Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-08-09

days OF hrooMng I got into o regular
was a damned, unnatural, unreason.
able brute"
Correct" said the conductor, frank.
~.
bad state. l told her she'd better go
home to her folks; that I'd decided we
weren't made for each other. When
she tried to put her arms about my
neck I wouldn't let her. Then she ask.
ed for my reasons I told her she knew
well enough, and turned my back. l
We'll, she went. For four months
I've been baching it on the farm,
growing crabbier every day. And this
morning I happened to meet young
chap in the store at Pepperdock that
knows my wife's folks. He lives at
Dilkport when he isn't travelling
around the country selling things.
II suppose you've heard from your
wife this morning?' he asked me. Mo-
said I, with a snap, I hain't' Well,
I've just come from home, said he,
and there was report on the street
when left that she was liable to die.
The kids all right, though
HUH said I, startled to death,
the kid Yes said he, looking at
me in sort of a peculiar way; didn't
you know there was a kid born yester-
day?' why, yes, Of course I said,
shamed into the lie. l was that dazed
l didn't know my name for minute
"FYour wife's fine woman the
young chap went on, me listening like
one in dream. I sent her patent
dish washer about six months ago on
trial. 1t didn't suit her, but she
didn't do as most people would have
done; she wrote me a real nice letter,
telling me that it had disappointed
her; that it wasn't what she had pic
tured it. She said she wished to &c
home to Dilkport for a visit in a
short time, and that when she come
she'd bring it up with her, saving me
the express charges. l tell you,
fellow in this agency business learns
to appreciate little things like that.
"And then, in flash, l saw it all.
The letter I'd seen was the one she
was writing about that dishwasher
bolted home without getting the
things I'd come to town after. I
hustled around and spruced up a lit
tie, and got somebody to care for the
stock, and-and I'm going to get to
Dilkport tonight in spite of blazes,
that's all there is to it,
He left the coach followed by the
conductor and the salesman, who felt
impelled by sympathy to see him off
on his perilous trip. They climbed
over the freight cars through the
binding storm toward the locomotive.
Look out for the next car" called
the conductor; cts loaded with oil
barrels. Better let me go ahead with
the lantern
The farmer stopped. Cali right"
he said. ''Is there any oil in the bar
rels?"
They're full of it. Why?"
II was just thinking that once l
bought a barrel of oil, and on the way
home the sled tipped over in a drift,
and the bung came out of the barrel
and the oil ran onto the snow. 1t was
a pitch dark night and l didn't have
a lantern. 1 was in bad shape. But
[ gathered together a pile of straw
that had been in the sled box, and lit
it with match, and the first thing
knew the oil-soaked drift was melt
ing"
by the holy green light" ex-
claimed the conductor, as the others
idea became clear to him. do you
suppose we could do it,"
"I'd be willing to stand the expense
of three barrels of oil towards trying
it,"
The conductor jumped into the cab
and laid the plan before the engineer,
who had stubbornly refused to leave
the engine until compelled by the
cold.
ct might work." said the engineer
after a few minutes elaboration.
'' 'Tain't like as if we were buried.
We're just tangled up a little, that's
all. If 1 could get a start I'd go
through. Jim"-addressing the fire
man, with sudden energy-"coal her
up! Make her hum!"
The conductor called the two brake
men and the express messenger, and
with the assistance of the two passen-
gers three barrels of kerosene were
rolled from the car and carried to
the front end of the train. The heads
of the barrels were broken in, and the
oil was scattered on the snow by the
paiIful and shovelful Then when no
more remained the conductor lighted
great handful of greasy waste and
threw it upon the drift. It spluttered
a moment-flickered- but went out.
The farmer rolled one of the empty,
oil-soaked barrels within reach of the
burning waste.
Its no g"
There was a binding glare, followed
by a sizzling, kissing roar. The drift
melted as if by magic. The flames
licked the drivewheels of the locomo-
tive, and reached almost to the cab.
Coal her! Coal her!" shouted the
ON oinner 70 the fireman