The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1861-06-26

we least expected it. Our road was gen.
orally lookea upon as one of the most
substantial in the nation; nobody seemed
to have any great fear that it would fail
to survive the general smash up. But yet
I did not fully share in the general conf
dence. Wages were cut down; arrear-
ages collected; and great many other
little matters seemed to indicate to me
that the road had got into rather deeper
water than was agreeable all around.
Among other things, the master mechanic
had told me in the spring that the com
pany had ordered four first quality Taun-
ton engines for the fall fpassenger business.
The road was put in the very best condi-
tion, and other preparations were made,
to cut down the time, and put the trains
through quicker than was ever known be.
fore, when the new engines should come.
II said there was but one engine came,
and she was. in my opinion, altogether
the best ever turned out of the Taunton
Works; and that is saying as much as
could be said in praise of any engine
She was put in my charge Immediately,
with the understanding that she was
nine.
1T was Saturday when she came ont
of the shop and | was TO take special
train up to Y The train was TO
carry up the President aud several Of the
o., her officers of The road. TO meet some
officers of another road. which crossed
M
business with them.
II had no trpnble at all making my
forty miles an hour going out. The eu
glue handled herself most beautifully
We were just holding up at y, when
Aldrich ;he treasurer. who had come out
on the platform 10 Pot the brake OF, slip
ped and fell As We were vet-under good
headway, he was very much injured. aud
was carried off TO tle hotel insensib!e.
"Accorting to the Presidents direc
tiohs, Iswitched off my train. turned my
engine, and stood ready to start back to
c. at . moments nofice.
"Aldrch's presence was of so much i'm
portance. that the business could not be
transacted without him, so all those l
had brought out, except the President
and Aldrich, went back toSC ION the
three O'Clock express train. This was the
last regular train which was to pass over
the road until the next Monday.
Early in the eve.,iug left the machine
in charge Of nv fireman, and went over
to all ing house, TOO see if l could mol
spend the time more pleasantly than OIL
my engine. The hours dragged them
selves away slowly, was taking a game
of dominoes with the station agent, wher
10 came Roberts, the president, in a state
of greatexcitement.
".Harry, said be to me. i want yol
TO put me down In @ at twelv,
o'clock -
"As it was nearly eleven O'Clock then
and the distance was seventy FIVE miles,
thought he was joking at first; but whel
we got outside the door, he caught me b
the arm and hurried me along SO fast tha
| | saw he was IN earnest.
"'Harry,' said he, if you don't set N
down in c. by twelve o'clock, am
ruined man, and this road Is ruined road
I Aldrich is dead; but he told me. befor
he died, that he had embezzled. from tim
to time, five hundred thousand of ou
money; and his clerk is to start with il
on the twelve O'Clock boat, from c.
I for Canada. If we don't have tina
money on Morday morning, to make SOM
payments with, the road goes into othe
hands; and if you put me down in c.
at the right time, so that save th
money. you shall have five thousand do
lars. Understand it, Harry? Five thou
saad dollarsP
.'Of course, L understood it. l sa
now the reason why the wages bad bee
cut down I understood II all. aid N
blood boiled / felt that ] would say
The road if | lived aud told Roberts 81
".See that you do it, Harry he re
y piled. as he climbed up 10 10 he steps {
Z the coach which was coupled to my Ell
CINE.
: Il spraDg up into the foot board, gt
: ~ swilch-tender to help my fireman. opeI
ed The throttle. and, just as she comment
ed moving. looked at my watch--it W,
! just eleven o'clock. SO that had just OF
hour to make my seventy FIVE miles in.
"From y to c. there we
], few curves iu the road; but there We
: several heavy grades. was perfect
acquainted with every rod of ii; 80 th
l knew exactly what had to eneounte
aud, when saw how the engine moved,
: fel' very little fear of the result.
: "The road for the first few miles, W.
! an air line. ard 80 smooth that my engiI
: flew along with scarcely perceptibe ia
= was so busy posting myself up as to ii
\ amount of wood and water aboard, etc
: that we danced by the first station almo
: before was aware of il, having beeu e
: minutes out, aud having five miles accor
. plished
d ".You are losing time!' yelled vol
=, from the coach. l looked around. al
d there was Roberts. with his watch in b
" hand. fs