The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-06-11
TEEE ENGINEER - zzs'E'DHs Y

On a sunny October day, according
instructions / had received from the raj
road company, | handed the engineer (
Engine No. 2 letter from his chief, re
questing that accompany him upon hi
engine, as a better post for the observation
along the rails / had been commanded t
make.
After reading 1.-THE touched his hat, an
respectfully bade me welcome, ar1angin,
as comfortable a seat for me as he coult
provide for the long ride which lay befor
us.
1t was novel experience for me, and
highly exciting one, as we seemed toIcleavt
the air, the train laundering along behin(
us; and | could but look admiringly at thu
man who stood SO untlinchingly at hi
post, and i'll whose hand lay in reality al
our lives.
He was Il tail, handsome fellow, whose
keen gray eyes never stirred from his post
either to the right or to the left, but
whose CHEEKY laugh often rang ont on the
clear morning air as we chatted merljIy to-
gcthcr. -
/ BY noon we had become friends, at
which time we stopped at Il small station,
where there was Il delay of twenty min
tltes, to take on coal and water As we
slowed up, noticed standing on the plat
form a young woman, holding a neatly
covered basket. and clinging to her skirts
was little child, apparently some three
years of age. ":
'sPapa! papav' screamed the little one
with delight; and, glancing at my COM
panion's face, needed not to ask if he was
the one addressed. ~
Another moment, we had stopped, and
wife and child were pressed to his breast,
while look of wonderful tenderness crept
into his eyes.
"My wife and child sir, he said, turn
ing to me; 81 have only one day a week
off with them, but Mary always meets me
here with my dinner, and now and then L
get an hour or two with her."
''It is a hard life,'' I said. 'EYou must
miss them sorely."
IN o matter where | am, sir, they are
with me-" he replied. Il hear the little
one's voice above the loudest wind, and [
see my Mary's smile in the darkest night,
although / stand alone on my engine with
my life in my hand. It's Il hard life, may
be, sir, but ] ought not to complain. 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 wifes bright
blue eyes as she fondly kissed her husband
good-by, while l slipped into the little
ones chubby hand a golden gift from the
strange gentleman riding with papa, |
asked my companion what his remark
meant.
81 don't know as you'd care to hear, and
there's not many rs I'd care tell. You
read 50 many book stories of the people
who make up your world that you have not
much time to look do,gn to mine. There
are people who think such as we have no
time to love, but you have seen Mary and
my boy, and-you'n tell me if tire you?
II was Il careless fellow enough six
years ago, not neglecting my work when
at my post, but fond OF good time with
my companions when off duty, always
ready to accept q friendly glass, and some-
times with my head not quite steady when
[ mounted my engine, though the air al
ways set me right before we had gone far
on our way.
lone evening, at d dance, met Mary
Morton. She was the prettiest girl in the
room, sir, and little bit of Il coquette in
those days, though no more than was nat
ural, with all the young fellows trying to
turn her head
II was not long behind the rest. [
couldn't get her out Of my thoughts, but it
did not take me a great" while to find out
the truth Of the matter. [ had lost my
heart. The only question was, would she
turn me adrift, or give me hers for that
she had stolen?' It was many week be-
fore got up my courage enough to deter
mine to ask her to be my wife. Every mo-
ment off duty l would spend with her,
until fancied she used to watch and wait
for my coming.
"But was not withoutmy jealous hours
for all that. How did I know how she
spent the time, L was so constantly away
from her?
cat last heard Of another dance, to be
given On the night | would be off duty. /
could not see Mary until then, but felt
sure she would know that ! would come
for her, and that's she would go with no one
| else.
sBut when the evening arrived | found,
when I called for her, that she had already
gone. Perhaps, sir, in your rank of life,
YOU know what it is to be jealous, and how
many Il man destroys his future happiness
by..it.
"My first words to Mary on seeing her
were those of reproach, while her smile at
my entrance died away and her face grew
white.
"'I did not know yon were coming John.
How could II"
stYou might have waited, them" lex
claimed.
Sand stayed at home, perhaps, to have
you laugh at me with the rest. Besides,
am quite satisfied with my escort, and be-
lieve l am the only person to be consulted
in the matter.
- AS you win, said, turning On nv
heel, muttering the word 'coquctte' be-
tween my teeth. and not needing the
little pleading glance she sent from time
to time across the loom to where was
standing.
esShe was not without pride, aud tf sht
suffered from my eol5ness, abe only smiled
the brighter Oh others Until / grew mao
with jealousy and anger. That night De.
gan a series of dissipations with which
employed every leisure moment. dranl
more deeply than had ever done in ny
life-not, as before, for so-called goodwill
and good-fellowship but to drown mem
ory.
ssI did not go near Mary for month
To me it seemed a year. Once, after
nights carousal, 4 passed her on the street
but not until long after did I learn of tn
bitter tears my haggard face and dissipate
air had cost her. Finally, my better M
ture triumphed, and went to her repent
ant, to ask her forgiveness, and perhaI
her love.
son i long, lonely night ride = made i
my mind to do this, though, like thous