The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-05-08

a
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 the sur way. But will say'this,
never tried to mako Mary love me, an new
er word of love passed between Ms, but
sometimes thought 1 saw trouble In
John's eyes, an then I'd VOW to myself to
20 no more.
soften enough I'd be on tn front o. tn
Vgine, or OIL tn tender, when we passed
he stile that summer an do as would,
couldn't help but look TO catch her eye
An never missed, though she waved her
hand 10 old John.
lone evenip, in the early autumn OF
that year, we were goin at as good 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
see II Mary was standin waiting 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, an WAS hidden from
view behind little wood. could sec 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
mo an made my nerves tingle from head to
foot.
MARY had her back toward us-a very
unusual thing-an ] remember woDderin
why. Then the usual three whistles sound
ed, short an sharp. She turned instantly
IN threw up her hands like one demented.
We went thundcrin down to the crossin
where she stood an saw her eyes starin at
F, me, like Goals of fire set in face as white
as chalk. She fascinated me.
"Just then old John shut of 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 fiEd hor-
rihle dream true, for i heard, above the
roar of the train, the grindn Of the rails,
an the shrek of the brakes that had been
jammed hard down. heard one piercing
scream. 1t was word-my name Har-
ryP
"Of course, all this happened in a
breatLless second or two. Half lifetime
is sometimes squeezed into "a half a min
ute, sir. i took my eyes from Mary's face
as we passed her, standin as If turned ia
stone, an looked ahead. Heavens, what a
sight! Bearin down on us at great speed
was an engine an tender-a runaway! II
was comm down the bank tender first, an
we were timed TO meet at the junction.
saw it all in flash. The train was jump.
| In like buckin horse, an, with my body
| all of tremble, I'd as much as could do
| TO get back TO the footIlate.
"There stood John Wright, Of course.
, ] seemed to SEQ him an naught else. He'd
done al man could do, an was standin
4. IL.
| But it wasn't his stiffness that made the
tears start TO my eyes. IL was the look on
| his face. 1t made me nearly forget the
doom TO which we were rushin. can't de-
| scribe it, 1t was the look of q man who
| has nothin left to live for-whosc hope
bad been suddenly wiped clean out forever.
"Ihe instant he saw me his face changed.
| He spranR toward me- an seizing Inc by
/ the arm with grip OF steel, spoke in a
| hoarse whisper that could be heard above
everything: Jump off. my lad-you'vt
time-you can do il. Jump off, for beI
sake. She loves thee, lad; sho loves thee,
for her sake. Harry, for heavens sake"
~ said, Nay, john"
"'Quick,' he says. Harry, Harry
| Jump for your Mary's sakeH
81 swung one leg off the engine-life
was dear-an prepared to spring into the
| grass Then q 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 ber sake. An he
! just gave me that sweet look an slept In
front of me, as IL to put his great frame
| betwixt me an death, an there came a
/ crash as IL heaven an earth had met, an
| seemed TO roll over an over an then 1t felt
| as if the whole earth had risen up an smit-
ten me, an knew no more
|
81 woke from q troubled dream that
seemed to have lasted lifetime, an opened
my eyes, half conscious an not sure but ]
was still dreamin. Then / slipped off
| again, an ! 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.
81 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.
| I don't know whether she heard, but she
understood, for she put her hand into her
bosom, an drew out a black edged card an
held it before my eyes, while her own
| filled again with tears. 1 read, In loving
memory of John Wright, who was killed
| at the post of duty"
"And you've been happy in your mar.
ried lifeS'
Happy! Happy isn't the word for it,
| sir. Ours Is one Of the matches made In
heaven. London it-Bits.