Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1878-02-21
Ten Minutes Late.

AiI hCs
He was the son of a poo
man, and his mother was dead
His father was a confirmed in
valid of the rheumatic order
and George played the dutifu
son to him in a way that woulc
astonish the young men of to
day..
Somehow, nobody knew ex.
actly how George had managed
to pick up a good education
and he had polished it off, so tc
speak, by a two years course
at a Commercial College, which
they tell me is a school where
they teach peoo pie something as
is practical, and not them Greek
roots and Latin folderols that is
drilled into young mems heads
in our universities.
Kirke began on the Story
Hill railroad when he was about
twenty-one or two years old.
First he was a brakesman. This
railway business is a regular
succession, and, generally
speaking, a man has to work
his way up. 1t amt often that
he gets right up to the dignity
of q conductor at one step,
with the chance to pocket ten
cent scrips, and with the priv
ilege of helping all the good
looking and well-dressed ladies
out of the cars, and letting the
homely ones, with babies and
bandboxes in their arms, stum-
BILE out as best they may.
George did his duty SO well
that he was soon promoted to
fireman, ,and after he had learned
the workings of the machine he
was made engineer and given
an engine.
This engine was one of the
and best on the line, and
was called the Flyaway, and
George was mighty proud of
her, you may believe.
l tell you, Sir, your true en-
gineer-one as is out and out
for the business, and feels his
responsibility, takes as much
pride in his engine ao a jocky
does in his favorite race-horse,
and would sit up nights, or neg
Iect his sweetheart, to keep the
brasses and filigrees of his ma
chine SOS you cocld see your
face in 'em.
There was another man wan
ted Georges chance. There's
generally more than one after
every paying job.
Jack Halliday had been wait
ing for some time to be engin-
eer of the Flyaway, and when
he lost it he was mad enough
% pull hair. lie was brakes
man, likewise, and had been on
the road full two years longer
han Kirkc, and it would seem
hat the chance really belonged |
O him, yet he was quarrelsome,
lisagreeable fellow, with inde-
enough TO have set an
up IN business and still
lave had some left.
When Jack realized that
George had got the inside track
IN him, his angerwa at a white
neat. He cursed Kirke, and
cursed the company, and old
Nhately, the superintendent,
nd things generally, until it
eemed pity that there was not
omething else to curse, he was
n such fine cursing order.
There was more than one
hing which made John Ualli-
lay down on George Kirke.
George had been his rival in
many respects, and particularly
where the fairer part of crea-
ion was concerned. George
vas a great favorite with the
iris, for he was handsome, and
generous, and good-natured,
nd Jack was sarcastic, and az
Ways on the contrary side, and
he girls avoided him, as they
always should such men.
We always expected that ill
would come to George, from
-ack's bad blood against him,
nd we warned him more than
nee, but he always laughed,
nd remined us of the old saw
hat "barking dogs seldom bite"
vhich is true in the main. |
And, as the time went on, un-
il two, three, tour months had
,assed since Kirke's promotion,
nd nothing occurred, we for
.ot all about our apprehensions
# evil, and if we thought of
he matter at all, we had
7ronged Halliday by our sus-
icions.
1t was dark night in No
ember, with considerable fog
d the air, and strong appear
noes of rain. II
/ was at Golosha, the north
rn terminus of our road, look ]
lg after some repairs on a de-
sctive boiler, and / was going i
~ ID.