The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-09

WHY, Ol ECOuISc, \
(" I have depended on your friendship |
and kindness and manhood, Jim. 1t has |
never failed me yet, and 1t won't now, I
know. ! have secret, Jim, and 1t gnaws
to be out one day, and hides itself the
next. Many and many a time | have
been on the point of confessing to you,
but something held me back. | was afraid
you would not let me stay with you, If
you knew
50 Why, you amt killed any one KIDD
asked, for | thought he was exagerrat-
ing his trouble.
:" Moves, did, tool killed my sis
ter
II recoiled, hurt, shocked. You,
. Yes, Jim, there Is no such person to
be found as my sister. Georgiana I
an, she!'
You! Why, Kid, you're crazy
No, I'm not. Listen Jim, and will
explain.
My father was always sorry ! was
not a boy, Taught me boyish tricks, and
| made me learn drawing. l longed for the
life on a locomotive loved it, read about
| 1t, thought OF It, and prayed to be trans
formed into something that could go out
| on the road. My heart went out to you
early in our acquaintance, and one day
| the thought to get started as a fireman
with YOU shot into my brain and was
acted upon at once. After the first move
there was no going back and Il have
/ dCISuE my part wen, nave even De0H d
Egood fireman. am strong, healthy, and
happy when on the road with you. / love
1.-the life, hard as 1t is, and can't think of
giving it up, ard-and YOU Jim.
( And then she. broke down and cried as
1 only a woman can.
/ II took both her hands in mine and
! kissed her-think of kissing your fireman
on the engine-andi told her how we could
be happy yet. Then told her how had
i tried to get a letter to the lost sister and
i how they never came back and were never
Ianswered-that had loved the sister and
1 loved her She reminded me that she her
self got all the letters / had sent and was
pretty sure of her ground when she threw
herself on my protection.
1t was strange counting, John, there
on that engine at the front. the boundless
plains on one SIDE the mountains on the
other, the winds of the desert whirling
sand and snow against our little HOUSE.
and the moon looking codly down at the
I spectacle of an. engineer making love to
his fireman.
"That night the kid slept in the bed in
the house and I stayed on the engine
When we got back to headquarters the
kid laid off to go home and 1 made d
/ trip or two with another fireman and
Z then had to go to Illinois to fix up some
family business--kid and l arranged that
I'VE met in st. Louis, the kid hired q
ball dress and we were married as duie,
IdS PtoSS1Utc. lid1 plOIHlScu Eltt0 hlu IIdt
for the present, at least, she could sta.
on the road with me, and you know tina
the year you We're there did most of ths
heavy firing, while the kid did the run
ming. We remained in the service TO
something like two years-a strang
and our work.
II often talked to my wife about leav
ing the road and starting in new, wher
we were not known, as man and wife, sh
to remain at home, but she wouldn't hea
of it, asking if wanted an Irishman 70
side partner. This came to be a jok
with us-'When I get my Irishinan wi
do so and So
"One day as our hog was drifting dow,
the long hill the Kid said to me. Jim
you can get your Irishman; I'm going t
quit this trip \
John, we both quit and went south.
i got a job in Texas and the Kid was los
sight of and Mrs J. E. Wainwright ap
peared on the scene in tea gown, trai
and 1ounces. We furnished a neat 1ittl
7 den and l was happy. I missed my ri
fireman. and did indeed have an Irish
man. Kid had a struggle to wear petit
coats again and did not take kindly I
same.
Our little fellow arrived one spring da:
and then our skies were all sunshine II
three long happy years, until one day ri
and 1 followed q little white hearse OF
beyond the cypress grove and saw tt
earth covered over our darling, over OF
I hopes. over our sunshine and over o,
hearts.
After that the house was like a tom
so still. so solemn, and at every turn we
reminders of the little one who had fade
away like the morning mist gone fro
everything but our memories-there h
sweet little image was craven by the har
<,f o,,1 h1yf he hv-or7 RI inc. irnY0
sorrow.
AT every turn poor Kid was mute
reminded of her loss, and her heart w
e at the breaking point day by. day, and 81
begged for her old life, to seek forgetfu
ut ness in toll and get away from herse
So we went back to the old road,
op we went away-Jim wainwright and K
or Reynolds-and glad enough they were
We, get us again for the winter work.
'.Three years of indoor life had soften
he the wiry muscles of the Kid, and our e
CINE was a hard steamer, so I did mt
om of the work on the road. But the VOL
nd excitement and outdoor life brought ba
IT, the color to the pale cheeks and now a
then q, smile, to sad lips-and was gls
lat Zone day the Kid was running while
'ut broke up some big Jumps Of coal, a
NIX While busy In the tank I felt the air
H.. on full and the reverse lever come ba,
IN while the wheels ground sand. stepr
nd quickly toward the cab to see what y
Kid the matter when the Kid sprang il
ide the gangway and cried Jump
Il was in the left gangway in a. seco1
I but quick as a flash the Kid had
ew arm.
Ter, 1.-THE other side. Quick The river
ia "We were almost side by side as s
Wn swung me toward the other side Of
lis. engine, and jumped as we crashed int
Use. landslide. felt Kids hand on my sho
rub der as left the deck-just in time
the save my life, but not the Kids
eet she was crushed between the tank 8
ght boiler in the very act Of keeping me Fl
rm jumping to certain death on the rocks
the the river below.
ter When the crew came, they found
uld with the crushed clay Of my poor Kid
my arms, kissing her They never KIN
aid who she was I took her back to
All Texas home and laid her beside the lii
Of one that had gone before. The Fireme
Brotherhood paid Kids insurance to
and passed resolutions saying: 1T
An,. pleased Almighty God to remove from
ooH midst our beloved brother, George r
9 nolds.' etc. etc.
"George Reynolds grave cannot
eep found, but over. a mound of forget
UGH nots. away in a southern land tn
; In stands a stone on which is cut Geol
hen ana, wife of ]. e. Wainwright, aged
me- years
rich But in my heart there is a gol
slip pyramid of love to the memory of a f
man and a sweetheart known. to YOU
ton all the world but me, as Jim Wainrig
the Kid