The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-06-02

from the officers 2 the railroad CON
pany, | handed tno engineer of En-
CINE No. 32 q leto a from his chiel
requesting that accompany hin
upon the engine, q hi better post TO
the observation ale ooa he rails l hst
been commanded te,,enine
After reading n = of ouched BIZ
hat and respectfully bade me vel
come. arranging as comfortable I
seat for me as he could provide fol
the long ride which lay before US.
1t was novel experience for m,
and highly exciting one, as W,
seemed to cleave the air, the trail
thundered along behind us, and
could bu. look admiringly at th,
man who stood una nchingly at biz
post, and in whoss hands Law, in re
atty, all our lives.
He was tai handsome fellow
whose keen, gray eyes never stirred
from his post, either to right or left
bat whose cheery laugh often rang
ont on the clear morning air az VIC
chstted together.
BY noon We had become friends,
ct which hour we stopped at small
station, where there was g delay oi
twenty minutes to take on coal OF
water. As we slowed up, | noticed
standing on the platform young
women, holding neat covered bas.
ket, and clinging to her ski t. little
child, some three years old.
Papa papa !" the little one
screamed in delight, and gIanciug at
my companions face. l needed not TO
question if he were the one thus call.
ed.
Another moment, we had stopped,
and wife and child were pressed to
his breast, while q look of wonderful
tenderness crept into his eyes
"My wife and child, SIR" he said,
turning to me. 81 have only one
day week off with them bat Mary
always meets me here with my din
ner, and now and then l get an hour
or two with her,"
at is a hard lfe," | said. "You
must miss them sorely."
"No matter where l am, sir,n he
replied, they are with me. l hear
the little ones voice above the loud
est wind, and | see nv Mary's smile
in the darkest night, although /
stand alone on my engine, with my
life in my hand It's a hard life,
maybe, sir, but ought not to COM
plain. 1t gave me my happiness,
since it won me my wife"
When we were on our way again,
and | had seen the tears fill the wife's
bright blue eyes as she fondly kissed
her husband goodbye. while I had
slipped into the little ones chubby
hands golden gift from the strange
gentleman riding with papa, l asked
my companion what be meant.
II don't know as you'd care to
hear, or, .ud sherois mot nany -us f'd
care to tell You read so many book
stories Of the people who make up
your world that you have not much
time to look doacn to mine. There
are people who think such as we
have not time to love, but you have
seen Mary and my boy, and-you'll
tell me il 1 tire you?
IL was careless fellow enough
six years ago, not neglecting my
work when at my post, but fond of
good time when off duty, always
ready to accept friendly glass, and
with my head not quite
steady when l mounted my engine,
though the air always set me right
before we had gone far on our way.
"One evening. at dance, / met
Mary Morton. She was the pretti-
est girl in the room, sir, and little
bit of coquet in those days, though
no more than natural, with all the
young fellows trying their best to
urn her head.
81 was not long behind the rest. |
could not get her out of my thoughts,
Dut it did not take me q great while
70 find out the truth of the matter.
had lost my heart The only ques-
ion was, would she turn me adrift
Or give me hers for that | had stolen?
It was many week before | got up
enough to determine to ask
her to be my wife. Every moment
,ff duty ! would spend with her, un-
ii l grew to fancy she used to watch
and wait for my coming
"But l was not without my jeal-
1us hours, for all that. How did
know how she spent her time. l
was. so constantly away from her?
"At last ! heard of another dance.
o be given the night / would be of
luty. | could not see Mary until
hen, but ] felt sure she would know
would come for her, and would go
With NO one else.
"But when the evening arrived /
ound when | called for her that she
lad already gone. Perhaps, sir, 10
,our rank of life, you know, loo,
What it is TO be jealous, and how
many man destroys his future hap.
,iness by it.
"My first words to Mary were
hose of reproacb, while her smile at
ny entrance died away aud her face
rev white.
Il did not know you were COM
ng, John. How could ~
"You might have waited = | ex-
"'And staid at home, perhaps to
ave had you laugh a. me. with the
est. Besides, j am quite satisfied
With my escort, and l believe l am
he only person to be consulted in the
GAS you will,' / said, turning on
ny heel, muttering the word "co-
Iuet!" between my teeth, and un-
leeding the little, pleading glance she
ent from time to time across the
Dom to where l stood
"She was not without pride, and if
he suffered from my coldness, she
'nly smiled the brighter on others,
Until l grew mad with jealous anger
That night began a series of dissipa-
ions with which l employed every
eisure moment. / drank more deep
y than | had ever done in my life
Lot as before. for so-called good will