Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1886-07-28
COSTLY LESSON.

you1 UuelueSS, anu WlLA--WlLH Inal
habit"
Habit, Oracle? Now you are
going a little too far. l don't drink
any more than other men. 1t is moi
confirmed habit with me and never
will be- >~r
"Good-by, Royal!''.
"You won't kiss me? You are
vexed?''
"Only sorry, Royal. Because
know that papa will never let me
marry a man who drinks!'' ~
Royal Merriam turned on his heel
and he strobe away, muttering some
thing about "narrow-minded old fools
who expect every one to be cut afte,
their own pattern"
But he had walked only little dis
lance when the cloud cleared away
from his face, and the old, careless
good-natured smile once more came
back.
"Dear little Gracie!' he said to him.
self. perhaps she's right, after ALL
I believe am getting more fond of q
stray glass than 1 ought TO be, but Of
course there's no danger. A man car
always control himself. Still, III &c
back tomorrow and make peace with
the little blue-eyed kitten, and if she
wants me to promise, why I'll promise. -
Tho "Shepherd's Arms" WAS an up.
pretending little village hosiery,
through whose drawn red curtains the
evening lights shone cheerily, and
Royal Meriam's boon companions
welcomed him uproariously. x,
You 're coming to the end of your
rope, old fellow" said one. 1.-The
superintendent is going to strike every
body that drinks a social glass off from
tho list. Says it amt business like
can afford to run any risks
II don't know what the worlds
coming to, for my part, " said another,
looking into the bowl of his short
black pipe: IA man might as we'll be
aslave and done with it."
eve heard something of it before, -
said Merriam, carelessly. II don't
know but what it is wise enough reg
ulation, on the whole. But there s
ono thing certain; I'll drink the super
intendent's health tonight, if l never
do again."
A general laugh echoed this asser-
tiou of koyal Merriam; and in the hour
or two that followed, poor Grace Ar
den pitcous request, Grace Arden
tear-brimming blue eyes were entirely
forgotten.
"Drunk-I drunk! Never was more
sober in my life. Yes, yes, know it's
time to start, and here l am as fresh as
a cricket"
Royal Merriam swung himself to his
place on the glittering. tire-throated
locomotive with the careless case and
lightness of q mounaineer.
go ahead" he called out.
The depot master looked curiously al
him. :..,
You may not be drunk said he,
soto voce, ''but you have drinking my
fine fellow. and you1l get reported at
headquarters before the world is
twcnty-fonr years older. =
So saying he drew a little leather
memorandum-book out of his vest
pocket, and wrote down the words,
Merriam, engineer Flying Dart" upon
it, with the slow mechanical accuracy
of one who considers it in his own mind:
Merriam fully believed his own asser.
ton that he was not drunk. He had
been drinking good deal, but then he
knew his brains could stand more
than the average of brains. He felt a
sort of ightness-a jocular content
as he sat there at hisEpost. The lights
along the road sparkled more prom
inently than usual the stars seemed
to shine with unwonted brightness,
and once or twice he; caught himself
huskily answering some one who had
not spoken.
Ali of sudden he grew sleepy-his
brain seemed TO grow confused.
"All right" said he-''all right! I'll
back the Flying Dart against any en-
CINE on the road! Why She couldn t
60 wrong if she was to try! Are we
are we far from the draw6ridge?''
The fireman suddenly started to his
feet, with . hoarse, ~gasping cry.
"The >signal!' shouted he. "The
red light! Stop her for Gods sake!
Sonnd down the brakes! We are on
the bridge, and the draw is open!
In less than . second the mists and
drowsiness, and fatal lethargy, seemed
to clear away from the engineers
brain, and he had fully comprehended
the awful terror OF their position-the
express train rushing at dizzy speed
toward the yaHning guilt; which lay
beneath the black liver. sss.!a.s
The signal and he had not seen it,
Mechanically he sounded the whistle,
sharp and shrill-two brief. unearthly
shrieks-and then sprang out into the
darkness. through which the red light
!! etraa like An eve of sEllen fire!
He had done what he could to
save the fated train, and he grasped
blindly at the one chance in Ave hun
dred for his own life.
'He sprang, and striking against the
beams. lost all consciousness in the in
slant that the train skipped by MIN, its
long array of lights cleaning and
vanishing, and faces here and there
looking out of the windows all I'M
conscious that they were going on to
death! -, -.
A bleak December day, with the
snow-tiakes clicking against the win
dow panes, a wood fire cracking on
the hearth, ard Grace Arden's light
figure coming and going like little
brown-robed Sister of Charity-Royal
Meriam's eyes vaguely took in these
things. lying among his pillows, before
he remembered a.sz s...-
Remembered! Rendered, that he