Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1895-11-29
The STORY Teller.
ON THE RAIL.

"I have travelled this road every day
, of my life, ever since it was laid, ir
+ charge of the San Francisco, the pretti
est and best engine on the line. 1t wa:
southwestern road, running, as we
will say, from A. toZ. At A., my moth
er lived at H., I had the sweetest little
wife in the world, and baby, the very
, image of it's pa. I had always had 6
dollar or two put by for rainy day
and the boys spoke of me as an ode
: kind of q man. To be shut up with ar
engine, watching with all your eye:
and heart and soul, don't make con
! scientious man talkative, and I never
5 squandered my leisure spinning yarns
and listening to railway jokes in the
Round House. My wife's name was
Josephine, and I called her 'Joe.'
"I never belonged to any of the rail
way clubs or other organizations, and
r never should, ifit hadn't been for Gran
, by. CRANKY was nephew of our divi'
sion superintendent, and it's failing
with we men of the road that we like
to be noticed by the fellows at head
quarters, if only permitted to touch the
hem of their garments. CRANKY was q
snowy fellow, and often rode with me
from A. to u. He had good opinion
of me, and, as far as I knew, we were
good friends. Once he said to me:
'You ought to belong to the Rail
way Scientific club, Guelden.'
"'Never heard ofit,' said l.
"sWe meet once a fortnight, he re.
piled, 'and have a jolly good time
We want practical, thinking men o.
your sort, and I'll propose you, if you
like
II was fond of such things, and had
ideas that 1 fancied might be worth
something. But the engineer don''
!; have many nights or days to himself
and the club would have one evening
fortnight from Joe. I said:
"'I will ask her. Ifshe likes it, yes.
ASK whom p he said.
"'Joe,' said I.
"If every man had asked his wife
every mans wife would have said
"Can't spare you, my DEAR" and we
should have had no club at ALL said
Cranky.
"But made no answer. At home
told Joe. She said:
"I shall miss you, Ned but you dc
love such things, and if CRANKY belongs
to it they must be superior men,
$50 I said yes, and CRANKY proposed
me. Thursday fortnight went with
: him to the rooms. The real business
of the evening was the supper.
II had always been temperate man
I did not know what effect wine would
. have on me, but, coming to drink more
of it than had ever before, at the club
table, l found it put steam on. After
, so many glasses 1 wanted to talk, and
, after so many more, l did.
} II seemed like somebody else, the
words were so ready. My ideas came
out, and were listened to. / made
sharp hits and INDUCED in repartee
told stories, and even came to puns
I heard somebody say, 'Granby, by
George, that's a man worth having.
thought him dull at first Yet I knew
it was better to be quiet Ned Guelden
with his 10 words an hour, than the
wine-made wit was.
II was sure of it when three month:
after stumbled up stairs, to find Joe
waiting for me with her baby on bel
breast.
You've been deceiving me- sale
Joe, Il suspected it, but wasn't sure
A scientific club couldn't smell like
barroom.'
(Which means that do said 1.
"'And look like one,' said Joe, q:
, she locked herself and baby in the
spare bedroom.
"One night 1 was dressed in my Sun
day suit, ready to go to the club, wher
1 Joe stood before me.
r "'Ned, said she, Il never had
: fault to find with you before. You've
2 been kind and good and loving always
but should be sorry we ever met il
you 60 on in this way. Don't ask wha
r 1 mean-you know
It's only club night said I.
"It will grow said she.
"Then she put her arms around my
, neck.
Ned said she, do you think a
thing so much like bolted and strap
ped down demon as steam is, is fit to
, put into the hands of drunken man
, And some day, mark my words, moi
only Thursday night, but all the days
of the week, will be the same. 1 have
often heard you wonder what the feel
! ings of an engineer, who has about the
, same as murdered train full of peo
!. pie, must be, and you'll know if you
i don't stop where you are. A steady
hand and a clear head have been your
blessing all these years. Don't throw
them away. Ned, if you don't care
for my love, don't ruin yourself
"My little Joe. She spoke from hel
!, heart, and 1 bent over and kissed her
Don't be afraid, child III never
,, pain you again
"And 1 meant it; but at II O'Clock
that night 1 felt that 1 had forgotten
my promise and my resolution.
81 couldn't get home to Joe.
made up my mind to sleep on the clut