Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-11-26
POLLY WARD, fLAGnAN.


I.
Miss Polly Ward had grievance.
Tears Of angry disappointment stood in
ner eyes as she sat under the spreading
branches OF the old elm tree in tho
front yard Of her pretty home. And
an This had been caused by the big.
proad-shouldcred young fellow who was
now making his way across the open
prairie toward the 20" roundhouse,
uinner basket in his hand. and with the
usual roll Of overclothes under his arm.
rhe Motherhood Of Railroad Firemen
We're to give the first dance OF the sea-
son that night. aud Joe Quinn. the
p'lsni young engineer with whom Polly
had been Keeping company" for over
a year. had promised to take her: and
now Just as the evening shades were
iiilllng, and II was nearly time to don
w pretty dress made with such loving
Vare Tor the occasion, he had come TO
.nc mouse and told her It would be I'M
possible for him To Keep his engage
mont He had been called TO 50 out
on NO 3, the limited and could not
get on, II was enough TO yex saint,
thought Polly.
John Ward. Poliy's father, had been
~ the employ of the 20" company for
/ years' and had risen from position as
ianorer 10 that OF foreman OF the round
mouse. on the night OF which we write
! ne mad been home 10 supper aud had
/ ueen obliged 90 return To the round
mouse 10 complete some pressing work
| upon locomotive.
| Polly was alone, and. with nothing
I else to do sat under the big tree aud
I srieved over her disappointment.
| Aeroas the level prairie she could
dimly see, In the growing dusk. the
outline OF the monster shops aud en-
4 gine shed, on the turntable track near
the water tank sho saw the bright rays
OF an electric headlight. which she well
Knew was on the hig ten-wheeler her
| lover was TO run that night Size could
see the tlaring torches OF Quinn and his
fireman, as they worked around the
/ ponderous machine, getting her ready
for the wild rush Of the fast express.
The schedule Of the train was very fast
and Polly wen knew that Joe would
take especial pride In showing his SUI
perlors that he had the necessary nerve
and ability to make the time.
The mellow tones of the engine bell,
softoned by the intervening distance,
toated across the plain. rouslng Polly
from her reVeric. and telling her that
her lover had started for the passenger
depot In the city, two miles away. She
watched the headlight until II dlsap-
peared around the curve and was about
TO start for the house. when her atten-
ton was attracted by voices on the
other side OF the high, light board fence
that inclosed one side OF the lot scarcely
ten feet from where she sat.
81 tell you it's dead sure 20 n we
only hustle. That's Quinn now, backing
down on the g. He'll run the life out
Of 'em out OF here and couple OF good
oak ties stuck in that trestlc VIII do the
job slick enough. After the tumble
they'll get, nobody will be watching
very close, N we can grab the safe N
make sneak for the woods
"God. Bill said a second voice. 81
don't just fancy killing such a lot OF
people as thatll do. Can't We flag 'em
at the trestle m 20 through the car
same as the other gangs DOT There's
six OF us, m We ought to be able to
blur that express man easy enough"
ITS no use talking about that now.
Hank" responded the first speaker
1.-THE boys have got the thing all fixed
now, m we can't change IT, Come on,
wen have to run II we want to get to
Rock Creek before Quinn does"
AS they finished their low-toned. hur-
rled talk two men came from behind
the fence and started 10 run down the
road toward the railroad track.
Polly was bright, quick witted girl
and generally very sef-relianti but now
she stood In the black shadows Of the
big tree. completely paralyzed by the
atroclty OF the awful plan these men
had revealed.
They were going to wreck No. to
rob the express safe.
How could she give the alarm In time
TO avert this awful sacrifice " human
life? II was over half Il mile from her
house across the prairie to the shops,
and from them 1t was nearly as far
to the main track, 10 reach which one
would have 20 cross the intricate tracks
of the great switching yards. which, at
this time in the year, We're crowded
with grain cars. Could she get to the
shops, find some one trustworthy; tell
her story. and sim have time enough
for her messenger 10 reach the main
track and stop the train2
While these questions were flashing
through her brain the little clock In
$3.50 and at the train loft the city.
Suddenly she started to the house on u
run, crying
II can do III know cam
on Joe's last trip she had given n
little lawn party, and Quinn, with the
Characteristic love Of railroad man
for light and color, had brought over
green, blue and red, and white. 10 hang
In the trees. and now they were stack
ed In the hall. awaiting their return to
the storer0om. In second Polly was
beside the pile. holding first one. then /
another between her eyes and the great /
arc light at the shops. She soon found /
what she wanicd-a red one-and with /
IL clasped In her arms ran to the ktch-
en- for matches with which TO light It.
Match after match was struck, only I
TO 20 out but at last success crowned |
her offcrts, and the light burned |
bright and cellar. In another moment I
she was speeding down the road, bare |
headed, thinking only OF Joe and the |
awful fate that awaited him II she were
not on time.
Lowing the city OF 60 The road |