The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1897-08-13
THE ENGINEERS RIVAL.


very engine OH Jonn wright uScu 10
drive when was his stoller. Let Inc see
I've been drivin' three year-aye, it'll
BIO ten year come next September. He
was fine figure of man, was John. He
stood six foot one an & hail in his stock
ms, an was broad in the shoulders,
too. In his greasy peaked cap, an oily
blue jacket, he looked u giant. lie was II
queer 'un. used to tell him he needed
n wife to look after him. Hal Ha! He
always made his tea wi water out O.
TIL engine boiler, an when / laughed at
him, he'd slap me ON the back, an say:
Whats good for the horse is good for
the rider, Harry He was rare old
sort"
WAS he an old map?"
"Oh. no; he'd be forty-odd, suppose,
but I was young MAN, of 90. AN he
seemed old, like, TO me. as I've said, he
rvns bachelor, an, as far as knew,
aikely to remain one. There wasn't
much of the ladies' man about John.
But still waters run deep, they say, an
John Wright had his little secret
about three mile out O. town, l used
to notice that he whistleG three times,
and always looked across a couple o.
fields, a bit farther on, as if he were
lookin' for somethin'. Iaskcd him once
or twice what it was, but he edged me
of, an changed the subject so didn't
press it. But kept my eyes open.
at was early winter when first went
on to stoke for John, an, of course, bein'
a goods train, it was generally gettin' on
for eight o'clock at night when we
passed this particular spot, bound for
Rarpham, so mile away. It's up bank
as 1 daresay you know, from here to
Longbridge, eight mile up the line, an
we never got any great speed on until
we'd passed that length, especially
when we'd heavy freight. Dut all
could make out for some moEths was
the dim outline of a cottage, that had
ON upstairs window with n rcd blind.
The cottage lay a couple o fields away.
What made me notice the red blind was
that, as we passed, the window was al
why's suddenly lighted up.
AVE, an so was John Wright's face
soon as ever he saw it. Such n smile!-
m he had u kind face, had old john
an then he'd seem lost n bit, MS if he
were thinkin' o somethin as vas good
10 think about.
az couk!n't make it out, for you see
looked on John as musty, crusty old
bachelor, for all he were such good
sort. But the Light nights lc, he secret
out. 1t were no use of his kcepin' his
tongue tied then; for there, in IN little
front garden, across them two i.ttse
fields, YVES pink frock, an asun-pon-
vet, an q lie hand flutterin' q bit OF
hapkychief as we passed-cvery nlght'
rs true as the clock.
IT chaffed John rarely about it, first
time ! saw it, an he blushed-he did,
irdced, sir! Though his fasc wcs grimy
on the top. and copper color under that,
Ill swear he blushed. But he locked
pleased an proud, for, by that time,
we'd grown such thick friends, that IN
sure he didn't mind me KNOWN.
Then, bit by bit, it all caine out.
John and her father, who used to be
pointsman at Chubb Junction, half a
mile farther up the line than the cot
tage, had been lssls together. John ilad
gone up for a camp every Sunday Tor
many n year. He'd known MsEy Iath-
err since she was born, an when she
WINS n little lass he'd nurscd her on his
knee, an told her he'd wait FOR her.
dare say he meant it in fun al the tine
but, as she grew up, he knew ne iihed 10
be where she was better than arywhere
else in the world. That's how le put II,
lot l,gr In .nfsr. 1Rll |
i'll, an learnt afterwards Hn Ensseh
even then. that John Wright made ms |
wages keep four instead OF one. MARY |
father never worked again. He was on |
his back for 1S months, an then he Gict. |
AN then, you may be sure, John WINS
a father to the fatherless, an a husband
TO the y6dow-ns far as loGkh ai1er |
'ein went, tut any rTte--only l'e wanted |
TO be n husband to the daughter, Nary.
OF course, I learnt this bit - ht' an l
can't help film in things a. come 10
my ears years after, for john "as never
the man to blow his own trumpet. lia'
hal He was well content WI The steam
w4histIe-especially when T-:Ssfn' i'ini-
way cottage. Poor John!
"Wen. to cut n long story short Mary
seemed to make 10 ohinc' on. why
AlsouN she? She'd never met HnY'oHF
She liked better, an a finer fellow tnan
John Wright never walked! lie"o; her
to promise to light the lamn n he room
wi the red blind, on dark n'Nht'. IS nc
passed on his engine, an To Nv" nm
wave of her hand on light nirl's' for ne
said IT WIS somthin' to be Goin' on VIM
Ike; he'd a touch o sentiment in him'
had John, aye, he had that!
"one Saturday night he says: larry
you'd better walk DER wi me to-inor-
row."
walk DER wi you : soys; where"
"'Why, to Mrs. Mathers', TO be Hnrr'
I'd like you to know my Mar. IN theh
-, oil mo ,,.hot YOU thinli of rlY