The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-03-13

j much east of the Mississippi and Evelyn S
previous western travel had been in a
Pullman What an odd parlor car she
said But anywhere with you"
Between Kansas City and Topeka the
| Rock Island trains run on the Union
Pacific tracks, as it would appear to the
uninitiated upon sort of impromptu
schedule of their own. The little engine
pulled, bumped and pulled its cars out of
the Kansas City yards, across the big
bridge and on through the bare, wind
swept prairies and desolate cornfields
! devoid even of the snow that had gleam-
| ed and sparkled upon the Iowa levels as
| the limited train had rushed over them all
! the night before. On, on they rolled.
| Then a sudden stop came as a part of
! the running gear had broken and the
engine pulled in vain. Four hours they
waited on the brown. dreary prairies and
Carlson grew more and more nervous
Would they never start?
What is the matter, John, tell me
about it, said Evelyn pleadingly. And
John, forgetting his resolution OF the pre-
vious night told her But now don't
blame yourself. for You meant to do the
right thing. No, I'm not angry and l
to some broken and muffied inquiries.
and I'd kiss you this minute If it wasn't
for these people on board" Just then the
train started.
Now, if this were a study in mental
psychology or philosophy John would
not have told his troubles, and the key
note of this tale would have been the
triumph of love over ambition; If this
were romance it would represent that
-. Milton disinterred from his memory
the face of an early love with eyes like
Evelyn's and sacrificed his ambitions for
the sake Of this fair haired easterner By
yielding his claims to her husband; If this
even were well concocted story it would
have unity of plot But being a tale of
real life, psychology, unity and ideaiism
take wings.
BY this time the train was on the
bounds of the Topeka yards and getting
ready to do its endless switching ands
backing and turning passengers around
until they were fairly started again on !
the Rock Islard road. At this entrance
to the yards were two parallel tracks;
from the one on which the plug was
running a short disused siding started,
its rusty rails ending in dirt.
AS the train approached this siding it
came to a sudden stop and the conductor
rushed in from the smoker yelling, Can
any one line that track, for Gods sake?" |
While in the distance sounded the whistle
of locomotive at a crossing. Carlson |
seized Evelyn bodily and rushing to the |
open door pushed past the conductor and |
sprang from the train There from
three minutes time behind their train |
and nthe same track the mighty engine |
of the Golden State limited dashing upon |
them, while from the opposite direction |
upon the other track the Union Pacific |
flyer was seen approaching. Quicker than |
can be told they saw their train pull in !
upon the wornout siding, the engine turn
on its side in the gully beyond, leaving /
the coaches and their occupants safe.
Close upon them rushed the limited. COM
ing to a stop a quarter of a mile beyond
them. While Evelyn caught sight of the
passengers peacefully eating their noon
day meal in the dining car of the Union
Pacific express as it rushed eastward
The limited still waited and Evelyn saw
a chance to save the day. .iQuick, let's
get that other train; never mind the bag
gage-and hatless and coatless-in the
bleak winter air she started down the
rack. John snatched his travelling cap
from his head and gave it to her as they
AN and cold and breathless they climbed
,ver the gilded railing of the observation
ar, just as the train started.
To end properly we should relate that
he limited reached Harrington in time for
,ur friends to catch their train, reach
heir destination before Milton. interview
he senator and gain their end. But as
ruth is sometimes stranger than romance
We must relate that as they entered for
ward Pullman the first person Carlson
aw was his friend the senator, who greet
ID him and his bride most cordially.
alter on Garrison brought the conversation
o bear upon the position in view and re-
eived the senator's unqualified recon-
nendation. And such was Earlson's man
lood that he never told until years later
he story of his wife's first political ven-
ure. MOLLIE WARREN