The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-03-09
THE ENGINEERS STORY.

THE ENGINEERS STORY.
Business had brought me to the little
town OF D., among the New Hamp-
shire hills, and here, much against my
will, was detained for several days.
while waiting for instructions from my
employers The nearest periodical
store was twelve miles away, and, with
out books or papers, time hung heavy
on my hands.
The only break in my monotonous
life was the arrival of the trains twice a
day, and in the dead calm of my exist
ence this little ripple of excitement be-
came as much to me as the opera under
more favorable circumstances 1t was
while lounging upon the platform that
j became acquainted with George Sea-
forth, engineer on the B. G. & M. Rail
road. He was man about thirty-five
years of age. Notwhat would be called
an educated man, but sensible and
clear headed. His home was in Con-
cord, where he had wife and two chill
dren. lie ran from Concord to D.
and for two hours, while waiting for
the ''down train" he was in D.
The acquaintance at first begun to
while away an idle hour, on my part,
at least grew to strong liking, and to-
day there IS no one among my acquaint-
ances for whom feel q greater respect
and esteem than for George Seaforth.
He had been on the cars since he was
sixteen, first as train-boY, then as brake
man, fireman, and for the last ten years
us engineer
"You must have had some strange
adventures in that time" l said one
day, as we sat upon the platform of the
little station, waiting for the train.
Strange adventuresp' he repeated,
taking his pipe from his mouth, and
looking meditatively across the green
fields Strange adventures You may
well say that, sir. We train men are
always having adventures
"Suppose you tell me some of them, ?
suggested.
We'll" looking at his watch, ''as
there's plenty of time, / don tmind tell
ing you of one queer one had six years
ago, come fall, though | don't often
speak OF it; for you see when a mans
been face to face with death, he can't
talk of it very well.n
settled myself on the rough bench
that did duty as a chair, as comfortably
as | could, took fresh cigar, and he
began:
''It happened in this way. was run
ming the old Lion from Lee to Fairtown.
If you know anything about New En-
gland, you know that September's a
gre t month for fairs and this particu-
lar September was no exception to the
general rule. We had lots of extra
work to do, but, as we had extra paw.
there was no grumbling. 1t was toward
the last of the month that the fair at
M came off. Two or three extras
We're PUT on timed so as torun between
the regular trains. Jim Turner fire for
ne then. Jim was as good fellow as
ever lived, with but one fault he
would 60 off on "a time once in q
while. He didn't do it very often. and
as he'd do more work than any other
man on the road, the company kept
him. But Jim had been pretty sober
lately. believe he hadn't drunk any
thing for as much as six months; SO |
kind of got out of the habit of watching
him, and he went and came pretty much
us he chose.
well, we got along all right this
time, till almost night we stopped at
D. for wood and water. While we
were waiting, March, the depot-master.
came along. and says he: sSeaforth, /
want you to do me favor"
What is itp' says |, for March
and were pretty good friends.
Well, says he, there's young
woman here wh5 wants to 90 to Fair
town, and she hasn't cent of money.
She came here to get work, and she's
lost her pocket-book, and hasn't any
way to get back home. | don't feel at
liberty to pass her over the road;
(theyd been making row about free
passesl, and she amt the kind that
You dsfeel like offering money to-. So
l thought may be you'd let her ride on
the engine
!" Well. didn't like to refuse March,
for. as l said before, he and L were
good friends, and he had done me
many good turn; but / must say the
idea OF having woman in the cab all
the way to Fairtown WANT very
pleasant, and said so to March, but
he was bound to have her 60, and said
so much that finally told him to bring
her along. She came out upon the
platform, little, pale-faced thing, who
looked at me with great, frigh ened
eyes, as though she thought / was a
bear, and would eat her up as soon as
we left the station March introdu ed
her as Miss Lord, and seemed to ex-
pect me to say something to NAL e her
feel at home, but was all ont OF sorts,
and | only nodded in a surly sort of
way saw the tears come into her
eyes, and you better believe felt kind
OF mean. but / didn't say anyth ne,
and March helped her on the engine.
! saw her put out little white hand,
not much bigger n child's, and lay it
on his arm. as she said:
" tod bless you, Mr. March.
land then went off to look for Jim,
who was late
found him the other side of the
depot. with atwo-gallon can of kerosene
in his hand
You see. he said, as asked rath-
er sharply where he'd been, = en- oft
this good deal cheaper here than At
Fairtown, an my wife thinks it s a SIGHT
BETTER too @
- Well, come along | said, for
we're two minutes behind time now.