The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-05-26

70 remember that it might take longer
than we was calculating on.
'Says l, ff we are kept here week
there won't be a shovelful of Goals left
for any of the fires, let alone the engine. ;
Then don't you think, says she, in
her soft voice, that it would be wise
plan to get all the passengers together in
one car, and keep a good fire up there,
and let the other stoves go out2 It's no
matter if we are little crowded, says
she.
''Well, of course it was the only thing
to do as we see at once when it was put
into our heads. We took the car the
sick lady was in, sol she'd not have to be
disturbed, and we made up beds for the
children, and somehow all the passengers
managed to pack in, train hands and all.
1t was tight squeeze, but that didn't
matter so much, because the weather was
so awfully cold.
''That was the way / come to see so
much of the young lady. hadn't any
thing to keep me about the engine, so 1
kind of detailed myself off to wait on
her. She was busy all day long doing
things for the rest. It's queer how peo-
pies characters come out at such times.
We got to know all about each other.
People stopped string and ma'am-ing
and being polite, and just showed for
what they were worth. The selfish
ones, and the shirks, and the
towards, and the mean cusses who
wanted to blame some one beside the
Almighty for sending the weather-there
want no use foIany of them to try to
hide themselves any more than it was for
the other kind. The women, as rule,
bore up better than the men. 1t comes
natural, suppose, for woman to be
kind of silent and pale and patient when
she's suffering. But the young lady
wasn't that sort either She was as bright
as button all along. You'd have sup
posed from her face that she was having
just the best kind of time
81 can see her now, standing before the
stove roasting jack-rabbits for the 9TH
ers' supper. Some of the gentlemen had
revolvers, and when the snow got crusted
over, SOS they could walk on it, they
used to shoot 'em. And we were glad
enough of every one shot, provisions were
so scanty. The last two days them rabbits
and snow-water melted in pail over the
stove was all we had to eat or drink"
81 suppose there was nothing for you
to do but wait" said Miss Vaughn.
''NO, ma'am; there wasn't nothing
at al for me to do but help the young
lady now and then. She let me help
her more than the rest, 1 used
to think She'd come to me and say,
Mr.. Scott, this rabbit is for you and the
conductor She never forgot anybody
except herself Once she asked me to
hold the sick1ittle girl while she took
sleep. 1t was mighty pretty always to
see her with them children. They never
seemed to have enough of her. All of
them wanted she shqnd put them to bed,
and sing to them, md tell them stories.
Sometimes she'd have all five swarming
over her at once. l used to watch them"
'Well, how did it end9" asked Miss
Vaughn, as the engineers voice, which
had gradually grown lower and more
dreamy, came to stop.
''Eh2 what2 0hl'-rousing himself.
'Tt ended when three locomotives and
relief train from Cheyenne broke through
to Us on the eighth morning after we was
bfSckaded. They brought provisions
and coal, and we got on first-rate after
that. Did the sick lady die2 No, ma'am
She was living, when last heard Of her.
down to Santa Barbara. Two yeafS ago
that was"
"And what became of your young
lady2"
"She left at Sacramento. Her brother
or some one was down to meet her. !
saw him moment He didn't look like
her."
"And you never saw her again2 You
never heard her name"
''No, ma'am; Inever did"
The engineers voice sounded gruff and
husky as he said this. He shoveled in
Goals with needless energy.
care you a married manm asked Miss
Vaughn. The question sounded abrupt
even to herself, but seemed relevant to
something in her mind.
"No."
John Scott looked her squarely in the
face as he replied His countenance was
rather grim and set, and for moment
she feared that she had offended him.
Then, as he met her deprecating gaze, he
reassured her with swift smile.
! ''No, ma'am, amt; and never shall
/ be as know of" he added Second
rate wouldn't satisfy me now, / guess"
He pulled the cord which hung ready to
| his hand and a long screeching whistle
rang out over the plain, and sent the
prairie dogs scuttling into their burrows.
| "This is a feeding station WEI re coming
to-" he explained. Twenty minutes
here for supper ma'am; and it amt
bad supper either. / reckon you'd like
TO have me help you down, wouldn't
youP-Harper'S Bazar.