Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1908-191?, 1909-10-05


waved 4 salute to the sunbonneted fig.
ure beside the track. She might have
been old and ugly-it was nothing
more than the glow impaired by the
whisky which prompted the greeting;
but when the sunbonnet fell back and
a pair of brown eyes laughed up at
him, while two pretty hands held out
a can OF buttermilk. inviting him in
coque:tish pantomime to drink,
deeper emotion impelled him to stop
his engine. He leaped down and
stepped back to the girl. half expect
Ing to zee her run. She stood her
ground
"Thirsty?' she asked. This here's
nothin' but buttermilk."
lie took a long gulp from the drip
ping dippcr she held out to him.
ITS mighty good" he said as he
wiped his mouth with the back OF his
hand, but | didn't stop my train for
buttermilk | expected I'd git a pas
senger. Ever been up to the mine?"
She shook her head.
Come ahead, it's a bully ride!"
She hung back.
Il got lot o. things to do up
home" she said.
Got to cook yer old mans supper,
eh?"
Amt got no old man-yet." And
she laughed.
Got somebody in mind?"
Not you, anyway"
oh, ! amt candidate"
Lost the nomination too often, |
guess"
He laughed ruefully and was about
TO confess that he already had an
old woman" in New York when she
broke in
Say, will you let me work the
handles an things? / want to make
it gol"
"Surei Come ahead"
A moment later, having run the
gauntlet of curious brakemen and
Pete. tho grinning fireman. she clam
bered into the cab of the Streak, and
stood quivering with child.like excite
ment before the confusing multiple
ity of valves and levers.
This was the first of many delight
ful rides for little Jen Barnes. Four
times day for six days In the week
Smoky SAINT passed Culver's Jump on
his way to and from the mines, and
two train-loads of coke were brought
by him to the greedy mouths up there
at the summit. Then followed the
risky descent over a track which
wound in and out, down the mountain
side, and in the course of its II miles
dropped 1000 feet-a trip never dull,
and now made even more exciting for
Smoky SAINT by the possibility that at
one point of the road he would find
Jen waiting for him.
Meanwhile the silence of SAINTS
old woman" in New York continued
unbroken--a silence that had been
responsible for Smoky SAINTS taciturn-
ity She had been proud of her hus-
band when she gave up teaching in
the city school and started out in life
with SAINT, then a promising young en-
gineer entrusted with the Big Flyer.
They were happy and prosperous
when the baby came, and the proud
father fairly worshiped the little chap
who sat growing on his shoulders.
In the course of an unusually rig
orous winter SAINT succumbed to the
grip, and recovered from IL a weak
ened man. 1t was then that he be-
gan TO indulge in an occasional drink
to brace his nerves. The habit had
grown and presently he was found
unreliable; then the company dis.
rnissed him from his post on the Big
Flyer.
Slow to relinquish a man once so
trustworthy, they tried him in less
responsible positions. But SAINT was
now too discouraged TO pull UP, and
gradually fell lower in the company's
forces until he was finally dismissed.
lie fell into debt, the little house in
the suburbs slipped away from him,
and at last, to escape vagrancy, his
wife went back to her mother, taking
the boy with her. Their door was
closed against SAINT He would have
gone utterly to the dogs had not the
Brotherhood of Engineers secured for
hAih Nhio pObillOh On Tue niue noun
tain railroad, which required a GER
tain desperation for its successful en-
gineering. SAINT had kept IT several
months without mishap, and the min
ins company was beginning to feel
easier.
One morning, early in November,
he found Jen waiting for him on his
down-trip, looking like a picture in
the clear, frosty air, and with a be.
lated spray of golden-rod fastened at
her belt
They had not gone very far before
his passion rose and claimed utter
ance. "Jen. Jen!" he cried. Let's
quit. Won't you clear out o. this with
mel"
"Why--why-I-"
Don't be afraid, little woman. You
will never be sorry--I'll see to that.
I'll stick by you an work for you like
a niger. Is 1t all right?"