The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1882-10-10

y
used to live near Point O. Rocks. AS
pretty cottage it was, for pretty wife,
as any man need wish for. You haven't
known me- long, or you'd have heard
that ! married girl who expected to in
herit handsomely. But l like you, Nat.
No matter. how the match came about.
She was very delicate and very beauti-
iul prize for rough man like am /
won her away from chap who was bet.
ter off, better looking than l. His name
was Carol Conrad. l was never jeal-
Gus man / did not even request my wife
to give up his acquaintance. So | thought
nothing OF it when, sometimes when !
returned from trip, she would saw:
"Buck, dear, Carol has been here to
see me-"
"But one night, Nat, there came q
blow to me that we'll nigh drove me
mad Wait minute Blow for the Re.
lay, Harry"
Thrice, four times, ,shreke1 the promp,
whistle, and presently the train came to
a halt; not for long; there was bang
on the little gong over my head tina,
startled me. Again we steamed onward
No more s,ops until we reached Wash
ington; no more Interruptions except
that the signal would blow for curves
and roads. was almost breathlessly
still, watching Buck, who, it seemed ia
me, had not moved muscle or turned
an eve from bis "lookout" since be kiss
ed the talismanic rings.
81 found the cottage darkened," he
resumed, abruptly, after we had rumbled
across the viaduct. There was no ligh,
to welcome me, like there had always
been, and and Nat, my wife was gone,
I found on the parlor table note tha,
first set my blood on fire, and then turn.
ed my heart to stone. 3, AS near as can
remember, it was something like this:
"'Buck, dear, forgive me. My life
has been so lonesome since marrying
you, and the temptation SO great that ]
have consented to go with Carol. ]
am not all wicked; l couldn't help it;
forgive me-
81 thought it all over as dream Nat
Poor little thing; she didn't see much
of me for love-making, that's fact =
Then some sort of demon caused me
to write on the back of the note hol-
rible curse on the pair, and l pinned it
to the table top with my penknife "
"Turning round, found little Dolly
standing in the doorway, crying. She
had been looking everywhere in vain for
mamma At least this treasure was left
to me Ah, Nat,, it was this precious
charge that saved me from going straight
to the dogs.
81 closed the cottage, resi- gned from
nv engine. and brought Dolly off here
to live. I'd saved little sum. A year
went bv. Then came another eventful
night-s night as sad to me as ever hu-
man being knew. The wind bowled q
gale; the snow was deep and piling fast.
Dolly came running to me, crying loud
ly:
"'Papa-oh. papa-there's somebody
lying on the track. It's woman.
can't pull her off; aud the St. Luis ex.
press is coming
"Nat, reached the track, I think, at
two big leaps. In another moment had
grasped up female who was half buried
in the snow; and just in time, for this
same engine-No. went whizzing
past. When l had laid her on the lounge
Mat, it was nv little, lost wife! What
coming back! Oh, how different she
looked! ! saw death in her delicate
face and form-always delicate, as ]
said before She opened her ewes and
called out in voice that seems TO dwell
in nv ears now:
"'Buck-oh, Buck, dear! is it you at
last2'
"Then, as I stood dumb anil trem-
bling, she told me her pitiful story
Carol Conrad had come to her with 9
letter from her father, who was in New
York, saving hat he was dying and
wanted her by his side. Little Dolly
was at friends house three miles hack
IN the country. No time could be lost
She went with Conrad. Not until they
were beyond Pniladelphia did sine learn
from his own lips the dsstardly ruse.
"The letter was q forgery. The hasty
note of explanation she had left for me
was adroltly exchanged for the one !
had found-another base forgery. She
was now blasted in my sight, be told
her. Soon her name would be handled
IN sianderous gossip. Had she not bet.
ter go with him and let his devotion re.
pay for the trick3 She spurned the
wretch, and called on the train conduc.
tor to protect her, continuing her.way
to New York.
"Here she found her father truly dead
He had ruptnred an artery in excite.
ment over a speculation failure that cos,
him every dollar of his fortune. She
was then without kindred, without mon.
ey, and ber few early friends scattered
and lost. She managed to make heI
way hack; but no one could tell hel
where l was She found Conrad's for
gerry, with my bitter curse on the bacl
of it. 1t must have driven her insane
"God meant that should know these
truths before she died. In her wander
ing search for me she had come .almos
to my very door unkno wingly. Righ,
there she had resolved to die-to die by
throwing herself under the St. Louis
night express. Consumption did 1T
work soon, aided by that nights expo
sure. laid her in her grave, Nat, and
my heart with her
"That was five years ago. I wen
hack on the road and got engine No 1
Dolly is big girl now. And every
time / run this train out you'll 6nd he
! bv the track with lantern-rain, SNOW
or starlight, Nat-waitine to hear m,
blow, and to see that there's nobody OF
the rails. And she dips the lantern fo
kiss, you know.
ENGINEERS, like sailors, have some
little superstition; and sometimes whel
l pass the spot where snatched nv un
happy wife from horrible death. fee
shudder go through me, as II I'd act
ualiv struck somebody with the catcher.
Not another word from Buck durin!
the remainder of the ride. At the Wash
ington depot we parted with heart,
goodbye.
A few years later, quite by accident
while at c. station on reportorial bu
siness, I heard that good old Buck wa
dead. His daughter, Dolly, had maj
/ .iali nnA mnn li.uir,.. annll.. o. AZ