The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-09-20

| whether it would have been bettet for
Tom as well as for the railroad if they
had not given him so important run SO
/ soon.
| Within few weeks very serious ac-
cident had happened to Toms engine,
causing not only long continued block
ing of the track, but large money loss
as well. The officers had thought it
their duty to investigate the matter
| thoroughly. There was some question
whether the weakness which had resulted
in the accident ought to have been dis
covered: and it, perhaps, would have eX-
| onerated Tom on the ground that his
| oversight was excusable; but he had
himself stated positively that the part
which had failed so soon afterwards was
| all right and strong when he had exam
ined his engine a few minutes before
starting. However, there was differ
| ence of opinion, and ROmer had received
only an official reprimand and caution.
Mr.. Steele had spoken to him in friend
ly way in regard to his various mischances
and begged him to be careful. Although
Tom had not lost his nerve. it was no
wonder that he was little bit worried
and nervous.
"Well, Tom" Jennie said to him.
'you must not worry about II. Bad
luck cannot follow you always"
But am not sure that bad luck has
much to do with it"
"Why, what do YOU mean" she
asked as she looked at him in quick alarm.
He would have given great deal if he
had been more careful. lie did not want
to tell any one of his suspicious; he did
not want to tell her, of all persons in the
world.
Long before. when Tom Romer first
began his service with the company, a
schoolmate of his Henry Warner. began
too, and In the same way. With him
Romcr had always been on good terms:
or, at least. had tried to be. Unfortu.
nately. however. as time went on and
Tom was advanced more rapidly. Henry
began to think himself badly used, and
slowly he grew more and more jealous of
Toms good fortune and better prospects.
He was now himself in charge of an en-
CINE. but his work was unimp0rtant, and
not by any means so responsible as Ro-
mer,S. Then. rs fate would have it. they
had both fallen in love with the same
girl. The race for her preference was
short but very sharp. When Tom and
Jennie Middleton were married Henry
Warner carefully absented himself from
the wedding. He felt his grievance
just. He nursed his wrath till it almost
consumed him; he had no other feeling,
it seemed to him.
Tom had tried to retain good feeling
for Warner and to treat him kindly; but
it was too plain that Warner disliked
him. Tom had long suspected that in
some way he could not find out. Warner
had been connected with his various
He believed that his last
mishap had been planned. He believed
that someone had tempered with his en-
CINE. Warner he knew had been near
it Just before he had started; but he
could not connect him more closely with
the accident, and he was determined to
know more accurately before he woc.d
his suspicious Besides. he
knew how it would distress his wife if
she knew who it was that troubled him
and why.
"Why, what do you mean3" she
asked him again as he did not reply
"Pshaw! Jennie, nothing. Come, let
this be real day off. Don't let us think
Of anything unpleasant"
Very well, then" she responded
gayly, after a minute or so of delay
And together they wandered through
the country, beautiful now in the begOp
ming of summer; and they dreamed of
the future, and told one another their
dreams. They looked forward to the
long winter evenings when they should !
sit together before the fire.
Il know" Jennie said, II shall enjoy !
storms then. Won't it be pleasant tc sit !
before the fire and hear the wind and the !
rain outside"
"That will be very different from last
winter" Tom answered.
"Oh, Tom how | did hate to have
you go out in the cold and the dark"
II hated, too, to go. And how quick
~ ten O'clock would come"
Much as Romer loved his wife and !
liked to be with her, he was not sorry
that he had to work on the next day.
He was awake early. The dew was still
fresh and shining on the grass as he fin
shed breakfast.
II must he Off" he said. "You know
when to expect me. shall be on time,
Or know the reason why"
tom. you must not look that way.
You look hard and cruel"
"YOu would not have me weaker,
l.