The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1888-04-14
ENGINEER BEN'S GOOD LUCK.

ENGINEER BEN'S GOOD LUCK.
Rosy cheeks. blue eyes, arbur n
hair, plump form, faultless teeth that
cleaned when she laughed-that was
Rosie Fem.
a tall, muscular, dark featured
young man, with hristling mustache,
black eyes, and brown halr--that was
benjamin Fales. Nobody could mako
a popgun or a s'hummer'' quite so we'll
as Ben-Uncle Ben, we boys used to
call him. Rosie was only our hired
girl, and Ben drove truck for dry
goods house, but the same cupid that
shoots his arrows ON Fifth avenue had
aimed his missiles at Ben and mayhap
at Rosie. There was no mistaking
that Ben was IN love with her. I hid
behind tho kitchen door-bOylil1e, and
saw him take her shrinking hand and
heard him tell her how he worshipred
the ground she walked on.
l could not then understand why she
tossed her head and told Ben that he
was a fool, and that he hadn't money
enough to keep mouse, let alone sup
port wife. Then she ran away and
Ben strodo or to his work looking ter
rlblV sad. And what did Rosie do but
rush into the sitting-room. throw her.
self face downward on the old hair
cloth sofa and sob as if her heart was
breaking.
tried to comfort. her. for she
thought much of me; but felt some.
how that had blundered when she
sprang up her blue eyes all wet with
tears, seized my arm and said: $50 you
played eaves-dropper, did you. If you
ever tell Den that I cried will box
your ears.n
The very next g; ening as Rosie was
bustling about the house there came q
knock at the door, and who should
come in but Bob Fallon. I was young,
but knew enough to realize that Bob
was in love with Rosie just as Ben
was. didn't like Bob. but I envied
him. IIe was a locomotive engineer
and once he took me aboard his engine
and let me ride with him from the sta
tion to the round house. How insig-
ni1cant poor Ben, driving truck, ap-
peared to Bob running an engine. And
yet 1 loved Ben and hated Bob. I
almost hated Rosie, because she smiled
on Bob while she repelled Ben.
Ben came to my mother and poured
the story Of his woe into her sympa-
'thetlc ears, but she only shook her
head and said: "You must never think
J of marrying RosIe." He went away
sorrowful, but in q few days he re-.
turned to my mother, his honest face
radiant with pleasure. He had So.
tcured place as fireman on the road
where Bob ran, and had been promised
% place as engineer as soon rs he had
had the necessary experience on the
line. It wasn't long before Ben, who
somehow had influence with the COM
pany, came to tell us that he had been
made an engineer. Rosie was present
but she didn't seem to hail his good
fortune with any interest. Bob came
i'm, glowored at Den, and sat down
near Rosie. She smiled on him, list
ened intently to the stories of his rail-
road experiences; and Ben finally left
the house looking very disconsolate.
1t was proud day for mo when I
stood at the depot and saw Zen board
the great engine Of which he was mas.
ter, pull its shining lever and send it
flying over the rals. Ben wasn't q
learned man, but it was rs good q
inovel to hear him afterward tell his
sensations when for the first time he
opeIed the throttle-valve and felt the
great machine moving at his will.
Poor Benl Not month had gono
when he came to our house utterly
crestfallen, He had lost his situation.
The Journals Of his engine had been
'ruined on one or his trips and the mas
Ter mechanic had discharged him for
'carelessness. "Ye6 know I oiled all
the bearings carefully" said Ben. "I
can't understand how it happened. -
Rosie tossed her head higher than ever
when she heard Of Ben's iil.fortune
and gave him not a word of comfort.
Ben called my mother out Of the room
sand begged her to intercede with Rosie In