The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-09-05
THE 81" ENGINEERS
W. STORY. ~

'Yes, it's 90 years I've been running
an engine ON the elevated. Not as long
run in miles at first as | have now,
from the Battery to the Harlem, but
the hours have always been the same,
and I've never missed an hour in the
cab the company was entitled to in all
that time.
"Tire of it2 No Some of the men
tell me-when we meet and talk, in the
engine yards beyond the Hundred and
Fifty fifth street station. while waiting
to relieve--some of the men say they
see nothing in the run that interests
them, and they get tired of it.
"Maybe I'm different from most, but
in all my years the sights see from my
cab window have always been like
play on the stage to me.
'Do we get acquainted with the peo-
Pile in the windows we see so often, day
after day, year after year9
''No, l wouldn't say acquainted, ex-
actly, for that means to speak to each
other, and we never get to know them
we'll enough for that, except the kids.
"Oh. yes. the kids get to call us by
the number of our engines and become
very friendly, especially those who live
in the houses opposite our stops.
81 said we didn t get acquainted, but
there was case and if your looking
for story I'll tell you that.
''It was 10 years ago-yes. not more
than 10, and to think what's happened
that I noticed kindly faced, well
dressed woman sitting always in the
same window at the same hour in the
afternoons, just opposite to where my
cab stopped at-well, it was one Of the
stations beyond the Central park turn.
cit was good neighborhood and in
one of the big apartment houses they
were rushing up at that time along the
line of the road on Eighth avenue.
"It might be the home, should say,
of salesman, a head salesman, in some
wholesale house, who'd be making a
good salary-like couple of thousand
a year or so.
"It looked like happy home, a
comfortable home where there was never
any sleep lost about whether the rent
money would be in the good wife, s
hands at the end Of the month or the
butchers bill be paid on time
1.-The lady would sometimes smile or
nod at me as I'd come to full stop just
opposite her window.
"Well, shift in my run brought me
along there on the up trip about Is
minutes later after awhile, and I saw
what the lady was always looking for
"a schoolgirl. big, hearty. fine look
ing lass-who threw kiss to the lady,
and on the next trip up, for it was late
in the spring and the days were long,
1 saw the two, mother and daughter,
at the open window. The girl was read
ing aloud and the mother listening,
with some sewing in her hand, and
proud Of the daughter, as I well knew,
for I'd one of my own about the same
age.
"After awhile they would both look
out and smile pleasantly and nod at me
out there in the cab waiting for the
starting signal, and I'd nod back.
''It was year or so saw them that
way-sometimes at supper, sometimes
in the morning before the husband took
his train, and then one day the shut.
ters were all drawn, and day or two
later there was funeral.
''The station agent told me it was
| the husband and father who died.
| "Soon there were strangers in the
house, and for a whole year l never
saw my friends. They moved off the
line, 1 guess, for l looked sharp, bu
never saw them again until at the enc
of year saw them in poorer fat
both of them at work sewing on ma
chimes.
"They saw me and smiled, but sad
like, and it was not many months be
fore they moved again, not off the line
but farther down on Sixth avenue
Then, take it, the mother died, for
saw the young woman alone for a few
weeks, and she was weeping as sh
sewed.
"Again l lost her, until one day
saw her on the platform with man
and she looked as happy-well, yo
know how happy young woman look
when she's with the first man she loves
81 didn't like him. To be sure, I onl
had sight of him, but that sight mad
me uneasy, as l told my own good wifi
in talking about it that night.
"He did not look honest.
"For a year-maybe two-I say
them off and on. Sometimes they live
where l could see them in their rooms
sometimes not, but I'd catch sight c
her taking or leaving a train.
. "Then she was mostly alone, and sh
began to look troubled.
: ''It was in a winter month l mex
saw the woman, in room below til
, Washington square turn. She wt
standing at the window like one WI
had plenty of trouble and so hope an
holding baby-it might be year olc
say-in her arms She happened to ST
me and pointed me out to the baby. bI
the little one was without spirit an
only turned his face to his mother
breast and lay there quiet.
every day saw them, and-Im
father, I've told you'll made up N
mind from the looks Of both what WI