The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-06-03

Spend a Sunday at the cOtCaSe. L put
him off, but he wouldn't take mo- for an
answer. So, whether for fear of hurtin'
his feelin's, or because l couldn't keep
away, 1 can't say, but 1 yielded, an
went. After that 1 went several times,
an each time l got deeper an deeper
in love with Johns sweetheart, aye, an
what seemed worse, I couldn't help
KNOWN that Mary was troubled the
same way. But 1 will say this, never
tried to make Mary love me, an never
word of love passed between us, but,
sometimes, thought I saw trouble in
Johns eyes, an then I'd vow to myself
to go no more.
"Often enough I'd be on th' front O.
tn engine, or on tn tender, when we
passed the stile that summer. an do as
l would, 1 couldn't help but look to
catch her eye. An I never missed,
though she waved her hand to old John.
"One evenin', in the early autumn of
that year. we were goin' at as good a
speed as the incline would let us, an
just gettin' towards the cottage. John
had sentme round to he front o. then
gine with my oil-can an couldn't help
lookin' ahead to see if Mary was stand
in watin' at the stile. Yes. she was
there as usual, right in front of us. for
the line curved to the right just at the
stile, am was hidden from view behind
little wood. I couN see her print dress,
an the same wbite linen bonnet she
wore when I first saw her in the garden
on that spring evenin'. Oh. how my
heart went out to her, an how that old
wicked feelin' towards John rushed
through me, an made my nevres tingle
from head to foot.
MARY had her back towards us-a
very unusual thing-an' l remember
w'onderin' why. Then the usual three
whistles sounded, short an sharp. She
turned instantly, an threw up her
hands like one demented. We went
thunderin' down to the crossin' where
she stood, an l saw her eyes starin' at
ne, like Goals of fire set in face as
white as chalk. She fascinated me.
"Just then old John shut off steam,
an heard him doin' thing he'd ne, er
done afore-reversn' the engine! All
of sudden Mary seemed to wake up,
an find horrible dream true. for I
heard, above the roar of the train, the
grindin' of the rails, and the shrek of
the brakes, that had been jammed hard
down. heard one piercing scream. It
was word-my name-'Harry!'
"Of course all this happened in a
breathless second or two. Half life
time is sometimes squeezed into half q
minute, sir. I took my eyes from
Mary's face as we passed her, standin'
as if turned to stone, an / looked ahead.
Heavens! what sight! Bearin' down
on us at a great rate of speed was an
engine an tender-a runaway! It
was comm down the bank, tender first,
an we were timed to meet at the juno
ton. saw 1t all in flash. The train
was jumpin' like buckin' horse, am,
with my body all of tremble, I'd as
foot plate.
There stood John Wright, of course
seemed to see him, and naught else.
He'd done all man could do. an was
standin' stock-stll, with one hand on
the lever But it wasn't his stiffness
that made the tears start to my eyes.
1t was the look on his face. 1t made
me nearly forget the doom to which we
were rushin'. can't describe it. 1t
was the look of man who has nothing
left to live for-whose hope had been
suddenly wiped clean out forever.
"The instant he saw me his face
changed. He sprang towards me, an,
seizin' ine by the arm with grip of
steel, spoke in hoarse whisper, that
could be heard above everything:
Jump off, my lad-you've time-you
can do it. Jump off!-for her sake
she loves thee-for her sake. Harry
for heavens sake!'
II said Nay, John.
"'Quick,' he says. Harry! Harry!
Jump for your Mary's sake!'
81 swung one leg off the engine-life
was dear-an' prepared for spring
into the grass. Then a great surgin'
love for this man came over me, an I
turned sudden-like, an took him by
the hand, an says: John, we'll stick
together, an die together-if it's Gods
will--for her sake An he just gave me
that sweet look, an stepped in front of
me, as II to put his great frame be-
twixt Inc an death, an there came a
crash as if heaven an earth had met,
an l seemed to roll over an over, an
then it felt as if the whole earth had
risen up an smitten mean knew no
more.
II woke from a troubled dream that
seemed to have lasted lifetime, an
opened my eyes, half conscious. an not
sure but that l was still dreamin'. Then
l slipped off again. an remember
thinkin' tnat the sweet eyes that
mine had seemed to meet, were the
eyes OF my guardian angel. An they
were, sir-for, when I opened my eyes
again, all the past came back to me with
the fearful face of Mary Mathers.