The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-08

swsr. 30, whethr for fear Of hurtin his
feelins or beosuse I copldn't keep away, I
omit say, but I yislded an went After
that went several times, an each time ]
got deeper an deeper In love with Johns
sweetheart, aye, an what seemed worse, ]
couldn't help KNOWN that Mary was trou-
bled tho same way. But Iwill say this, I
never tried to make Mary love me, an new
er q word of love passed between us, but
sometimes l thought saw trouble in
Johns eyes, an then I'd vow to myself to
60 no more.
"often enough I'd be on tn front o. tn
engine, or on tn tender, when we passed
tho stile that summer an do as would,
couldn't help but look to catch her eye.
An I never missed, though she waved her
hand to old John.
Zone evenin, In the early autumn Of
that year, we were goin at as good o speed
as the incline would let us an Just gettin
toward the cottage. John had sent me
round to tn front O. tn engine with my
oil can, an couldn't help lookin ahead to
sec If Mary was standin waiting at the
stile. Yes she WIS there as usual, right
in front Of us, for the line curved to the
right just at the stile, an was hidden from
view behind little wood. could see her
print dress, an the same white linen bon
net she wore when first saw her in the
garden on that spring evenin. Oh, how
my heart went out to her. an how that old
wicked feelin toward John rushed through
me an made my nerves tingle from head to
foot.
Mary had her back toward us--a very
unusual thing-an remember wonderin
why. Then the usual three whistles sound
ed, 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 / saw her eyes starin at
me, like Goals Of fire set in face as white
as chalk. She fascinated me.
"Just then old John shut off steam an I
heard him doin thing he'd never done
afore-reversin the engine All of sud-
den Mary seemed to wake up an find hor-
rible dream true, for heard, above the
roar of the train, the grindin of the rails,
an the shrek of the brakes that had been
damned hard down. heard one piercing
scream. 1t was word-my name-'Har
ryp
"Of course, all this happened in
breathless second or two. Half lifetime
is sometimes squeezed into half min
ute, sir. / took my eyes from Mary's face
as we passed her, standin as II turned to
stone, an looked ahead. Heavens, whata
sightl Bearin down on us at a great speed
was an engine an tender-a runaway 1t
was comm down the bank tender first an
we were timed to meet ut the junction. I
saw 1t all in flash. The train was jump
in like buckin horse, an, with my body
all of tremble, I'd as much as l could do
to get back to the footplate.
There stood John Wright, of course.
I seemed to see him an naught else. He'd
done all man could do, an was standin
stock still, with one hand on the lever.
But 1t wasn't his stiffness that made the
tears start to my eyes. 1t was the lock on
his face. 1t made Inc nearly forget he
doom to which we were rusbin. can't de-
scribe it, 1t was the look of man who
has nothin left to 1.-Two for--whose hope
had been suddenly wiped clean out forever.
1.-THE instant he saw me his face changed.
He sprang toward me, an seizing mo by
the arm with a grip of steel, spoke in
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, lad; she loves thee,
for her sake. Harry, for heavens sakeP
II said, Nay, JOHN
"'Quick,' he says. Harry, Harry!
Jump for your Mary's sake!'
II swung one leg off the engine-life
was dear-an prepared to spring into the
grass. Then great, surgin love for this
man came over me, and turned sudden
like an took him by the hand and / 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 slept in
front of me, us if to put his great frame
betwixt me an DEATH an there came
crash rs 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 smit-
ten me, an l knew no more.
II woke from troubled dream that
seemed to have lasted lifetime, an opened
my eyes, half conscious an not sure but
was still dreamin. Then I slipped off
again, an l remember thinkin that the
sweet eyes that mine had seemed to meet
were the eyes of my guardian angel. An
they were, sir, for, when opened my eyes
again all the past came back to me with
the fearful face Of Mary Mathers.
II put my hand out on the counterpane,
an she put hers gently on the top of it. An
believe me- sir, that's the only way ever
popped the question We'd been through
too much together to need much fuss.
"'Where is hep framed my lips to say.
don't know whether she heard, but she
for she put her hand into her
bosom, an drew out black edged card an
held it before my eyes, while her own
filled again with tears. read, In loving
memory of John Wright, who was killed
1t tho post of duty"
And you've been happy in your mar
led lifeS''
Happy Happy isn't the word for 1t,
'ir Ours is one of the matches made in
heaven. London Ht-Bits