Wichita eagle., 1888-09-09

jack knew that the old man meant to
drive ahead through day and through
darkness, whether he could see or not.
But you must leave the road, Jack,
said JASPER. as he pulled up at station;
you must leave the road boy. There's
trouble coming, and there 10 reason why
you should be in it."
But | can't leave the road, father. /
know no other way TO earn living, and.
besides, want to stay with you"
mo, no; you have only yourself to sup
port, and YOU can do that at anything.
BESIDES. you viii not be left without q
little
.sRut. father" Jack inteuupted- IL
have more than myself TO support, or soon
viii have Fafather, Mary has promised
10 marry ne"
Jacks voice faltered. though he was not
usually tinid in the presence of his father.
Jasper looked up with puzzled face.
For the life Of me l can't understand
what girl can see TO admire in big lout
Of d fellow like you" he said, at the same
time bestowing upon his brawny and
griny son look which belied his words.
What does the girl love you forl''
Il don't know, father" said Jack, bash
fully, and bowling his head as if TO look at
the water gauge. Il don't know, unless it
is because she thinks | am TO be an en-
gineer some day. think that's it. She
wouldn't love ne, I'm afraid, if l were
to leave the road I'm just sure she
wouldn't"
Jack said this without guile. He be-
Eeved it, and his father believed it, too.
The old man smiled under his gray beard,
so greatly did the artless compliment
please him. And so, almost without an
effort, and without realizing how elo-
cGently he had pleaded his cause, Jack
won his fathers consent TO his remaining
CT the engine. Re was TO marry the girl
he loved. and had his fathers consent TO
marrying as quick as he liked Of course
Jack was very happy, and whistled little
tune as he opened the furnace door and
shoveled huge scoops Of coal into the
glowing frebox.
Mary Clifford was q pretty girl. She
had great brown eyes, which looked out
from under brow of marble wilderness.
Her home was near the railway track,
and there Jack had first seen her while
taking occasional rides with his father
before mounting the footboard as fire.
man Mary used to stand out at the
front gate and watch the ears 20 by. A
locomotive was her ideal Of strength and
beauty. Jasper's old engine was resplen-
dent with brass trimmings and orna-
ments, and these, kept as shiny as a good
housewives silver, and glistening in the
sunlight, had caught both the eye and
the fancy Of the big eyed maiden and
cone more than half the wooing for the
boy who SO proudly rode by his fathers
side. Once when the accommodation
stopped near her home TO wait for the
passing Of an extra" to crafty her
curiosity She came 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
pilot or .cowcatcher" and ride down to
the railway crossing, half q mile away.
She was equal to the occasion, and
thought the odd ride such rare sport that
for many a day after, and even after she
lad grown to be a dignifed young lady,
she longed to repeat the experience.
q Well, the wedding day was set, and all
preparations were duly made, Jack con-
tinuing meanwhile to fire" No. 451 for
his father. Jasper was becoming familiar
with the new engine, but the electric
headlight he could not endure without
many words Of grumbling and many fore
bodings for the future. To add TO his
troubles AZ a time when he was little able
to bear new burdens, he was transferred
from his old run on the accommodation to
an express train Most men would have
taken this for an honor, but to old Jasper
it was an afTront which he could not for
give. Nor could he help il, 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.
i couple Of weeks before the wedding
day Jasper and Jack were on their way
west on Il regular trip, when they were
again stopped at the side track near
Mary's home, TO pass s belated freight
train Jack looked in vain for light in
the Clifford house. for it was near mid
night. Just before the freight came
laundering along. and while Jack was
busy shoveling coal, old Jasper was star
tied by catching a glimpse Of something
which looked TO him like a human form
stealing through the darkness toward his
engine, but he instantly attributed the
delusiop to the bothersome electric head
light, turned his eyes away, and soon
afterward opened the throttle and re-
sumed MS Journey. 1t was moonless
AyS1GAA4OS4s AN VAC oL4N SUI NCAASN
under the rays of the sun at midday. had
now been frozen and crystallized on the
ground and along the earthworks of the
railway, so that the brilliant rays from
the electric headlamp set the course with
mvriads Of sparkling diamonds, very
pretty to look upon but exceedingly
troublesome 10 the eyes OF the veteran
engineer.
An hour later red light at Miller's
Station caused Jasper to put on the brakes
and come to q stop.
There's the train order. said the tele-
graph operator, appearing at the cab
window, and here's a private message
for Jack"
My God. fatherr' cried Jack, reading
his message before Jasper had deciphered
the first words of the train dispatcher's
order on the yellow manifold paper. read
that! What shall we dof''
Jasper took the dispatch and read:
Mary Clifford has disappeared Search
parties are out. Come home"
Jack was frantic, and wanted TO Jump
off the engine and start back on foot. But
cid Jasper had better idea.
Wait till we get 70 Snithville," he
said, and there you may ask the fireman
OF No. . TO take your place, while you
take his and return home. That is all
that can be done. ny boy"
They were two very sad men who rode
away in the cab Of engine Isl. They had
not word 70 say 10 each other. Each
was busy with his own thoughts Jasper
was thinking that his forebodinrs were
beginning TO bear fruit. and that the new
engine and the electric lamp had brought
bad luck at last. Jack was trying 10 think
what IL the world had become Of Mary