The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-05

70 &c tAnTa SAKE, mutrereG sam. and
recovering his wits. fastened TO obey. A
panied expression passed over the
framp's fac~. and. being gentleman to
the core, young Jenkins felt that he was.
AZ least. entitled TO respect. he changed
his manner and said politely.
Pardon me. sir. n I have wounded
your feelings. but things were 70 awful
iy duh. and found IN you what thought
would be q diversion. and Intended 10
have some innocent sport out Of you. hut
I zee that am mistaken and ask your
pardon. earnestly. for fhe tight way in
which I spoke 20 you. and Of your GRIEF.
believe me. I sympathize with you. and
80 do we all. In your trouble whatever
II mar BE-. WIN you kindly forgive me
and Join in our tunchs We have quite
a plenty. I assure you" he added. as the
stranger hesftat~d and looked toward
the others: yes. join u.s. they said, you
are quite welcome"
II thank you kindiy. young gentlemen.
and yon, SIR 10 Jenkins. ~are forgiven.
Il IL true that have eaten scarcely any
thing for three days. bur food would
choke rus now"
'ssorne wfne. then. sam. you stick"
Comm sab, lunch am ready. germ
men ssid Sam, as ne prepared to opcn
a bottle Of wine; ''mus' | open de wine
now, gsmmen7''
"t}~utlemen,r said the stranger 'be-
fore you open the wine, ell you kindly
listen 20 me for few ninutesg The
lunch and wine will keep; won't detafn
you long, but I want to tell you a little
story, a true story. and then | will be
moving along" motion TO Sam caused
him 10 desist-
Certainly. sir replied Jenkins. your
story viii De listened 10 with attention
and respect
Thank you. gentlemen. and hope I
will not wound your feelings. but when
see anyone. especially young man.
drinking. I cannot help but warn him;
for drink has made me the wreck you
see before you today--a tramp: but III
tell you my starry. and win ask you then.
II you will open the wine.
If I may use simiie my life is Xix
ensd unto locomotive: when II first
comes out Of the shops. Ii is bright and
clean and new. and 80 was I. a bright.
happy. care-free boy Ny ftfe's railroad
stretched out. straight and true, the sig
mails all along the iins showed safe
and / had right over all. For years
sped over the straight. smooth rails. and
then came curves ard grades. small al
hrst hut growing heavier and sharper.
until : finally reached the summit. and
started down hill, gathering speed at ev-
the ditch at the bottom. broken. worth
less wreck: | was regarded az worth
iess mass OF twisted. broken machinery.
and no effort was made TO pick me up az
iny there. | can sec others life engines
so speeding by. only TO 70 in the ditch
further on. shout the warning and
Hash the rcd signal. but few win heed
Yes. I have been In the railroad SER
vice. as you no doubt infer: went
- al 81
coal HEAVIER, until I reached the height
Of my ambition-puiIing the Limited thu
finest train Ia all the great Northwest.
When | got my nrst run sweet Annie
Ward and I we're wed: sped the months
and came the uany--iiftte Jess. my hsupt-
ners WIS complete. but the black CLOUDS of
Inevitable xioosn were settling around me.
tried hard 10 push them away. bat they
would not go, While rrtng. took a drink
occasionally. and the habit grew upon me.
ono night when l took the North Coast
Out. I was h~sstiy drunk ran ev a rsd
signal. ana narrowly escaped a aead-erd
collision. for thfs. I was given a six
months' lay on. and AZ she expiration ~
that time, was given local freight but
my spirit WAS broken-my heart was not
In my work put 10 Running extra
freiEats then 20 yard engine. then back
70 nring and then ] began 10 pick up
again. since the right ] ran hy the rea
signal, had not touched a Grap and nv
snpSrtorS, s~elnx that I had reformed de-
sired 90 help me. ard l was given ona "a
the helper rngines the e. NE helped
trains uP the mountain and then dropped
back, iiKat. ths roUndhouxa wac al Easis
Goggs, then. rhs ntiie hams~s consisted
esiy % tue families % the rennshoase aud
cnglnosneH--a quiet. pcaceful spot ! hssiit
little, white cottage clsS% down hv The
Track. and ne were beginning % he happy
again, my wife ans !. and titie xaISsu-
haired less, mow thfse years old
AN vent well Cor awhile. but the
cursed thlrst took hold % rae again. auA
Was toe weak to resist God knows 1
fouxnt e. hUf 10 no avail. my wlfeK tears
and prayers my firtie darlings .papa
pwe4sa twst dwankin' were al tru~nel4
~ tbs terrible thirst sar runs- THIS littis
valley 50 iss@cefal and c&lu waS tA~ same
ts~n, tsazt ten tor< years aga TO-DAY and
ypa wSai4 aot 8raarn tsas a teFTshge TRACE
~ was snastvS hers tfat has ian SIS
r3esMr~ pxtntra tna~lielx On m1y heart.
sirange. hsst ! can sp.a& ~ q calmly my
tears ~ = few utonents axe are aIl arses
and | have schealn.1 my face % shoa 10
SiSa. although usy heart "a hraKen- Z Vas
newer pnkiaS 60 ny wife. aasi fifie ore
evsa when ga my csps. thsy acre always
Ecntic auS kfs1. hut the -sorrow ana ~.
pvo@rh n mS ~ifs's eyes. sad nv rsle
&AEHrg~ sasp@a pleaAsiRxs, mere harder 10
BEAR thar sarsA wvrsss wpaiS have hsen.
Ca tho nsghg before taat terrible raw
NC we're seated AZ the sspEer table A.
Was heS eax~goul little less Rad asked
namsrOes Questions StsEt tAs sFarty Ssf-'
her enxtns, sAe caticd a. and was very
ADVISES fer rs safety. ana ray eva. she
seqt red nax Always Fe&dy 3ecarsnx
that sbs NaGl4 nag me. x anytAsnx went
wrong l Was nos Perfectly <aesr--a sax.x
wAica little J@Ss VAS nes siex TO tgls-
cover. ard while her mother mAw xxttfnr
her ready for Bod. the little aargtnx came
to me and lookins wlStfuIly up into nv
eyes. said;
Papa. p'we2se twit 6~iekln', aoa't Def
d~unk teniShS. pagA. .fe walrlrs awSlsi
AAra. Slsa tAA hgsSSS ralxat waa ax.x.