Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1893-11-25
OVER The TRESTLE.

who had Lost his lub only lew days
after he had married the prettiest girl In
the little manufacturing town where he
lived. lie argued rather shrewdly that
the loss of his place was or might be ow-
ing To the influence of = rejected rival who
was related 10y ties of blood To the senior
member of the firm that had employed
him, for Henry Collier had taken Fanny
Ayres' refusal to be his wife very much to
heart.
Though invited tn the simple wedding,
he had not only remained away, but had
aid some hard and bitter things, and
while under the influence OF liquor had
thrown out vague threats Of future re-
venge. There are always ofiicious " friends"
who carry tales under such circumstances.
Orin was not slow To hear the remarks
which Collier had passed. but was too
happy to give much heed TO them. When,
however, on the next pay day, he, among
others, was "left off, ;" with the assurance
that it was necessary 10 reduce the
force" though IL had always been the Gus
tom to retain married men, he could not
help but remember them. To attempt to
find employment at his trade at time
when all manufacturing interests were at
so low an ebb seemed almost useless.
Things began to look very dark indeed
before any opportunity whatever came to
him. Grin had begun his search for
work by having some choice n to what
be would do. He ended IL by taking the
only position he could get.
lie was acquainted with one Of the
officials of "A railroad exten sion which had
recently been built 10 the north Of the
town In which he lived. Upon being ap-
Al. 4 s,... "A
sufficiently i'm Orin's case 10 get for him
| the humble position OF track walker at
very important point on" the road some
90 miles away. A primitive cottage had
| been built in a romantic looking SPOT, 30
| far as nature was concerned, but "A rather
| desolate looking one as human nature, nc
customed to the busy life OF n town, might
| view 1t.
This cottage near the railway was for
| the accommodation Of the track--or rath-
er the bridge walker and his family. for the
section OF the road placed under Orin's
care ran over trestlework bridge, built
entirely OF wood, As or 90 feet high, and
three quarters OF u mile In length, extend
| Ing over the dry bottom OF what was
| known under the euphonious title OF Mos
| quito lake The young mans duty was
| to consist In walking over this trestle, aft
er the passage of each train, night and
day. He was to look carefully ~ he
walked and observe whether spark from
a locomotive might have lodged In some
crevice among the trestle timbers, and II
so extinguish IL.
At intervals along the track small plat
forms, supported by the extended ties, held
stationary barrels filed with water. In
| each barrel was pail, or "bucket," with
/ which the water might be dipped up.
Fannie yielded gracefully TO the inevi.
table, and with her little store Of home be
longings, made, Orin declared, 1.-The will
derpess to blossom like he rose" At any
rate, the little cot was theirs free OF rent.
The pay for the position, with the garden
Orin made, would feed them, and their
clothes would last, perhaps, until tbs
dawning Of more prosperous days.
Day after day Grin walked over the high
trestie. and every night in the wake OF
the flying train might be seen his solitary
figure on its lonely beat II the moon did
not shine and it was very dark, he some
times took with him his lantern, but ho
explained to Fannie that spark could be
| seen To better advantage in the dark.
The poor girl always felt nervous when
| he went out in the night without his Ian
tern.
"You might make n misstep and fall"
urged she.
"No danger" he laughingiy replied,
"when one keeps in the middle OF this
road"
One day when the Wakelys had been
domiciled in their new home for some
time and were beginning to be accustom-
ed to the life, Fannie, sitting sewing by
her little front window, cast her eyes care
lessly toward the high trestle, thinking
how strange the providence TINT had
brought them there.
A man was passing along the ties. She
drew back suddenly; then bent forward
to look again. IL was certainly Henry
Collier. What could have brought him
therei Did it portend any evil to Orini
While che looked the man walked on
and passed out OF sight. When she could
see him no longer, her startled fears sub
sided He was probably there on business
OF his own. which had no reference to
Grin or herself xtill she hesitated to
mention the circumstances to her husband,
knowing how intensely and with what
good reason he disfked Henry Collier.
That night, shortly after the train had
thundered by, Orin started out into the
darkness to follow over the trestle. At
night fears subdued in daylight became
active once more. Fannie recalled the cir
cumstances OF Henry Golfers passage over
the trestle and could not lie still. She
arose and dressed herself, lighted Orin's
lantern, took the revolver he had forgot
ten, and climbing up the bank set out to
follow him. The wind WAS strong, and
Fannie was timid. Her passage at first
was slow. But presently she saw not
far away flame spring up, small and
slender, famed by the wind. She forgot
her timidity Her feet few onward as II
upborne 10y mercurial wings. She saw
ahead of her, between her and the blaze,
two wrestling forms She heard oaths
and execrations, and her husbands voice
crying out:
"Vill ini Scoundrel Would you burn
the bridget Would you throw me overi"
she few past them like the wind, reach
ed the water barrel, and flooded out the
incipient Llaze of light comhustibles heap
ed near IL. Then, setting down the Ian
tern, she sprang like an angry tigress mt
her husbands assailant, presenting the
cold muzzle of the weapon she carried to
his head, demanding that he release his
hold and surrender, or she would fire.
Henry Collier was "A coward at heart.
| He feared the righteous anger of this in
| furiated wife. His hands fell at his side
| He submitted to have them tied behind
him with the long scarf Fannie had wound
las.Nae hl..