Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-11-21


thing. Whea yoa start out On a run make
up y0rr mind nat you are going 10 I;lalse
tine or dc trying, Don't be afraid Of the
d!t1h II L il your fate to be ditched
All stop lAes-e you e1a t.rt away fF0fa II
b. shutting % steam ey ~ tine she be-
gias to ,.I1p litt!e or you imagine sou
sec soae-l.iss- On tie track. You'll in
agiae you sec lfty things ahead IN one
night, and II YOU go 10 shutting OF for
ITEM you'll never make time. never In
the world. boy
Ard IA good Truth the Old n2a was as
brave . lis words. lie Was known along
tie road e. 4 runner against everything
but red tights Eui fro:a the very first
DAY o. ,ae new engine LIE was changed
rl-a Ill lis old confidence seemed to
le1g9 kl-}. AMI be bceane Instead nervous
aal ti1lid lie blamed it all Oh the new
l3c9..otivc. and particularly OF the cleo
trio head LAMP.
jack. b. said as they were running
eloag one d-y shortly after the new
eagiAs had been PCT il use. this rla-
chine isA't CO.3g to bring re any good
lacI lsaoa tI2t. Ina geltiag nervous.
and an atrai4 to let her oat Oil the down
grades T.lat brilliant light is running
nv eyes. and something wall happen one
of these days, jack. yoa had better leave
tic road 10 and Learn TO be 1 bl--ck-
smith. Al engineer Doesn't amount TO
much
And rs bis pride In his own calling and
career was aroused BY these words, lie
nudgcd the tlrottle open q Little farther.
and the cil look Of satisfaction cane upol
his stern face Bgt this was only for
moment. fi.aidity and disconten. we're
becoming more than ever marked in hiIa,
a 4 -. tFt
a cheerful running mate. Cut jack didn't
uliad That He loved his father dearly,
and did the best be eoGll to eoE.ort and
cheer him.
You'll be ~ right in a day or two.
father. he sid, tho machine is new
and the light is brighter thai You are &c
custo.aed to, but you'n lilo then both
before long
No. | won't" the old man replied.
stubborn in his unhappiness and fore
bodilgs. they arc determined to drive
me of the road with their new tangled
concerns They don't want the old man
any longer. They want ME to get behind
time every day or two and have the boss
looking after me and bouncing ne Eat
III fool en- yet I'll make time or
and br the way his father set lis teeth
Jack knew that tie old ritn meant to
drive ahead through d. end through
darkness. whether Le could see Or lot
But you must leave tie red, JecG,
said Jasper, rs Ee pulled Up Ct 4 @tioa;
"yoa must leave the road. boy There's
trouble coming. and there no reason why
you shouN be in it
But cant leave the road, father.
know no other way to earn livin. >. and.
besides. I want to stay with you.
! No. no. you have only yourself to sup,
pet and you can do that at anything.
Besides. you will not be left without a
( little -
But, father Jack interrupted IL
have more than myself to support. or soon
will have la father Mary las promised
to marry ne.
Jack voice falterod, though he was not
usually timid in the presence of his father,
Jasper looked up with puzzled face,
For the life Of ire can't understand
what girl can see to admire in a big lout
of fellow like you" he said. at the same
time bestowing upon his brawny and
/ Crimy son a lool; which belied lis words.
What does the girl love you forr'
/ II don't know. father said Jack. bash
fully. and bowling his head US if to look at
the water gauge. II don't know unless it
is because She thinks | ain TO be an en-
/ ginecr some day think that $ it. She
wouldn't love me, Ina afraid. if | were
to leave the road. I'm just sure she
wouldn't.
Jack said this without guile. lie be.
lieved it, and his fat her believed it. too.
The old man smiled under his gray beard.
so greatly did tho artless compliment
please him And so, almost without an
effort. and without realizing how elo-
qucutly lie had pleaded lis cause, Jacl,
won Ills fathers consent to his remaining
I on the engine. lie was to marry the girl
/ he loved. md had his fathers consent to
marrying Us quick as he liked. OF course
Jack was very happy. and whistlcd little
tune as he opened tho furnace door and
shovced huge scoops Of eoGi into tho
( glowing frebo1.
Mary Clifford was a pretty girl. She
had great brown eyes, which looked out
from under a brow Of marble wilderness.
/ Her home was near tie railway track.
and there Jack had first seen her whilo
taking occasional iGes with lis father
before mounting the footboard as fire.
man Mary used to stand out at tho
front gate and watch the ears go by. A
locomotive was her ideal Of strength and
dent with brass trimmings and orua-
raeuts. and these, kept shiny is n good
housewives silver. and glistening in tho
sunlight, had caught both the eye and
the fancy Of the big eyed maiden and
done more than half the wooing for the
boy who so proudly rode by Lis fathers
side. Once when tho accommodation
stopped near her home to wait for tho
passing Of Gn extra. to crafty her
curiosity she zane out, and was urged to
visit the locomotive cab and sit on the
engineers perch. and her bravery was
tested by an Invitation to mount the
I pilot or "cowcatcher" and ride down to
the railway crossing. half mile away.
She IVES equal to the occasion, and
thought the odd ride such rare sport that
for many day after, and even after sac
had grown to be a diGuihed young lady.
she ionged to repeat INC experience,
( Well. the we.4ilg lay was set, and all
preparations were dEly made. Jack con
tinuing meanwhile to Ere No. 45l for
/ his fat Ter jasper was becoming familiar
with tie new engine. but the electric
headlight he could not endure without
many word, of grumb!ins and many fore
F bodnCs for the future To add to his
troubles at a time when he was little able
to bear new burdens, he was transferred
( from lis old run on the accommodation to
an express train Most men would have
taAea this for an honor, but to old Jasper
1t was an aiTruut which he could not for
! give Nor could lie help it, either. and so
he took the new run, which ambitious
Jack was glad to get. and between them
they made very good time night after
night
couple Of weeks before the wedding
day Jasper and Jack were On their way
west on a regular trip. when they were
again stopped al the side track near
Mary's home. to pass belated freight
train Jack loa..el in vain for light ia
the Clifford house. for il was near mid
night. Just before the freight came
laundering along. and while Jack was
busy shoveling coal. Oh Jasper was star
tied by catching glimpse of something
which looked 70 him like d human form
stealing through the darkness toward his
engine. bat he instantly attributed the
delus.on to the bothersome electric head
light. turned his eyes away, and soon
afterward opened the throttle and re
sumed his journey II was . rnoonless
night in December and the snow softened
under the rays Of the SIN at midday. had
now been frozen and crystallized on the
ground and along the earthworAs of the
railway 50 that the brilliant rays from
the electric headlamp set the course with
nyril3s Of sparkling diamonds. very
pretty to look upon but exceedingly
troublesome to the eyes OF the veteran
engineer
An h.sr leter rod le,b- n. N;lIo-.s