The weekly Butte record., 1861-12-14

obey the company's regulations. In this way
l early gained a tolerably complete insight in
to the management of the locomotive, and, be-
ing shrewd, selfconfident lad, soon acquired
a profound belief in my capacity for discharg-
ing all the duties Of driver. l had, besides,
an inseparable companion named Mark Hib-
berd, whose father followed the calling l
thought | should so much adorn, and who de-
lighted equally with me in pottering about
among the engines and men, or riding short
distances whenever opportunity occurred. The
elder Hibberd was an extremely daring and
clever driver, frstrate workman but unfor-
tunately, like too many Of our very best arti-
sans, given to occasional fits of drunkenness.
This peculiarity had got him into trouble once
or twice before the tine of which am speak
ing, but as on each occasion his escapades had
been productive of no actual harm, and he was
in other respects very valuable man, he was
retained but cautioned. Mark was quite as
great proficient as myself in knowledge of
have our abilities properly recognized among
the workmen who were our companions. In all
our little enterprises and adventures Mark,
however, was the leader he inherited his ia
theirs skill and courage, and soon acquired,
even among the men, good reputation for
steady pluck and shrewdness. Such were
young Hibberd and myself at about the age
of Is but in order that you may clearly un-
derstand the whole Of my story, it will be ne
cessary for NE now to explain the situation
and pecullarities of our station and the neigh
boring line. Coulston is a large town on the
- Railway, standing mid way between Al
lonby, which is ten miles below, and Castleton,
which is ten miles above it.
" Attached to the station are the locomotive
works already mentioned, and very large en-
gne-house. In the latter, the number Of en-
gnes was generally considerable, and this was
our favorite haunt, where we lurked at all
hours hoping for the chance of run with
some complaisant comrade down to Alonby.
whence we trusted to the chapter OF accidents
and Shanks his mare for a return journey
The engine-house stood at distance of about
800 yards below Coulston station with which
it was connected by siding joining the main
line, in a manner with which everyone is fami-
liar.
"Aonby was a small place where few trains
stopped, while our town was large and of rising
Importance. The nearest down station of any
size was Leicester, about forty miles distant.
1t happened one dark but clear November
evening, that Mark Hibberd and | were loung-
ing about our favorite engine-h house chatting
to one and another Of the drivers, who were
busy oiliDg and cleaning their respective loco
motives. Old Hibberd's Firehy " was there
with steam up, an order having come during
the afternoon that Marks father was to be in
readiness to take "special" down to Liches-
ter at eight O'Clock precisely. Hibberd hm>
self was not there, though it was then halfpast
seven, and Mark said casually, in answer to a
question from old Bob Jacobs, his fireman,
that he hoped bis father was not on the lush,'
but he had been down to the Railway Arms
again that afternoon for the first time during
the last three months.
We were standing on the footplate as we
talked, and steam having been up some time
and the water in the boiler somewhat low, |
said to Jacobs, =" Bob, you'll have to run her
down to the crossing and back a time or two
to fill up the boiler it being necessary, must
tell you, to put an engine in motion before the
pumps which feed her with water can work.
Right you are, Mas'r Charley" said Bob {;
"but do you and Mas'r Mark take her down
to the points and back again while I light my
lamps and fill my oil can"
Here was one Of the little chances We de-
lighted in. 1t wanted exactly twenty minutes
to eight when Mari; turned on steam, and we
glided slowly out Of the enginc-house, leaving
old Jacobs trimming the Firefy's lamps.
We had run backwards and forwards over the
hundred yards of rails between the crossing
and the house when Marks evil genius prompt
ed him to exclaim:
a. say, Charley, let's run over the points
aud down the line for halfa- or so we can
back easy by eight o'clock
No sooner said than done. When we
reached the points, l dropped off and opened
the switches, thus shutting the engine on to
the up line, upon which we proposed to indulge
ourselves in some two or three minutes gallop,
and then return.
"Now in acting thus, you must understand
that we did nothing whatever involving any
danger from ordinary sources, and were, in all
human probability, perfectly safe from mshap.
" The next train was an up-express, not due
at Coulston till 500, but which did not stop
at Allonby. Nothing could possibly follow us
from behind, for we were on the up line of
rails, and as we should be back again before
o'clock, there was of course no danger to be
apprehended from the coming train. Hibberd,
on our return, had only to ship bis lamps and
start on the down line for Leicester.
"Our programme. however, was deranged in
a way we little expected. Prudent if bold, we
IA M. ,Ilovr tho deIirI,tc of o,,- alon m do