Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-01-12
THE "L" ENGINEERS
>St STORY. I

- AaA 80 80
from the Battery to the Hnrlem. bat
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 it, No Some Of the men
TN me-when we meet and talk. in the
engine yards beyond the Hundred and
Fifty fifth street station. while waiting
TO ~reliove-some of the men say they
sec nothing in the run that interests
them, and they get tired Of il.
maybe I'm different from most. but
IN all my years the sights | see from my
cub window have always been like a
play IN the stage to me.
do we get acquainted with the peo-
pie IN the windows we see 30 often, dag
after dHy. year after YEAR,
mo. | wouldn't say acquainted. ez-
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 MS by
the number Of our engines and become
very friendly, especially those who live
IN the bousos opposite our steps.
Il said we didn't get acquainted. but
there was n case. anil II you re locking
for a story I'll tell you that.
1T was ~ years ngo--yes. not more
than 70. and TO think what's happened
that / noticed a kindly faced. well
dressed pm sitting always in the
same window at the same hour in the
afternoons. just opposite to where my
cab stepped at-wel!. it was one Of the
stations beyond the Central park turn.
alt was Il good ncighborhood and in
one Of the big Ppartn.cnt houses they
we're rushing mp 1T that time along the
line Of the road on Eighth avenue.
1T might be tho home. | should say.
of II salesman. II head salesman. in come
wholesale house. who'd be making a
good salary-ilse n cooplo of thousand
a year or SO.
at looked like a happy home. a
comfortable home where there was never
any sleep lest about whether the rent
money would lie In the good wife's
bands at the end Of the month or the
butcher bill he Paid Gu time.
THE lady w0ull sometimes emile or
nod ut me as I'd come to a full stop just
Opposite her window.
well. a shift in my run brought me
along there en- The up trip about IS
minutes later after awhile, and l saw
whit the lady was always looking for
"A %Gchoolgirl. a big. hearty. fine look
ing loss-who threw a kiss TO the lady,
AMI On tho next trip up, for it was late
in the spring and the days were long,
] 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 ! well knew,
for I'd one Of my own about the same
age.
After awhile they would both look
out aud smile pleasantly and nod at me
ont there in the cab waiting for the
starting signal, and I'd nod back.
at was q year or 20 l saw them that
wny-sometimos at supper, sometimes
10 tho morning before the husband took
his train. and then one day the shut
tsrs were all drawn, and a day or two
la'cr there was a ~funcral.
"The station agent told me it was
the husband and father who died.
soon there were strangers in the
hoase, and for a whole year l never
cav my friends. They moved off the
'lse. l guess. for l looked sharp, but
never cav them again until at the end
az a year / saw them in q poorer fiat.
10th of them at work sewing on ma
chimes.
"They saw mo 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, l take it, the mother died, for /
cav the young woman alone for a few
weeks. and she was weeping as she
sewed.
"Again I lost her, until one day !
saw her on the platform with a man,
and she looked as happy-well. you
know how happy a young woman looks
when she's with the first man she loves.
81 didn't like him. To be sure, / only
bsd a sight of him, but that sight made
Ino uneasy, as / told my own good wife
10 talking about 1t that night
ale did not look honest.
"For a year-maybe two-I saw
them of and on. Sometimes they lived
vLeTe ! coald see them in their rooms,
sometimes not. but Ia catch a sight of
her taking or leaving a train.
Then she was mostly alone. and she
began to look troubled.
''lt.was In a winter month / next
iaw the woman. in a room below the
Washington square turn. She was
standing at the window like one who
had plenty Of trouble and no hope and
holding a baby-it might be a year old.
esy-in her arms. She happened TO see
me and pointed me out TO the baby. but
the little one wos without spirit and
only turned his face 10 his mothers
breast and lay there quiet.
EVERY day l saw them. and-I'm a
father. I've told you'll made up my
mind from the looks Of both what was
the matter.
~ told nv good woman. and she
said John. III put something extra in
your dinner pail tomorrow. and you set
II to tho poor soul, for she's starving