Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-10-30
From the Literary Bmporium.l


had spent a night in a stage, a day In the
saddle, night in sleeping car, half day do
| ing business, half day 10 bed, aud was, alter
supper, enjoying Q cigar and newspaper in the
reading g-roomlot the r. house, In F,
Iudlans. The newspaper was uuinterestlDg, or
else was rather sleepy-spd guess il was
little OF both; go that soon neglected it to
watch the fantastic curling of the smoke from
my fine favored principe. | didn't feel much
like talking, and felt still less like reading; but
| did feel as IL would like exceedingly well to
hear good story.
| had barely come to this conclusion, and
commenced wishing for some one Of my ac-
quaintsnces to amuse me until the time was up
for the train which was to take me to c.,
when recognized, in the person who sat next
TO me, feiloW-traVelcr in the sleeping-car OF
the night be ore.
He was very Agreeable e-looking little man,
with clear gray eye, light heir, sandy whisk
ers, and smiling mouth. Indeed, be had so
much the appearance OF the man that would
like to hear tell q story, that thought dame
fortune bad amiled upon me, when be recogniz
ed me with q genial
"How dye do, straDger7"
returned Lis salut4tlon, and asked him some
commonplace question about how he had enjoy
ed the ride we took together.
He said something in reply about the running
being too fast for the poor track; and from this
the conversation ran upon fast travelling in gen.
eral, for some time. At last remarked that
six y miles an hour was the most speedy travel
| ing that | had ever done. Whereupon my
friend informed me, with q pleasant but know
ing smile, that he had Travelled considerably
aster than that, and, in fact, faster than he had
ever heard OF beside.
| o. course was anxious to know where,
when, and how he had doue il; aud after the
modest assurance that he feared his tale would
not be interesting, my friend relieved my anxi
ETY. by relating the following story:
al am railroad engineer. In '51, during
the great panic, was running on the f. and c.
r X. The railroad companies were growing
tender, In all directions. Every day we heard
of new failures; and quite often 10 quarter
where we least expected il. Our road was
looked upon az one Of the mos. substantial in
the nation; nobody seemed to have any great
fear that IL would fail to survive tho general
smash-up. Bat yet did not fully share in the
general confidence. Wages we're cut down; ar.
rearsges collected; and great many other lit
tie matters seemed to Indicate to me that the
road had got into rather deeper water than was
agreeable all rouno. Among other things, the
master mechanic had told me in the spripg :,
that the company had ordered four fret quality
Taunton engines for the fall passenger busi
ness. The road was put in the very best condi
iion, 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. We'll, there was bu
one of the new engines came.
81 said there was but one engine came, and
she was, in my opinion, altogether the beet ever
turned out at the Tauuton works. And this Il
40 much as could be said In praise of any en-.
gine She was put In my charge Immediately
with the understanding that she was niue
at was Saturday when she came out of the
chop aud was TO take special train up q
". The train was to carry up the presi.
dent and several of the other officers OF III.
road, to meet some officers of another road
which crossed ours there, and arrange some i'm
portint business with them. had no troubl,
at oil making forty miles an hour going OUT
The engine handled herself most beautifully =
We we're just holding up at y, whel
Aldrich, the treasurer, who had come out OF
the platform to put the brake on, slipped AM
tell. As We were yet under good headway b.
was very much injured, and was carried to th
hotel ineensible. e 19' ,4
according to the presidents directions,
switched of my train, turned my engine, an
stood ready to start back TO C at mo
ment's notice. "a Att i2-nt as4g
"Aldrich's presence was of go much import
ance that the business could not be transacte
without him. 50 all those that had brough
out, except the president and Adrich, went bsc
TO c. on the three o'clock express train. :
THIS was the last regular train which was /
paes over the road until the following Monday
"E4rly In the eveLing left the machine /
charge OF my fireman, and went over to On eat
. g-house, 70 see II could not spend the tim
more pleasantly than on my engine The hour
dragged themselvesaway slowly. ] was takinl
a game Of dominoes with the station agent
when In came Roberts, the president, 10 stat
of great excitement. 'lAse9isre efe
".flsrry : said be t, me, Il want you to pu
Ime down 10 c. at twelve o'clock ~
u "As IL was near eleven o'clock. and the dls
1 tance was seventy-fve miles, thought he wa
Joking AZ first; but when we got outside th
door he caught me by the arm and hurried m
along 90 fast Isaw he was earnest.
: asHarry, said be, III you don't set me dow
in c. BY twelve o'clock, / am ruined mar
and this road 10 aruined road. Aldrich 10 deaC
but he tlld me before he died thas be had en-
bezzed, from time to time. 6fty thousand dol
!. lars OF our money; and his clerk 10 to stsrt
: the twelve o'clock boat from Co. to Canad
: II We don't have that money on Monday morI
ing TO make some payments with. the road 20,
into other hands; and V you put me down
Co.. at the right time, 90 that isave the moi
ey, you shall have five ,housand dolla-s. Vi
derstaud it, Harry Five thousand dollars z
"Of course understood To- | saw now II
Ireason Why the wages had been cut dom;
, understood It. all, and my blood boiled. ie
I lshAt would save tho road II hyed,and l 90
Al Roberta 60. 80 ,sasxs.l .s az. =. "a sA
.ssee that you do Il, Harry, he replied, %
climbed up,hs steps Of the coach uh,eaa W
AZ coupled 20 my engine. alii .es nlac !.
al sprsng up to the loot board cot up u
!, ssitch.tend 10 help my fireman, opened q
lthrotsle, and sjust % she commenced movin
I. LOCKED At my watch IL was just eleven o'cloc