The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-11-29
THAT NIGHT At DEVILS Run.
THANKSGIVING STORY.
BY HON. D. THEW WRIGHT.

give it III his own words as nearly as I
can. Wa made the run from a way station
the name OF which has escaped me, into
Pueblo by night. There had been heavy
rains. Parts of the track were submerged.
The darkness and tie rush Of the waters
created among the passengers considerable
anxiety. | spent most of the night in the
cab. The eng gineer was too much absorbed
in his duties to talk. He answered my
questions with civiliJy, but with brevity.
/ did not observe II at the Time, but alter
wards | recalled distinctly the sudden start
he gave, and the Look of intense interest he
turned upon me, when made some obser-
walton which indicated that my home was
in the vicini'y of Pittsburg. The next
day he accepted my invitation TO dine.
We were alone at my room. | had been
recalling the scenes of the past night,
when, taking his pipe from lis lips, be
began
THE ENGINEER's STORY.
Mayhap, stranger, you heV run over the
| Pennsylvania Central railroad. AS you
| may say, | was born and 6roSght up on
that line, first as fireman and then engineer
nigh on TO twenty years. It's alters excit-
in to run machine, and wen | was Il
| fireman | used to think it was better to be
! top one of them splendid engines than to
! be President of The United States The
| day they first put me on the foot board and
! | took the lever in my hand and knew it
| was my engine, | reckon | was the proud
! est man between Pittsburgh and Altoona
/ | kinder thought that everybody was goin'
J TO be out, thet day, to see how thet train
/ made her run, aud you kin bet all yer spe
! Gle that she vent smach up to the mint,
! the whole hundred aud seventeen mile
/ But this kind of spirit wore off, after A
/ while, and | settled down into n sober
! stiddy goih' man n they did say that |
1 r
/ IN the business. | hev TO say it. stranger
as here's nobody else to do it; else wise
/ you wouldn't know it,
l was turned tweuty-three wen me and
J Mary was married. Twenty eight years
ago! You bev wife, stranger? Hewitt
got no wife Well! mayhaps its lust As
well he'd Mary some eight years, but it
don't seem like no time, now. | left her
there in the old keystone state. her an' the
boy. Sometimes | think I'd like to go back
again, and see the place where they both
| lie, but l suppose | never shall. Don't
| seem as IT | bad the heart to do it. 1t
wasn't in any churchyard, you know but
| a little way mp a mountain there was a
green, quiet spot among the trees aud they
| are theIe-not more n a hundred feet, say,
! above the track-and l often wonder if
Charlie doesn't still dream, when the New
| York express tliunders by, that his old
1 put mp a snug cabin by the side of the
road, where | bad small clearn', and be-
tween whiles l used to plant my potatoes
/ and things, enough to keep US gong, and
| Mary had her garden. Mary alters took to
| Mowers, as l used tn tell her, iokin' like,
cos she was one of the family. Then we
had COW, and Mary raised chickens, and
| L never see no person could do as much
with chickens as Mary could. jest seemed
like those hens were alters strainin' OF
themselves layin' eggs. You never see
/ nothln payin stricser attention to business
than what they did. Never standin' about
| and foolin around, but alters at it. An
then they'd set and hatch Incredible
Mostly two broods year, aud brought 'em
all up.
Mary raised the COW. One of the neigh
oors CIV 1t to her wen it was a calf, and She
made much of it. l used to tie it to a
stake near the cabin wen it was a little
thing, for it to eat grass Mary didn't
know much about things then, she wa.
young like, aud one day she thought she'd
put the calf in the stable. l told her she d
better not try it-sbe was just a slight girl
Now calf, you know, is the mos; deceiv
ing animal in the world 1t don't look as
1t 1t bed any strength. aud vet it'n unset 2
full grown man. So Mary unties the rope
aud starts for the shed, and the calf kick
ell up his heels and away he went. Mar,
held on TO the rope and away she went
thrown down, rolled over, aud there wa
confusion of calf aud calico ali over th,
place. There wasn't no bones broken, bu
Mary was the most amazed girl You eve
saw. lhat calf grew up TO be a KNOWN
COW. She used to run out on the tract
just on purpose to fiighten the people.
She'd stay on TIL the train was close n q
but never got hit The men soon AL go