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BUTLER HERALD. Published By W. N. BENN3. | A WEEKLY DEMOCRATIC NEWSPAPER,DEVOTED TO INDUSTRY AND CIVILIZATION, j Terms, ONE DOLLAR A TEAR. In Advance VOLUME 3, BCTLEB, GEORGIA. TUESDAY, MAY 13. 1879. WHOLE SUM BEE ]3| THE BUTLER HERALD. W. N. BI3NNS. Editor and Ptilislier. ScBuoiumoM Trick $1.00. Pxn annum. TUESDAY MAY 13th 1079. The Obstructed Track* Did the engineer know that she was watching—that his engine gave two shrill shrieks that seem ed to say, “Viola! Viola!” The brace of shrieks, loud and shrill, told her who drove that engine toward the great city on the Mississippi's banks. They recall ed the day, one year since, when the first engine she had ever seen stopped at Beamont, scarcely a station then. The engineer was young and ihaudsome; as ha saw her examin- On a crisp night in October the wind rustled the leaves in the wood that surrounded Viola Vathek’s house. Above the fair girl who looked out j >“K the great driving wheels, and of a small domitory window shone j looking with wonder upon the countless stars; she might have seen Boots and Orion had she look ed up, but that night the worlds of heaven had no attraction for her. She was listening to a strange sound borne from the west by the nocturnal breeze that chilled her cheek. I might have said, pro priety, a succession of sounds, lor it seemed as if a uumber of per sons were cording wood or moving heavy timber not far away. Save this noise the night was quiet, and she beard without interruption from the window of her boudoir. “I beliove it is in Gwynne’s cut/' she said at last to herself. “Per haps some viliian is obstructing the track for devilish purposes The Reil Bird will soon be due, and this is Ed’s trip down." Her face grew n trilie paler as she spoke, and a moment later she stood before the ancient wall- sweeper iu one of the n o us. The moonbeams stealing in at the window fell on the lace ot th» dial and told Viola that it was 12 o’clock. “Twelve/'she murmured. “What! lii o’clock, and In* whistles to tut* at half-[iast! Mercy! what if tin track is obstructed iu theouil” With the last words ou her lips, she souu left the house. At the gate site paused a mo ment and listened. The souuds were still to be heard, and she be lieved that they emigrated from a spot in the cut near the cattle- guard. Then she started forward again and crossed the meadows that lay between her home and her destination. The stars looked down upon a little object that glittered like sil ver in Viola’s hand. It was a re volver and her fingers held it firm- 11- She was the belle of the conn try, she inhabited. Her father was dead, and with her widowed mother and a little brother ot twelve, she dwelt in the humble house won by the sweat of her la ther’s brow. A railway station called Bea mont was the only settlement near, and it was six miles away from her home. She seldom went thither, for there was no society there, and she could enjoy herself better at home. The track of iron was the mak ing of Beamont, for the road was new, and towns were springing up all around the line. Viola could see the cars from the window, and otten had she sat there until the flaming headlight of the midnight express bad appeared and disap peared. Ap opeuing iu the woods en- 1 to see the head-light for a motrau^aJMfcbeQ ttie Hi mighty beauties of his iron pet,he leaped to the ground. A pretty piece of machinery," said he to her, "And she goeB like a bird." She blushed when she caught his eye, and the sound of his voice thrilled her. Overcoming timidity, he helped her into his cosy apartment on the engine, and explained to her the wonderful mechanism of this beautiful monster. Then he said good-bye, and she Raw the train move off, and hie hat waving from the engine was the last thing she saw as the train darted around the curve. A we.*k later she found herselt at the statiou talking to him again. Their meeting seemed purely ac cidcnfal, and no doubt it was such; hut I am sure the meetings that followed Were not. By and by Ed. Gordon, the en gineer, carried a picture over his heart, and ou Viola’s bureau lay the photographic semblance of his lace. Thus the acquaintance at the tation, during the Red Bird’s tri al over the new road, had ripened into lnve,atid two midnight shrieks told her he was safe and driving his engine towards the river me tropolis. She sat at her window oftimes, with the lamp on the sill, aud often fanciid she could see him leaning from his engine, with his eyes fix ed to catch a glimpse of her, but the train would be swallowed up in the woods again. This life was excitement and joy to Viola; but it was passing away. The time was coming wh**n Ed. G ordun ‘ would leave the road and accept a superinten- dency of the company’s car shops iu a flourishing way. But let me return to the October night when Viola left her home to investigate the sounds that seem ed to come from Gwynne’s cut. She felt that obstructions were being placed upon the track iu the dismal place. Of late the company had incur red the hatred of several person* in tho vicinity of the station, and once or twice the track had been tampered with, hut fortunately to no serious extent. The night express generally went through the cut with uodiminish- ed speed, for no obstruction had been encountered there; though the cattle-guard in the ceutei would assh>t the evil disposed. Viola at last reached the cut, ioto which the mellow moonbeams fell, and paused. Something high and dark obstructed the track be fore her, at the very spot where th^ cattle-guard seethed to be, at»d she Sold her breath. It was I the her w*lk occupied a number of precious minutes. The shrieks of the Red Bird would soon be heard, and a moment thereafter its headlight would flash in to the cut. She saw more Mian a pile of strong ties on the track. She saw tho dark figure of a man moviug about the pyr amids, as if contemplating his night's work and speculating upon the death and ruin it would cause. She watched until she believed thAt one man had accomplished the diabolical deed, then she crept fordard through the shadow of the bushes that lined the sides of the cut, until she stood within ten feet of him. “I'll go hack to the station, now,” she heard him say to himself. “I can get there before the accident,and when it occurs, why I can run up there and see him under the ruins of the engine, so crushed that the doll-faced girl of his will not recognise him.” A cruel laugh rippled over his lip as he stepped buck from the heap of ties, several of which had been forced into the guard, where they were wedg ed like posts of iron. He enjoyed his own words, and viewed the work of his own mad hands. The last words* full of devil’i utnph, still quivering on his lips, when Viola stepped from the slmdows and thrust the muzzle of her revolver into his face. He started hack with a cry of hor ror and muttered his name. “This is your revenge, Morgan, Duke,” she said, looking sternly into his eyes. “Now obey my oommands, or there will he a lifeless body on this track, to he mingled among the ruins of the night express. To work at once; off* with your coat, and remove every obstruction your wicked bauds have placed here.* “The train can't be saved now/ he said, and there was joy in his tones. “It took me one long hour to ob struct tho guard. In twenty minutes, less perhaps, you’ll see the Red Bird's headlight up the cut.* “Villain !’ she cried, “if this track is not ch ared when I see hor headlight I’ll drive a bullet through your brain. You know what to do. I’ll talk no lon ger.' Covered hy her revolver as he was» Morgan Duk«»,the station -master, doff ed his coat and went to work. Viola neyer took her eyes from him, and the silvpry moou that rested over the cut showed his every movement. He was on the pile of ties,hurling them one by one, wilh the strength of a modern damson upon the not overwide grade. Her worked for life, for he knew when the thundering train was due, and a glance at the girl on the track tolk him that she would surely kill him if ho did not do her bidding. Once she said to him, as he paused for breath before attacking the ties which he had driven into the cattle- guard. I never thought this of you, ^or gan Duke. When I rejected you I thought you would bear it like a man.’ He replied not, but glanced at his watch. . “Half-past 12/ he said, “To work! was the stern command, and Viola stepped forward and brought the revolver nearer his head. He tugged at the ties with great strength, *nd large drops of perspira tion stood out on his forehead. “I can’t get them out/ he said. “You must/ was the reply. The girl’s face grew paler than ever and she glanced fearfully up the out. “Take them out !’ she said sudden ly; “the train is coming. I hear it.' The villainous station master heard the rumbling and again turned to the ties. Viola watched nev- that undo his wicked work, and while she watched, her heart grew still beneath the rumbling of the express. “He’ll soon call me/ she said to her self. “There! there!’ The familiar shrieks cleft the cool October air, but they brought on joy to her heart. She was not at the win dow beside the light he loved to hail from his engine. Perhaps she would he the find to kiss his cold brow beneAth the stars at Gwynne’s Cut. She almost shouted for joy when she saw the first tie drawn from the guard by the des* perato man. “Quick! the sledge! break the guard !’ she cried. “God. I never thought of that,* he said, and the next moment he was shattering the long guard with the heavy sledge. At that the tie was broken, and he thrust the other tie into the long open ing he had made. At that moment the train, rounding the curve, dashed into the cut, and th- flashing headlight not twenty feet away, almost blinded the eyes of the twain. Morgan Duko stepped from the track and threw himself upon the heap of ties, utterly exhausted. He wns tri umph in the girl’s eyes, and watched her as the train came on. Oh ! for strength to hurl li^r upon the track and beneath the wheels of the thundering train. Her revolver had ceased to cover him, but he could not have lifted n child. The train dashed by, Viola saw her lover’s face for a moment, and an ex clamation of thankfulness welled from her heart. He was safe, and the pre cious lives that he carried westward. ‘‘You are a worker, Morgan Duke/ she said to him, smiling. “We will separate here.’ He looked at her a moment in si lence. “Are you going to tell V’ he asked. “Such men as jou are dangerous/ she replied. “Then you are going to expose me?* “I am.* He did not reply. They parted forever there. Morgan Duke was never caught bj|tho officers of the law, but justice afterward over took him. The iron wheels of the rail way train caught him on the track. The company presented Viola with a beautiful house, when hor husbund took charge of the car shops. I know she will never regret her night in Gwyn- no’s out with her rejected lover. “Very goo 1 ; if not, I will pun ish yon severely." “I have been," said the soldier, ‘about six week* on the inarch. I have neither Bible nor pamtnon prayer-book. I have nothing hot a pack of cards, and I hope tie sat isfy Yonr Worship df the purity of my intention/’ " Hj..i ./ i// Then s pread 1 th 4 before the Mayor he began wifcVtK'd ace: ‘‘When I see the ace, it reminds me that there is hut ope God.— When I see the deuce, it reminds me of the Father and Son. When I see the trey, it reminds of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.— When 1 see the four, it reminds me of the four evangelists that preached—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. When I see the five, It reminds me of the five wise virgins that trimmed their lamps. There were ten; but five were wise and five were foolish and were shut out. When I see the six, it retniqde me that in six days the Lord, qide heaven and earth.—When I ate the seven, it reminds me th%t on the seventh day God rested from the great work He had made and hallowed it. When 1 see the eight, it reminds me of the eight righte* ous persons that were sa^fed when God destroyed the wovl^; via:, Noah and his wife, his ihree eons a^d their wives. WIm/Im the Religion in a Pack of Cards. [An Old Anecd.te Reprinted by Request.] A private soldier by the name of Richard Lee was taken before the magistrates of Glasgow, Scotland, for ptayingcards during divine ser vices. At the church, those who had Bibles took them out; butthiB soldier had neither Bible oor com mon prayer-book, and polling out a pack of cards, he spread them out before him. He first looked at one oard, and then at another. The Seargent of the company saw him aod said: “Richard, put up the cards; this is no place for them." “Never mind that,” said Rich ard, When the services were over, the Constable took Richard a pris oner, knd brought him before the Mayor. “Well,” said the Mayor, “What have yon brought the euldier hore for?” “For playing cards in church." “Veil, soldier, what have yon to say for yourself?” 1 kfir. ' 1 -/ say for youn inak nine, it reminds tne of tjh* lias W- pers that were cleanifri hy ear Saviour. There were dim oat of ten that never returned thanks. When I ses tho loo it reminds mo of the ten oomomodiniati, which God had handed dMrfc to JfOseo the tablnofadonw, ' When loo* the kiog, it rmiMs ftr-erf tfca great KingafOWW*. MMSKfo God Almighty. Whoa I Martha queen, it reminds me of the Qua of Sheba, who visited Solomon,tor she was as wise a woman as ha was a man. She brought with her fifty boys and fifty girls, all drsso- ed in boys apparel, for King Solo mon to tell which were boys and which were girls- The King sent (or water for them to wash. Tho girls washed to tho elbows,the boys to the wriste; so King Solomon told by that.” "Well’' said the Mayor, “yon have described every card in tho pack except one." “What is that?” “The knave,” said the Mayor, “I will give your Honor a de scription of that, too, if you will not he angry." “I will not," said tho Mayor, “if you do not term mo to he tho knave.” “Tho greatest knave 1 know of, is the Constable that brought ms here." “I do not know,” said the May or, “if he is the greatest knave, but he is the greatest fool." “When I count how many spot* there are in a pack of cards, I find 365, as many days as there are in a year. When 1 count the num ber of cards in a pack, 1 find fifty- two—the number of weeks in a year. I find there are twelve picture cards in a pack, represent ing the number of months in a year, and on q -noting the tricks, 1 find thirteen, the number of weeks <0 a quarter. So, you sen^ a pack ol cards serves for a Bible, an alm&MC, aud common prayer-