The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-10-25

wi. 70, lCOl.
engines for the fall passenger business. The
road was put in the very best condition, and
other preparations were made to cut down
the time, and put the trains through quicker
than was ever known before, when the new
engines should come. Well, there was but
one Of the new engines came.
| said there was but one engine came, and
she was, In my opinion, altogether the best
Ever turned out at the Taunton works. And
this is as much as could be said in praise of
any engine. She was put in my charge i'm
mediately, with the understanding that she
was mine.
1t was Saturday when she came out of the
shop, and was to take special train up to
y. The train was to carry up the pre-
sdent and several of the other officers of the
road, to meet some officers of another road,
winch crossed ours there, and arrange some
important business with them. had no
trouble at all making forty miles an hour 60
! ing out. The engine handled itself mos,
beautifully. We were just holding up at
y, when Aldrich, the treasurer, who
came out on the platform to put the brake
on, slipped and fell. AS we were yet under
good headway, he was much injured, and was
carried to the hotel insensible.
According to the presidents direction.
switched of my train, turned nv engine, and
stood ready to start back to c. at a mo-
ments notice
.Aldrlch's presence was of so much import
ance that the business could not be transact
ed without him. SO that all those | had
brought out, except the president and Al
drich, went back TO C in the three o.
clock express train. This was the last regu-
lar train which was to pass over the road till
the following Monday.
Earl IN the evening lief, the machine in
.i"i - VI NY III euiaiI, anu vent over 10 al
eating house 70 see il | could not spend my
time more pleasantly than on my engine
lhe hours dragged themselves away slow y.
was taking game of dominoes with the
station agent, when in came Roberts, the
president, in state O. great excitement.
Harry said he to me. i want YOU to pu,
me down TO g at twelve o'clock.
rs II was near eleven O'Clock, and the dis
tance was seventy-tiye miles, | thought he
was joking at first; but when he got outside
the door he Caught ME by the arm and hur-
ried me along SO fast saw he was in ear
nest.
Harry, said he, If YOU don't set NE down
in G. by twelve O'Clock, | am 8 ruined
man, and tins road is ruined read Aldrch
i dead, bat he told NE before he died, thai
he had cmbezzled from time to time, fifty thou.
>and Go lars Of our money; and his clerk is &c
start IN tie twelve o'eiock boat from C
70 CaraJa. If We don't have that money Oh
Monday morning 10 make some payments
with, tie road goes into other hands; and if
YOU put me down in C. AZ the right time
50 that | save the money, you shal! have five
thousand dollars. Understand il. Harry >
Five thousand dollars
o. course understood. it. saw nov III.
reason why the wages had been cut down.
understood ii all and my blood boiled.
ieit that | could save the road if | lived. anG
told Roberts so.
See that YOU DO ii, Harry, he replied, as
lie climbed up the steps of the coach which
Was coupled TO my engine.
sprang up into the foot board, got up III,
switch tender 10 he p my fireman, opened The
throttle, and just as she commenced moving
looked al my watch. 1t Was just eleven o:
clock 50 that | had just one hour TO make m,
scvrnty-iive miles in
From Y to c. there were few
curves in the road, but there were seyera
heavy graues. | was perfectly acquainted
with every rod Of it, so that knew exactl,
what had to encounter; and when | saw
how The engine was moving. had very little
fear of the result.
The road for the first few miles was an all
line, and so smooth that my engine flew along
with scarcely perceptble jar. | was Sc
busy posting myself up as to the amount of
wood and water aboard, etc, that We danced
by the first station almost before We were a
ware Of ii, having been five minutes out, and
having five miles accomplished.
You are losing time. yelled voice from
the coach. | turned myself around, anc
there stood the president, Roberts, with hi.
watch in his hand
knew very well that We should have tc
increase our speed by some means, if We car
ried out our plan of reaching c. by mid
night, and looked anxioasly around to SEE
what could do to accomplish that purpose
She was blowing off steam fercely at one
hundred and ten pounds, so turned down
the valve to two hundred, for | knew she
needed it all to make some of the heavy
grades which lay between US and c..