The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1886-07-17
Thq Ie1esrapnl,
THE NINEFIFTEEN.
By GEORGE r.. SIMS, AUTHOR OF "'osrLER
JoE.'

The eight O'Clock ups just gone, sir-the
London express, you mean
There amt not another as stops here, not
till the nine-fifteeD.
Got any luggage a-comin' ?-Oh, only been
here for the day.
Yes, its quietish village; never was over
We're glad of stranger sometimes, and a
bitof the Lunnon news.
It's lonely mp hcre at the station, and easy
to- get the blues,
For Pm on till the early morning, and
many and many night ~
There's never human being as comes to
bless my sight.
For the last of the trains as stops here is
the party at lOP. NJ.
And then Pm alone with my thoughts like,
and amt always fond o. then1..
Out yOnder's a level crossing, and it's part
O. my work, You know,
To watch here at night for the wagons a
{traye]in, to. and fro.
Been any accidents BLESS you! we're a
boon to the local press
The company has me to stop here just to
try for to mako 'em less.
Why, only last yeas farmer-bnt haven't
you heard the tale
Row old Farmer Burton o. Biriey was
killed by the Limited Mail?
thought as You must ha' heard il, for it
made regular fuss.
And they held an inquiry on It, and they
laid the blame on us.
80 the chaps on the paper said:
But we none of us know as he'd got there,
not till we sec him dead.
They brought it in accidental, the jury as
tried tho case.
But it was no accident neither, though it's
rather likely place.
Come and sit down in my silanty, you've
nearly an hour to wait,
If you care for the rest can tell you the
story Of Bnrton's fate.
ind 1NNNr II 0yv,n
. o. folks beside ~
As knows about Mastor Burton, and why
he came here and died
For the women ha' talked it over, and
whenever that comes about,
Wherever there's secrets hidden, the
women III hunt 'em out.
They wagged their heads when he married
poor penniless Mercy Leigh
Right on the top OF her hearin' as her lover
was drowned at sea.
Lord, how the women chattered-scandalou
things they said!
Hintin' she wanted a husband to hide her
sin with the dead!
This Mercy Leigh was tho daughter of
decentish honest folks,
And Burton had made her an offer, but she
treated his words as Jokes,
For Mercy was barely twenty and Burton
He made a. bit at tho. Sfarmin' and was
counted as well-to-do;
He made it a joke himself like, his love for
"JO0 pf0CCy CnIu,'
And If any one chaffe0 him about it, that's
what he said and smiled,
But under his broad, thick waistcoat, right
in his kind old heart,
know as her nonsense pained him, though
he took in right good part.
1t was pretty well known in the village
that Mercy had set her cap
At the son of old Barnes, tho builder, a
daredevil sailor chap;
And when he was off his cruises, and home
for week or so,
You'd meet, linn and Mercy together
wherever you'd Glanced to go;
And the last time they parted he told her
that g what the gossip say
That he reckoned with luck and weather,
he'd be but month away,
And when he came back he'd we'd her, he
pledged her his solemn word.
He'd persisted Mt sea with his vessel, That
was tho next wo hoard
Now, the very next day this Mercy was
seen, with long white face,
A-makin' for Chumlcigh Mealows--that
was old Burton's place
And one OF his people told mo rs she stayed
the half tho day,
And they heard her a-cryin' and sobbin',
and moanin' hcr heart away.
But when they came out tho farmer had
gotten her hand gripped tight,
And he kissed her and said, "God bless
you!I'll speak to your folks to. night"
1t was known on tho morrow through Birley
that Mercy had promised to we'd
The farmer of Chumtcigh Noadows-but
we noticed her eyes were rcd.
Twas plain as her heart was buried away
in the distant sea,
For saw her tho wcdGin' mornin, and her
looks had u tale for mo.
But she went through tho service bravely,
and the farmers big brown face
Was bright with his love for Mercy, though
The stood It'll dead mans place
think they was happy nj first, too for lie
worshiped tho ground she trod
And he went here and there like Il sheep
dog, obeyin' her every nod,
Yet he'd given his name and honor to n
woman who'd told him--well,
What seldom to ono who'd we'd hor y
woman had dared to tell.
They were married six months and over
when. all OF n sudden. flow
news through the streets of Birlcy, as no.
body thought. was true
That Barnes had escaped the shipwreclS
and was back from a tenst hcnod trim :
he'u been rescued and carried to Mel
bourne aboard ot Il sailin shin
sue hehru u at fiist at the station-f shall
never forget her cry.
we Carried her into this room here-I
thought she was like ono to die:
But she got all right in mint, and, takin,
She walked like 81 tipsy woman hack thr,,
the fields TO the farm.
In loss thnn a month from that. sir. old
Burton lay here dead
here at this Lowell CROSSE g" 4 ccideut." so
they said. ''
But know, for the woman told ,,c ,,h,,,
m seen her before tho quest.
lhat Tor many q night he'd nfuruur. and
talk III his troubled rpst.