The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-01-07

them We're familiar with Ted Burton
wistful face and little one-legged fig
ure. They were fond of him; too; some
because he was such a sweet-temper-
ed, obliging little fellow, always ready
to hobble on. errands for them, and
others for the sake of his sister Bet
ty, who was night operator.
Betty had received her position after
her father, Engineer Phil Burton, had
been run over and killed by his own
engine. the 1852. She was brave girl.
It was she who tended her father in his
last agoniZed hours, and who broke
the news to her frail invalid mother.
calming and comforting her as no one
else could. Teddy was eight years old
then and bonny little fellow, with
bright blue eyes and a mop of yellow
curls. He missed his father sorely.
for Phil had almost worshipped his
only son. The boy had inherited his
love for the road, and never was as
happy as when Phil would allow him
to get up on the engine. He was wont
to declare that he would run Srain
when he was big like Dad
His grief at his fathers loss was
pitiful, and he chung to Betty day and
night. Between her mother and her
brother she had no time to think Of
her own sorrow, which was the best
thing thing that could have happened
to her. The she secured the position
as night operator at Bentham. The
family owned their home, and there
was a little money invested, the in
terest of which, with Betty's salary,
kept them in comfort.
Ted went to school, but all his spare
moments were spent at the depot and
the roundhouse. All men knew him
and they were kind to the fatherless
boy as they could have wished others
to be to their children. But one winter
day, after Betty had gone to bed, Ted
ran down to the depot. The old 1852
was backing slowly down the main
track and he noticed the fireman was
Tom Golden, young man Ted very
much admired. Running along beside
the engine, he was chatting gaily to
Tom when suddenly he slipped and fell
beneath the wheels. 1t was Tom who
picked him up and carried him into the
depot. And Tom went ahead and broke
the news to Betty, when she came
down to him with sleepy eyes and
flushed cheeks. And Tom sat beside
hsoed where Ted lay raving with few
err, through the gloomy nights that
Betty spent at the office. During this
time the young man and the girl drew
very near to one another, and when
Ted was able to get around on crutch-
es, Tom asked him gravely to consent
to their engagement, and Ted acquis-
ced with the most serious air in the
world.
Since then Ted hung around the
| depot.
The roundhouse held too many
painful memories for him. The last
few weeks had been painful ones fo1
his sister, too. She and Tom Golden
| had quarreled, and she had handed
| back the pretty ring she. wore, anc
Tom had taken it in silence and gone
| proudly away. Betty would not talk
nor would Tom, so no one knew thu
cause of the rupture. j Ted was very
much hurt about it, as he looked upor
Tom as fixture in he>family. -:
One very dark night Ted walked
down to the office with Betty, and sa
down to rest. The day man was tell
ing her about No. 3, due at Benthan
at S.15. She was a fast passenger, bu
on that particular night she carried
several thousand dollars in gold. They
listened to the talk in a 11alf-heartet
way till he remembered that Ton
Golden was firing the 1852 on that train
"something will happen" he feared
THE old e62 is hoodoo to our family
OH forgot. Tom isn't in the fam
lily any more"
But Ted was uneasy. His home wa!
straight up the track about a mile
and half way between was a quar-,
| SWITCH For some reason or Othe
! this place flashed into his mind, an(
stayed there with tormenting persist
ency.
i Betty" he said after a while, 6
guess III go home, if you don't mind
"All right, DEAR Good-by.''
He went over and kissed her two o
three times. She looked surprised, blu
said nothing, and he swung out in t
the darkness. 1t was intensely sti
outside. There was not a breath {
air, and even the summer insects wei
silent with the promotions of comm
evil. Ted's heart sank as he listene
/ and looked about him. Then he WEI
/ back.
| Got any Matches Betty"
What do you want matches TO,
Are you afraid Of the dark? There
mo. It's awful black thought,
a star out"
Its going to rain, so hurry HON
sweetheart. No. 3 is an hour late, too
"Oh," said Ted. Then he went GU
Straight north along the track |
/ went slowly and silently. He was NJ
| afraid. yet it seemed to him as
| danger lurked all around him. AS
| drew near the quarry switch he heal
voices. Double careful now abo1
| making any noise, he crept closer.
Dave Whitney said she carried So
900. That's $4,000 apiece for US BIO,
if all goes WE'LL" said one.
"All will go WELL" replied anothe
"It's confoundedly dark and the lig
| is out. No need to hurry either: she