The Penn's Grove record., 1892-09-09

OLD brydnfe 0duRnter. ones M Desb
known girl from Horseshoe Gap to
Powder erik. Old Bryan's been en-
gineer on the road yer siuce the
track was laid. All eyes she was
then, as she Is now. What wasn't
eyes was temper. Same now, savin'
that now she bosses the boys In addi-
ton to old BRYAN. She ear run an
engine with the best of'em. Bryan's
taught her all the tricks, and he
thinks the suE rises and sets for Just
her."
"Strange she would defend Q 60
pher, when she's go hard on the boys"
observed Dave.
THAT'S just it That's Briel
Rose! She's got more tame pets;
she's friendlier with every beast In
Weepin' Willer than with any Of the
boys. She amt even got q head fur
anybody but old Bryan; you notice ]
make no mention Of heart ~concernin'
Brier Rose; / don't keer 70 talk OF
what she amt gotAand Just now
she's specially bewitched about him.
After keepin' straight for forty years
he's taken to drink. The girl knows
he'll lose his job II the company gets
wind of it, and she watches him like
a hawk"
whats Bryan's run?"
Horseshoe to Powder erik. She
Knows every inch Of track and siding.
And I wish you could see her handle
the critter. She knows all Bryan
does, and she's a heap sight quicker
calc'latin' than the old man. It's
with while to see her oil aud clean
the machine. She goes over 1t a.
spry as a kitten"
'sShe's handsome" said Dave, sim.
ply.
"Humph! Handsome 10 "a hand.
some does" observed Joe, grumpily.
"She is cold as Ice and hard 90 q rock.
It's my belief that she amt got no
heart same as other wimmin., And
sassyp Lor'"
IL.
In spite Of what he had heard, or
perhaps, because of what he has
heard, all things, even the melan-
choly town itself, grew rose colored
to Dawes sunny eyes. With his un-
failing cheerfulness he waited hope
fully for news Of his appointment at
Red Valley, and lowered, 10 II fasci-
mated, around Engine No. ~.
Neither the boys nor old Bryan
we're slow to notice this, the latter
having accepted such attentions Pc
riodically from all the young men. 1t
was so inevitable q proceeding that
up to the time of the Middleton's
dance they paid no attention to 1t.
But that night something extra
ordinary occurred.
The next day as Brier Rose rode
DOWN the street IN her hardy little
poney, the boys gathered around her
eagerly, notwithstanding the fact that
she had a stout little whip in her
hand. They had something new and
strange to tease her about
'.Brier Rose, called out Jim, as she
drew rein, s.you don't care nothin'
about dancin', do your"
YOU'D ruther set all the even,
wouldn't you. nowp"
'D'you like the name o. Dave, or do
sou reckon you'd rather have Com.
stock?"
Rose looked from one to the other
As the bottled I'D taunts fell rapidly
upon her ears, her cheeks and lips
growing scarlet. For once her ready
tongue failed her. Small need to ask
them what they meant Too well
she knew. But was her subjugation
apparent in such a trife? And 90 soon?
And Dave as yet had said nothing.
Emboldened BY her silence. they went
further.
"What does he say about it?"
The shamed crimson leaped to he,
Sery temples and receded, leaving her
face pitifully white. Her wounded
pride now painted for but one thing
"a way out. Probably he knew 1t too
She saw him coming down the street.
''Do you love him? Say, Brier
Rose, do you love Dave?:" cried the
me furthest from her whip
Her courage came back at Dawes
approach and the spell OF her I'M.
wonted silence was broken.
"Do I love him?" she cried, looking
MIN fairly In the face. II come
She turned her horse sh.rn,v and
the blows the hovs had ernected fail
IN her rerv littIa nonv Ia cransd
his neck and went mn the street an .
dead rim hut fast "a Rose fev The
grisved loot In nave comstock,. hins
yves kent pace with her.
That nicht Joe adgsted srorna
onable Ia decide whether or not he
should speak TO Dave about the oc-
currence OF the afternoon. Dawes
genial smile and CHEEKY hopefulness
were gone. He sat with his face
buried In his folded arms.
Joe coughed nsesily and said moth
ing. Dave looked down at his poor
MANNED foot
"Joe, do you know that little bah,
1 saved from the wreck had brown
eyes like Brier Rose9 I remember
the baby smiled when l held II out
to the men. You know my foot was
caught and l couldn't move. I've
never cen Brier Rose smile at me