The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-09-21
A FLIGHT In THE DARK.
From Chambers journal.

My father was an engineer before me, anC
gave up tolerable business in large pro
vincial town to take an engagement under
railway company: and when | left school
he put me into his Office, where | stayed
till was twenty years old.
''This sort Of work won't do for you any
longer, Tom, said my father to me one
day. "You are getting as lanky as q
clothes-prop, and round shouldered into the
bargain. We must get you out into the
fresh air. Suppose you go as engine driver
for couple Of years; it will do your health
good, and you will get an amount of genu-
Inc practical knowledge that way, which
you could get in no other which may some
time be of great use to you in your profess
sion. When you have had enough of that,
you shall try your hand at surveying for
the new branch they are talking about, u
So |, by no means 10th, went into the en-
gine-shed; and after short experience as
''cleaner," went out on the FREELY, as stoker,
uuder old Sam Preston, one of the most ex-
perienced drivers on the line
The life of an engine-driver, when once
you have got over the agreeableness OF
being, while on duty at least, in a chronic
state Of greasy blackness, is by no means
either an unhealthy or an unpleasant one;
and speaking for my own part, l certainly
liked it much better than being cooped uE
all day in an Office.
We had week of night duty and a week
Of day duty alternately; and were always
employed to run either the express or mai
trains-a task for which none but the best
drivers are selected. You must understand
that all this took place more than twenty
years ago, when the railway system was
in its infancy, and before the electric tele
graph was an accomplished fact. The Fire
fly was running, on the week in question,
between Mellinghall and Rippinghurst-
former, as you are aware, Icing one of the
largest manufacturing town in the north.
ern counties, and the head quarters of the
line on which was employed. MeIlinghalI
has two lines of railway rnnning into it
one from the north, and one from the south
east; both Of which lines meet at junction
about half mile from the station, and run
their trains between those points on rails
common to the two.
The Rippinghurst mail started at eleven
P. NJ; that for the north, half an hour ear
lier; but our instructions were to have ev-
erything in readiness a quarter of an hour
before the time of starting, and to run the
engine from the shed on to spare line used
for the purpose just out side the yard there
to await the signal bell which announced
that the main line was all clear, and then
run back to the platform, and take up oul
train. AS we drove slowly up to our wait
ing place, Sam was in the habit of droppiug
off the engine most evenings, to have few
minutes gossip with a friend of his, a
pointsman, whose tastes, in common with
Sans ran on large gooseberries and small
dogs; and as came back past the points
mans box, on my way into the station, il
answer to the bell, Sam would bid his frienC
good night, leap blithely on the engine
pull on his great coat, tie a shawl around
his throat, and prepare for the long dark
Journey before him. At The point wher,
the FREELY took up her position, waiting
for the signal, the line on one side was open
to the fields, while on the other were sever
al wharfs, opening to an adjacent canal, be
You'd which lay the town of MelIingshal
with its thousand lamps.
had driven up to the waiting-p place one
cold autumn night, dropping Sam, as usual
at his friend the pointsman's box. and baC
just lighted my pipe, thinking to have {
quiet smoke for ten minutes before the bel
should ring, when l was startled by the
sudden appearance oftwo gentlemen-tor il
not gentlemen they were dressed as such
who seemed almost as if they had sprung
from the ground, so quiet had been their ap
proach so unexpected vas there appearance
'.Railway nobs these" muttered to my
self, smuggling my pipe out Of sight in ho
haste probably couple of directors
Too bad of them though, to come pryius
around a fellows engine at this time o
night, trying to find out something against
him. THEY'LL fine poor Sam if they fine
him off his perch" One of the strangers
was stout and the other was slim. They
were both well wrapped up, for the night
was chilly; and the slim one carried small
square leather case in one hand; Judging by
that dim light, it might be either dispatch
box or a small portmanteau.
sYou are waiting here to take out some
train. Young man?' said the stout gentle
men int negatively.
eyes, sir-the mail for Rippinghurst."
oAud that starts-when?'
Sin twelve minutes, sir, from the plat
form" =
GAY, Just So" He began to walk slowl.
round the FREELY with his hands behln
him, locking at her admiringly from ever
point of view, and talking to me all tn
time. 81 suppose your engine is coked an
watered ready for the journey
Eyes, sir"
"And how far do you run before taking
in fresh water?"
ssWe always take in water at Merryvale
thirty-eight miles from here. We have t
stay there three or four minutes, on accoun
of the letter bags"