The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-07-02
Temperance.
The Engineer OF Number Nine.

odd you ask if was ready to start,
wife ?" said Bob Styles, who was "boss
in the cab of locomotive No. Nine,"
Still River railroad. eyes, my engine
is all ready to go-fre started, water siz.
cling, steam all up, and it only needs
word from me to start Off"
Here Engineer Styles of "No. Nine"
made his arms 60 as if he were in his
cab, letting loose from imaginary bonds
"the crackest thing on the road" as he
styled it.
"Good-bye, Nancy" he said to his wife,
stopped. Where is my little Sally to
step to the shop at the station and get my
beer before 1 go? Almost forgot it."
Sally was in an adjoining room, sitting
by the bedside of her brother Willie, sick
with lung fever.
"I-I-guess would let my beer 60,
Bob" said his wife. The brow of the
engineer darkened like a mountain crag
overhung by cloud.
Nonsense" he said, ait does no hurt"
"Bob, it does hurt" replied his wife,
gently but firmly. The tears, too, shone
like crystal in her clear, blue eyes.
"Can't stand woman's crying"
thought Bob. "Well, Nancy" he said
aloud, " let it 60, but must be off,"
He turned second time toward the
door, only to return once more. He was
laughing now, for Bob Styles kind.
heartedness prevailed over the stormy
mood of minute ago. "There, Nancy,
is the ten cents saved by going without
my beer"
He laid the bright little piece of silver
on the kitchen table. GAS 1 talked it
over with you, Nancy, this noon, If Willie
is not any better and the doctors opinion
is that am needed, flash light in the
window when my train passes the house.
I 60 down the road on four hours run
and then am back here and, if needed, /
can leave my train at the next station,
and Ingalls, will run it from that point
If not needed, shall keep on to Breckton
and be home in the morning. But flash
the light if needed. Goodbye, all"
Two hours later Willie Styles was
worse. He was in fever-furnace, grow
ing hotter, hotter, hotter. The doctor
came in, examined Willie and said {:
"Mrs. Styles, heard you say that your
husband could come home tonight if
needed. Let him do 80 by all means, as
very careful watching, and you want all
the help you can get, especially the next
twenty-four hours"
1t was now six o'clock. At eight No.
Nine" would 60 by, rumbling, rattling,
laundering away, and would Bob Styles
see light in the window of his home
which looked out upon the railroad track
"Oh dear +" groaned Mrs. Bob Styles,
going, about ten minutes before eight, to
the closet where she kept her three lamps.
First, empty second, empty third,
empty And where we live, nobody is
near that can borrow of for half mile
and one can't get back by eight and have
the lamps filled and lighted. There's the
store at the station three minutes off, but
the store-keeper said to-day he wouldn't
trust Bob any more and have no money
That's where the beer-money has gone
But there's the ten cents he left behind
q Cd Here, Sallyl" she screamed
Run quick as you can to the store ant
get ten cents worth of kerosene and b.
back in five minutes"
Three minutes before train time a
light was flashing in Mrs. Styles window
At eight I" No. Nine" came in sight, and
at the cab-window, eagerly watching TO
any signal from home, stood Bob Styles.
"Myl" he exclaimed, catching the ligh
in the window mildly glowing in the dusl
of evening. 81 am wanted. Willie i
sicker. Ingalls," he shouted to a spar
hand and an engineer riding with him
stake my engine, please, and let me leav
at the next station. They said l nigh
at the superintendent Office and home
signal says Pm wanted"
The engineer reached his home an
gave his wife his strong, patient help a
night until, at the dawn, the last sta
ceased to swing its lamp from the dom
of the sky.
"Better this morning." said the docto
when he came in "Willie is little be
ter and good nursing is bearing fruit.
am glad you got home, Mr.. Styles"
II can thank my wife for putting out
faithful signal calling me home" reptile
gone, Nancy Styles said, " Thank IL
beer-money for the light it helped me get
Beer-money :" enquired the enginee
His wife told him the story of her pc
plexity and her subsequent relief. Ar
then the engineer of "No. Nine" serious
asked himself if ten cents occasioned
much relief, what would have been a
complished if all his beer-money had be-
saved ? That problem in arithmetic Il
boss of "No. Nine" concluded aloud
this very emphatic way, Catch me drin
ing up any more money in beer / mel
to save my money"
And his wife, from the depths of b
heart, said, "Thank God 1t had
the gratitude of Hebrew psalm, and
Gods ear 1t made as sweet music.-R