Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-11-16

two minutes. That's her coming ny
the track now"
I rushed into the waiting room for
my "compagnon de voyage" seized her
unceremoniously by the arm and hur-
ried her into the train shed, explaining
as went.
In a minute we were on the loco
motive and In another the throttle was
open and we sped along the line.
The girl, who incidentally told me
that her name was Jane Losly,
thanked me profusely for my kindness.
She became cheerful again at the pros
pect of reaching her father without
delay and we soon became quite conf
Dental. Our other fellow travellers
were the engineer, young fellow OF
thirty and a gray-haired fireman. They
were too engrossed in their duties to
pay much attention to us, and we were
left to our own devices.
Travelling on locomotive Is not as
luxurious as in Pullman car. 1t Is
aot the kind of travelling one would
select for a pleasure jaunt. The SCOT,
dust. cinders, odor, heat are all objec-
tionable and uncomfortable, but l
must confess that with all these dis
abilities it was most enjoyable trip
for me.
Firstly, I knew that would cir
cumvent Griggs and reach town ahead
Of him. l scented victory and was
elated accordingly. Secondly l was
travelling with most charming girl
whose bright eyes and fascinating con-
versation made me forget the annoy
ances of the trip and converted the
cab of that grimy engine into a YER
table paradise. We sat on bench
where there was just room for two.
In fact we had to sit rather close IN
order not to incommode the engineer,
and so we were soon in sympathy with
one another.
Miss Losly soon told me all about
herself, her family, her pursuits. Her
mother was dead, her father pros
porous merchant in Burkesville. She
had been visiting relatives in Hanni-
bal when she received news OF heI
fathers accident. a fall from his
wheel. Whether it was serious or not
she could not tell. l cheered her ano
led her to hope for the best.
On we fiew Over bridges and cul'
verts, around curves, through higf
walled cuts, over steep embankments
past struggling houses, through YER
dant farms, along glistening rivers, III
steep Misunderstanding, swaying Ike
an infants cradle from side to side al
we rushed along on our mad course
The stolier piled on the sooty fuel
Every time he opened the furnace
door a heat as of hades burst out II
our direction and the air became
lurid. Great streams of smoke wer'
belched out by the chimney and blew
into our faces. Showers of cinders fel
about us and filed our eyes, ears, nos'
and mouth. By the time we had trav
eled an hour, we were scarcely recog
nizable, so covered with SCOT were we
But we smiled and were glad in eacl
others society.
Still onward in our exciting chase
There was no stop until we reached
Brunette, and there we wired for {
clear track. At the next station, &c
darton, we passed the local train
which had stopped there for water.
got a glimpse of Griggs sitting at ;
window. He was smiling, no doub
with glee at the ease with which h
had outwitted me. When next WI
met the smile had vanished. BY thu
time we reached Owassa Jane and
were the best of friends. We nigh
have known each other lifetime. He
! favorite authors were mine. Sh'
played the piano and knew all thu
pieces l most admired. She coult
speak with me in my favorite Ian
guage, French. She had all the trait'
virtues, accomplishments l longed TO
in a girl. She was beautiful and ami
able besides. Nothing was wanting
she was perfect. And was in Eden
I blessed the loss Of my train and thu
gain of a locomotive.
At last. after three hours ride, w
pulled in at Burkesville.
Jane, after giving me her address
and asking me to call, got into cal
and drove home to her father. I wen
to the hotel. scrubbed the dirt ant