried, "ain't we going |
rather IaStY Y'
The friend rolled up his eyes till only
the whites were vi 'IDle. After this he |
turned the lids over 50 that hideous
red margin appeared over the whites.
"Good LordW cried WiggIes, "tne man
is crazy p
Suddenly the man commenced dane
ing violently. Then he sprang on Jne
back OF the engine, ana standing on his
head he put his heels against the lunuel
and stared at WiggIes. Alter tnIs he
came back.
"We'll Don be there" he said.
"Where" gasped Wiggles.
"Iu New York"
"New Yorkp
"They'Vo got an air line from there to
Raunsbury. L goes through lhe air. We
80 tnump against the uepoJ, and We
vanish. Last time 1 went 80 + iuusbury
l went St aigut on the regular track;
this lime Pm going TO try the air line.
Hey ?"
lie poked Wiggles in the ribs. Wlggles
was 30 paralyzed by fear that he could
not utter u word.
"Perhaps, though, we had better not
wait Til We get In,o the depot. Perhaps
we had better run into the next train. |
or 90 OF he track now. So" SuiLius
the actlon TO The word, the man gave a
tremendous pull at Jn crank.
Wiggles did not wait for The catastro-
phe. He tainted.
That night the .house of SQUIRE
Maltravers was crowded with guests.
lnVlteo To the wedding they mad come,
expecting ~ enjoy tue most brlllIaDL
marriage festival ever seen III This purt
OF the world.
But tue squire wore no smile on his
face. The bridegroom had been ex
peCted az noon. lie had not only nvt
come at noon, but at dusk he still was
absent. Unable to contain himself. the
quIre roue out to the station. 10 his
horror no Wiggles came.
Perhaps WIggles mad arrived, and was
already IN the house. In vain. On MS
arrival there, the first person whom nd
met asked MN where was Wfggles.
WiggIes was not to be found.
CHOW untortunaLp," suld they all.
"Ihe scOundrel!' cried the squir en-
ragged at The dlsappoin. .menL.
"lps my opinion that he has intended
this all along" SAID the BRIDE, " ho. by
The way supported herself with wonder.
lul forUltude.
This remark stung the squire to the
quick. by Joye, Pil have revenge on
Lne rascal. Pll leach him how to maHe
fool OF me, Pll-"
But the squire Was interrupted by the
entrance OF ayoung man, who walked
straight up TO MIN and bowed respect
FULLY.
"Allord% exclaimed the squire,
doubtfully.
"Mr. MaItravers," said ne, "you never
lelt any particular affection tor me, but
perhaps you WON'T object to act reason
ably now. Here you are put in an awk
ward place through that villain Wig
giles. Now, | loved your daughter long
ago, ana we have been engaged. You
had no right to overlook me and give
her to fellow who does't care pin tor
anybody but himself. The company are