The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-25


groan drew the sesrchers back, and Frank
Dorsey was found half covered by a snow
drift.
They reused him from the faint into
which he had fallen and took him home. A
leg and an arm we're broken, and 10 was a
sad Christmas day the Dorseys spent, not
knowing whether or not he would recover.
he said to John: 80. 49,
"I'm going west. You won't bear any
thing OF me for three years. am going to
stop drinking IL l can. IL l don't win
youth never see me again, but II succeed
L VIII be home on Christmas eve, three
years from nown
The boy had pluck in bis eye, and John,
hoping Tor the best, said: GOOD byw and
saw him of on his journey.
II.
Three years went by and the Dorseys
heard nothing Of Frank save now and then
! a vague report of his having been seen.
buo with the absent young man life was
hard and active. He had gone to a rapidly
growing railroad center and advanced
! quickly. He secured a position soon after
he reached there and gave that and Others
up one after another as he rose. He never
drank now, but devoted himself to business,
and was prosperous. After two years he
wanted 20 return home to see his mother
and bis brother and sister, but he insisted
that he must prove himself rid of his vices
by sticking out the full term of his self
imposed exile. So he waited.
AT home there was a young woman of 90,
Grace Morrison, whom John had loved for
couple OF years, though he never told her
OF his affection. He would wait, he thought,
some day, within the next few years, he
might be able to marry. But he often saw
her, as she was near friend of his sister,
and sometimes he took her to a theater or
to party. He thought she looked not un-
kindly on him, and he was content. But
several months before 10 was time for Frank
either to come home or TO decide to remain
away forever, Grace went west to visit her
cousins. She expected TO stay month or
SO, but time went on and she did not return
prolonging her stay first on one pretext and
then on another, until Christmas drew near
A day or. two before the holiday John
had telegram from Frank, saying: ~ am
coming home for Christmas,p and his heart
was full OF joy. Now all was happiness.
Grace, too, would be home soon, and the
prospect for joyous holiday-time was
clear. His brother had sown his wild oats
and il all went well perhaps the next Christ
mas or the next might find Grace willing to
accept the hand of even a locomotive ems
gineer.
Christmas eve came aud John found him.
self able to be at home just in time to wait
the coming Of Frank. Supper was ready
on the table and mother, sister and brother
expectantly sat listening for some sound TO
tell them that he was come. Mrs. Dorsey
peeped up and down the street anxiously
beneath the curtain every few minutes and
at last, when they had begun to fear that
he would come by a later train, rattle of
wheels and CHATTER of hoofs, which stoT ped
before the door, drew them to their feet. A
moments suspense and John flung the door
open. Yes, there was Frank handing lady
out Of cab. They came up the steps TO-
gether.
"Frankr exclaimed John. "How glad 1
am you are backr
Then looking at the lady he was aston
ished to see the face of Miss Morrison.
"Grace" he cried. "Why how nice It
was for Frank to bring you home"
The girl bowed and blushed She turned
to Mrs. Dorsey and Mary, who, after
showering embraces and kisses on Frank,
greeted her warmly.
Then Frank, taking Grace by the hand,
walked into the center OF the little parlor.
John opened his eyes at this familiarity and
a look OF apprehension flashed across his
face, which paled in the lamp light. he had
a dim consciousness of what he was to hear.
"Mother, y said Frank, Tin returning to
you have not only brought you a son but
q udukubSIs Iob Illc A1tTOuuC6 my WIG
John took his Disappointment bravely.
After all Grace Morrison had never given
him encouragement, and he remembered
how he once, years ago when they were
children, thought she was fond OF Frank.
So the engineer kept his sorrow to himself
and found his heart big enough to love the
brother who had won the girl he himself
had loved.
Neither his mother, his sister nor Frank
auopaCfa1 what had haan In hut
Grace knew. for there are little tender nesses
which a man will show to woman whom
he loves which no one else receives, and
which the feminine nature is quick to note
as the true testimony OF affection. She un-
derstood what noble nature was Johns.
So Christmas day passed full of happiness
for all of the Dorseys save John, who found
a sadness In 1t, though his sorrow did not
show upon his features. He buried it
within aud set the foot Of his strong deter
mination upon its grave.
After few days Frank and Grace re-
turned to their home in the west. They
went by way Of New York and they chose
Johns train TO ride upon. Before taking
their seats in the parlor car they walked up
to the locomotive and bade John good-by.
Some Of the hystanders stared at seeing
this we'll dressed couple shaking hands with
an engineer, whose overalls and jackets
were fiecked with spots of oil, but they did
not mind that; they were fondly gazing
upon the noole-minded, lsrge-hearted fellow
who stood before them swinging q long
Iosed oil can in his left hand as he talked.
"Only two minutes" said John, Rlancing
at big open-faced silver watch; you had
batter get aboard"
The good-bys we're said, the happy bride
and her husband went back to their car,
and the engineer took his seat in the cab.
The air whistle sounded shrilly. John pulled
the lever Of the valve, and with an "Oughl-
Uughl-Oughl" No. 854 rolled out of the
station for the north. What the engineer
was thinking OF no one knew, but there was
a tender, sad light in his eyes, even as they
noted the position of the semaphores on the
masts signaling "All clear"
He pulled brier pipe out of his pocket
loaded it with some close-packing tobacco
and began to smoke. And when the blue
wreaths we're thick about his head No. 654
went faster and faster. His sorrow was be-
hind him now, literally as well as fgurat-
lively, though he did not think of the couple
in the parlor car at the rear OF the train; to
him they seemed to be away out west. He
had settled down to his work and his
thoughts were Of his engine and of his duties.
The day would come when he would rise,
he would not be an engineer always, facing
danger every hour he was on the road. So
the mile posts few by and the distance to
the last stop grew shorter aud shorter at the
rate of fifty miles an hour. After all the
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