The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-02-11
Teq Minutes Late.


lie was the son of poor man, and his
mother was dead. His father was a con-
frmed invalid of the rheumatic order, and
George played the dutiful son to him in
way that would astonish the young men
of to-day.
Somehow, nobody knew exactly how,
George had managed to pick up a good
education, and he had polished it off, so
to speak, by two years course alta Com
mercial College, which they tell me is a
school where they teach people something
as is practical, and not them Greek roots
and latin folderols that is drilled into
young mems head in our universities.
Kirke began on the Stony Hill railroad
when he was about twenty-one or two
years old. First he was a brakesman
This railway business is a regular success
sion, and, generally speaking, a man has
to work his way up. 1t amt often that
he gets right up to the dignity Of con-
ductor at one step, with the chance to
pocket ten-cent scrips, and with the privi-
lege 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, stumble 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 en-
gine.
This engine was one of the newest and
best on the line, and was called the Fly
away, and George was mighty proud OF
her, you may well believe.
l tell you, sir, your true engineer-one
as is out and out for the business, and
feels his responsibility, takes as much
pride in his engine as the jocky does in his
tavorite race-horse, and would sit up
nights, or neglect his sweetheart, to keep
the brasses and fligrees 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 every paying job.
Jack Halliday had been waiting for some
time to be engineer Of the FIyaway, and
when he lost it he was mad enough to
pull hair. He was brakesman, likewise,
and had been on the road full two years
longer than Kirke, and it would seem that
the chance really belonged to him, yet he
was quarrelsome, disag greeable fellow,
with independence enough to have set an
emperor up in business and still have had
some left
When Jack realized that George had got
the inside track of him, his anger was at a
white heat. He cursed Kirke, and cursed
the company, and old Wbately, the super
intendent, and things generally, until it
seemed to be pity that there was not
something else to curse, he was in such
fine cursing order.
There was more than one thing which
made John Halliday down on George
Kirke. George had been his rival in many
respects, and particularly where the fairer
part Of creation was concerned. George
was q great tavorite with the girls, for he
was handsome, and generous, and good
natured, and Jack was sarcastic, and al
ways on the contrary side, and the girls
avoided him, as they always should such a
man.
We always expected that i'll would come
to George, from Jacks bad blood against
him, and We warned him more than once,
but he alwSBs laughed, and reminded US
Of the old saw that barking dogs seldom
bite," which is true in the main.
And, as the time went on, until two,
three, four months had passed since Kirke's
promotion, and nothing occurred, we for
got all about out apprehensions of evil,
and if we thought of the matter at all, we
had wronged Halliday by our suspi-
cions.
1t was dark night in November, with
considerable fog in the air, and strong ap-
pearances Of rain.
Twas at Golosha, the northern terminus
of our road, looking after some repairs on
defective boiler, and was going down
to New York on the $50 train-Kirke's
train.
About seven there came telegram
from old Whately, whose summer resi-
dence was nearly midway between Colo
sha and New York, and the old heather
had not yet forsaken it for the city. The
telegraph operator came into the engine
house where Kirke was at work-for he
was always at work-and read it to him.
Kirke made note of it in his pocket
book.
"Pay train on the line. Will meet you
'ust west of Leeds. at l0.l5. Shut on to