The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-08-13

Was Ike knives II ne.
'Then he pressed me to 90 again an
spend g Sunday at the cottage. 1 put
him OF, hut hs wouldn't take no for an
answer. So, whether for fear Of hurtin'
his feelm's, or because / couldn't keep
away, can't say, but I yielded. an
went. After that 7 went several times,
an each time I 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 I vii say this, I never
tried to make Mary love me, an neyera
word Of love passed between rs, but.
sometimes, I thought I SAW trouble in
Johns eyes, an then I'd VOW TO myself
to 90 no more.
"Often enough I'd BE- on tn front O.
tn engine, OF on tn tender, when We
passed the stile that summer, an do as
I would, I couldn't help but look to
catch her eye. An I never missed,
though she waved her hand to old John.
Zone eYenin', in the early autumn Of
that year. we were gOin' at as good
speed as the incline would let US, an
Just gettin' towards the cottage. john
hadsentmeEoundtohe' front o. then
CINE with my Oil-ean, an 7 couldn't help
iOokin' ahead to see If Mary was stand
in Waitin' at the stile. Yes, she was
there as usual, night in front of Us, for
the line curved TO the right Just at the
stile, an was hidden from view behind
q little wood. I could see her print dress,
an the same white 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 neyTes tingle
from head to foot.
MARY mad her back towards us-a
very unusual thing-an' I remember
wondeTiR 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, al I saw her eyes starinf at
ne, like Goals Of fire set in a face as
white as chalk She fascinated me.
Just then old John shut of steam,
an I heard him dom a thing he'd never
done afore-Teversin' the enginel Ali
OF a sudden Mary seemed 70 wake up,
an find a horrible dream true, for
heard, above the roar of the train, the
grindin' of the rails, and the shrek Of
the brakes, that had been jammed hard
dOwa-I heard one piercing scream. 1t
was a wOTd-my name-'Harry!'
"Ot course al this happened in a
breathless second or Two. Half life
time is sometimes squeezed into half a
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 a 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 it all in a flash. The train
was jumpin' like a buel1in' horse, an,
with my body all of tTemhle, I'd as
much as I could do to get back TO the
foot plate.
There stood John Wright, Of course,
/ seemed to see him, and naught else.
He'd done all man could do, an was
staDdin' stock-still, with one hand on
the lever. But it wasn't his stiffness
that made the tears start to my eyes.
It was the look on his face. It made
ae nearly forget the doom to which we
were rushin'. / can't describe it. 1t
was the look Of Q man who has nothing
left 20 live for-whose hope had been
suddenly wiped clean out forever.
THE instant he saw me his face
changed. He spTang towards me, an
seizln' me by the arm with a grip Of
steel, spoke IN a hOarse whisper, that
could be heard above everything;
Jump of, my lad-you'Ye time-you
can DO It. Jump off!-for her sake
she loves thee-for her sake. Harry
for heavens sakel'
81 said; Nay, John
Quick, he says. Harry! HaTryl
Jump for your Mary's sake!'
81 swung one leg of the engine-lifs
was dear-sn' prepared for a spring
into the grass. Then a great surgin'
love for this man came over me, an I
turned sudden-like, en- took him by
the hand, an I says; John, wen stick
together, an die together-if It's Gods
will-tOr her sake An he just gave me
that sweet look, an stepped in front Of
me, as if to put his great frame be-
twixt me an death, en- there came a
crash as if heaven an earth had met,
an seemed 10 roll over an over, an
then 1t felt as il the whole earth had
risen up an smitten mean I knew no
TanFa