Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1894-09-21

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sJntG officials were Mt
their wits ends
An accident enabled Freight En-
gineer Billy Burnton to discover the
thieves and enabled the company to
recover large quantity of the stolen
goods.
A substantial reward was rendered
him for his services, but it was only
after being repeatedly urged to accept
it by the President of the road him
self that he accepted it.
you've earned it honestly" urged
his superior, ''for our offer extended
to everybody. Now ] am going to put
you on the Imperial. -
And this was more gratifying to the
young engineer than the money re-
ward, for the Imperial was through
fast express and the engine which
whirled it from one end to the other
of the W, G. a b. line was the fastest
and handsomest piece of mechanism
that ever delighted the heart of To-
connective engineer really loving his
profession and the implements Of bis
calling.
AS further evidence of the trust
reposed in him, Billy was given a two
weeks vacation with full pay.
One of his first acts was to "dress
up" and pay a visit to his sweetheart,
pretty little Nellie Byrnes, whose
father, old Larry Byrnes, had died
while Billy was serving an apprentice
ship at firing on the engine which
Larry had run for many years.
For year past they had been en-
gagged, and there was no reason, Billy
thought, why the marriage day should
not be fixed upon.
OF course Nettie was delighted to
hear of her lovers good fortune, and
when he pressed her she blushingly
consented to fix the wedding day.
1t was nothing strange to them that
Billy should consider himself man
very much to be envicd, when upon
the expiration Of his leave of absence
he laid firm hand on the throttle
and felt the big express locomotive
throb beneath his touch.
For month he continued without
adventure in his now position.
Then, much to his regret, he was
obliged to clay OFF, for several days
to testify in court against the freight
car robbers who had been arrested
through his efforts
When they were called up for sen
tence the leader, white-faced, suaky-
eyed man, turned iercely upon the
engineer, and shaking his fist called
down upon the young mans head the
vilest and most horrible maledictions.
r 'I'll have your life for this, you
hound !" he cried.
Nettie had been sitting beside Billy,
and when the robber turned upon her
lover she uttered a frantic cry and
chung to him convulsively.
AS soon as possible one of the cour
officers drew Billy aside and whis
pered:
"You heard what that sneak said?'
"Of course. "
she means it, e"
'1'm not afraid of him."
"Dont say that too quickly, my
friend. / believe that he would com
NIT murder quicker than any Other
man in the United States. There
nothing that he won't do to ge
square.
"But he's going straight to prison.
"Quite right" assented the cour
officer, and then added, significantly
Sometimes, you know, prisoner
escape, and it's almost always fellows
of his desperate type who manage t'
do the escaping. BY the way, is tina
your wife with you?"
"Not yet.
"Oh, your sweetheart. Well, then,
can give you another point. If thi
sneak thief ever does got out of prison
he's likely to try to find out all abou
you, and then he may let you live an,
kill her instead"
"Then l will be on my guard, an
thank you, said Billy, his teeth clos
ing together with snap.
About week after the trial Bill
and Nettie were married and bega
housekeeping in pretty little cottag
at the end OF the young engineer
run, SO that he could clay OFF, a
home.
Nettie had often ridden on tho ell
CINE with her father, and MS Bill coul
not afford to take her upon an exter
sive wedding tour she had laughingl
declared that she would make honey
moon trip upon the big express loco
motive.
SO it happened that the morning n
ter the wedding found her snugl
coiled upon the engineers "box,
looking very fresh and charming
her pretty, neat fitting white dress.
And seeing that sho was comfortabI
fixed he kissed her again and jumpin
from the engine walked down the pla
form to the dispatcher's Office to d.
liver message to his friend, To
. Stafford, one of the telegraph oper
tara