Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-06-17

ever. stayed about the a and trains
as l .had in my boyhood. I almost
feared they would order Inc away from
the yard.
my business went to nothing Just
then. Perhaps my neglect hurt it, but
| think not, At all events / gave it up.
Then | secured a place a. brakeman
without much trouble"
WAS that PLEASANT" the doctor
asked. 1t was easier to interrupt Dor.
sey now.
''Yes, to me-" he answered; but still
| was glad when | was promoted, as l
"a through the various grades to be a
conductor"
Has there been no chance forfurther
promotion in all these years."
''Oh, yes; but ] have wanted
to leave my train. After a long while |
applied for the place in the sleeping
cars"
For a while neither spoke. The doc
tor, keenly observant, thought that Dor
sey had more to tell; but he waited pa
tiently.
Life has gone very evenly and
smoothly with me since then until last
night. Until last night" he repeated
slowly.
well, what happened them" the
doctor asked as Dorsey paused.
THE train had been made up with
the sleepers first, nearest the engine. /
was standing on the platform waiting
Tor the starting signal to be given, when
suddenly a woman passed me. Some
thing about her-her disordered hair
maybe-attracted my attention; but
before | could look more closely nj her
an engine behind me whistled sharply
and ! turned To see what was the trou-
bic. Later, as | passed her on the
train, her face seemed TO bear n strange,
far of resemblance to some familiar
one; but ! laughed at what | thought
my foolish fancy. There were very
few in the first sleeper, and | returned
to it after ! had made my first trip
through the ears. seated myself op-
posite, across the aisle, from this wo.
man. thought it strange that although
the other passengers had had their
berths made up she had not; but the
porter was within easy reach and | did
not feel it necessary to offer her any
service.
''She was alone in her section. She
sat quietly for the most part. looking
out Of the window. although the night
was very dark. Sometimes she would
become restless and excited. thought
her very nervous and that the frequent
whistling of the engine startled her. As
| remember il now ii seems to me that
she became excited a little before the
blowing Of the whistle. After q while
| closed my eyes-it may be | fell asleep
but ! was recalled to myself by a very
unusual and prolonged whistle of the
engine. Our engineer was determined,
it seemed, that meme Of us should SLEEP
that night As | opened my eyes this
strange woman an In from the front.
Where she had been ! 10 not know, but
there was a bright and happy light in
her eyes. Perhaps | should have spoken
to her, but | was very tired and the
temptation to rest there quietly was o
very strong n
I'm a few minutes ! surely fell ASLEEP
Il know | broke the rules. but il was
for n minute only surely fell asleep,
for ] dreamed that dreadful day all
over again. Once more ] was rudely
Weakened by the engines whistle. As ]
started up a cold wind blowing through
the car me me. and there stood the
strange woman holding the front door
open. looking out into the night. Her
hair had fai,cn loose us Mary's was that
day. 1t was .lary | hurried toward
her.
''Witli "A look Of confidence. and o
smile OF welcome almost, she turned &c
beckon me on. She sprung up On the
tender and laughed ~ioyfuliy, and il
even seemed to me she danced there.
In another moment | would have held
her in my arms. Then the shock
came
As DIR. Irwin leaned over his old
friend he smiled a little, but his eyes
glistened strangely. Had the circum.
stances been otherwise it may be he
would have been tempted to discuss
the matter with Dorsey and to attempt
to convince him that he had been mis-.
led by a simple hallucination. Asst was,
he tried only to make him comfortable
for the little time remaining TO him.
McKendree Bangs in New York Epoch.