St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-02-17


turned their eyes upon him.
"NO, | have not gone over"
The after-dinner company of loiter-
ers in the Office of the tavern now sep
arated to their business duties, all ex-
cepting Major Balstaff, who strutted up
and down the floor of the office, won
dering how Fred BartOl could "sub-
nit to woman in such an important
matter as this.
Soon there was a pull ut the Majors
military coat tail.
Father, mother wants YOU" said
little urchin.
ooh! does she' Ahem-Tn be
there instantly, Dicky, tell mother
The Office was speedily deserted.
Frank Maynard, the young man who
declared that Fred Bartols temper
ance stand was no discredit to him,
thoughtfully reflected upon the matter
as he walked to his place of business.
"The wedding comes off tonight"
he said to himself, land no wine is to
he there. ! am glad of it. There is
one person who would 90 home with
muddled head if they had it, and that
person would he Frank Maynard. |
have so much to do with figures nova
days that | can't afford to have the
headache that would inevitably follow
my wine at any wedding. Ho! have
got to the old depot so SOOnY 7"
Yes, there was the depot office i'll
which Frank was book keeper.
Good afternoon, Mr.. Maynard"
The speaker was the superintendent
of the road, Mr.. Ferry.
Il NJ. MaN-par,l
and ask il favor. You know the Dill
lingham bridal party going off tonight
will be Il pretty large one. Mr.. Dill
! bingham has chartered Il special train
to take them all to the city, the COM
pany of friends from outside being
pretty large. The might freight goes
through about the time the party
starts. only ten minutes before them.
| wish YOU would be over here and see
that things in general are right. They
will be right, | know; but the station
agent wants to be off, and | shall D..
obliged if you will be here"
"All right, sir" And Frank added
to himself: 'If there is no wine at the
wedding | shall bring clear head
with me"
The wedding was il very brilliant
affair The reception was crowded.
"Everybody is here" thought Frank
Maynard, and everybody is happy
There were few exceptions to the
general happiness, but these were mo-
mentary. When supper was served,
and the drinkables proved to he coffee
and lemonade, Charlie Mays nose once
more went up and the corners of Fred
| Perry's mouth went down. Such
croOkednesS of feature soon disappear
ed, however.
"This coffee is superb said Charlie.
delicious lemonade said Fred.
Major Balstatf., as he contemplated
the coffee and lemonade, was about to
calculate ''horrid," but Mrs. Balstaff
the Woman's Christian Temperance
Union. GLOW delightful" she eX-
claimed, these simple drinks are"
''Delightful - echoed the Major
obediently.
The only incorrigible grumbler was
DIR. Sheafe. His eyes, though, the next
morning were more comfortable than
they had been for some time. Frank
Maynard was sincerely happy over the
situation.
"Miss Dillingham;" said Frank to
May Dillingham;, the brides sister, ait
may seem like gratuitous comment by
me, but like this temperance we'd
ding"
Thank you. Sister Sue did not know
how it would work. like it, and am
glad you like it."
''What fine-lOoking couple Frank
Maynard and May Dillingham; make,
MAJOR said Mrs. Balstaff
Every nice-lOoking,n he replied, and
this remark was not an echo, but
his own independent opinion.
Frank Maynard went to the depot
cOngratulating himself on his clear
headedness and Steadiness of nerve.
Il shouldn't have dared" he Observ-
ed to himself, ''tO take any response
bility about railroad trains after some
weddings"
Frank soon arrived ut the station.
Everything seems to be right" he
said, land there is nothing for me tC
do except to quietly stand here till the
bridal train goes. There's the wedding
party in their car, or will be as soon as
Sue Dillingham; and her husband az
rive. And there comes the hack with
that couple. All here now i'll good
season, ten minutes before the night
freight slips through. What a good
time they are having :"
Yes, they were happy. Above the
dull, muffled sound of the laZily-escap-
ing steam from the locomotive Frank
heard the merry Jest and hearty laugh
"Time for the freight express" said
Frank, looking at his watch. "And
there it is ~
Yes. it had turned the curve neal
the depot, and was laundering along
its bright headlight flashing like the
fiery eye of some monster that was
roaring down the track. 1t came near
er. and was about crashing past the
depot when Frank started. He had
been watching the play of the sharp
light of the locomotive along the track
As the light came closer and closer
like an arrow of fire shot along the
rail, he noticed a point in the rail
where the light suddenly ceased! Did
the rail come to an end there SIS
the switch Frank did not want to
think the word wrong was the next
one and yet he found it shaping itself
in his thoughts as he asked the ques-
ton, SIS the switch-wrOng p
The next moment he said 1.-The
switch has not been set right The
freight train is on the track leading to
the train of the bridal party. And one
train will telescope the other" Frank
comprehended the whole situation at a
glance.
At one end of the depot was the train
containing Sue Dillingham; and hus-
band and friends. He could see theiI
forms through the shining windows OF