Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1869-07-27

almost double, the extra work which fell
to my lot, on account of the trust in which
my services were generally held, were so
incessant and arduous, as to render my
enviable reputation as "crack engineer"
but scant reconpense for burning eyes
and aching limbs. a .t
At about dusk, on the evening Of June
l3th---if / remember the date correctly,
and tis not likely that | should forget
it had been slowly recuperating for
some twenty-four hours, at the mountain
station Of Il. and was beginning to hope
that time enough would be accorded me
to thoroughly get over the fatigues of
over fortnight of incessant toll and
watching, when / received brief message
from Superintendent Mckay, summon ng
me to meet him with all haste at the sta
tion office.A 1901 -it 4aet
l was living at Rat the time, and,
hastily bidding my wife adieu, l walked
down to the station, assuming an alacrity
which by no means felt, for l was pret-
ty sure that my brief season of rtst was
at an end for some d,ys at least. Though
a good deal Of rolling stock was frequent
ly accumulated at the station | had not
dreamed the superintendent would make
his appearance there SO soon; but then
he was such an active, energetic, fy-
away man. that | had no particular righ.
to be surprised at his turning up anywhere
along the line. tMHa2oa 1".oi
was not disappointed. The superin-
ten lent was waiting for me with his usual
brusque impatience. .a
"Good evening, Mr.. Grade. Glad to
see you on hand SO promptly, for there's
work to do, said he, shaking my hand in
his quick, nervous manner. "Hope you're
not altogether tired, for it'll be h long
bnmp and hard one."
II am pretty well tagged out, Mr..
Mckay L rejoined; "but of course
I'm on hand for duty, when I'm able to
walk W leaa H. -t ~
Swell said You have already gain
ed the best standing Of any engineer GU
the road; and if you perform the job as
expeditions as usual, think / can guar
antee that you will be made statioa-
master with better salary and less
work. But there lsnJ u ,uo.-.--.t opa..,
so listen to me-"
He hastily consulted some telegraph
dispatches which hebrew from his pocket,
then his chronometer, and resumed
IA rebel force is marching on Harper's
Ferry, and will undoubtedly invest or sur
round the place before daybrcak. One
locomotive is already there, and | must
send another one by you to complete the
removal Of our rolling stock. You know
there is chly single track on the lower
grade since the last destruction of the
great trestle-work just below the Black
Mountain cutoff. The locomotive will
leave the, Ferry for the West, by the same
track which you will pursue, going East
at midnight precisely. ltis now almost
eight O'Clock. You must Immediately
fire up the 'rhundcrcr,' (the name OF the
locomotive at this point, | belleve,) in
order to miss collision with the train
coming this way. That is, you must
reach the Ferry in four hours. The ques-
tlsn is, can you do it, MIR. Grade % -..
Distance two hundred and fifty-six
miles ;time, four hours--scant sixty -four
miles an hour! ai' 1 5roi Haat i'8' 9h, "
4 must have looked rather blank at this
proposition, which certainly surpassed
anything in my experience with Ameri-
can railroads; but made point ofnev-
er backing out from anything, and ac-
cordinglv said: ID Af
IL shall, of course, make the attempt,
Mr.. Mckay, perilous as it is. | would
esel ,pueh more confident if / had gs0d
| fireman, and doubt if there is any such
in the nighborhood.p ''lg 7dio ifsae
81 have already provided you with one.
/ Y ou must have noticed the man, on his
way to the enginc-house, as you entered
the station" "rs7s/d 4al .H' io
ri certainly did notice skulling, hang
dog looking fellow, with rough cloak
peakea hat4l'' aIoa aa' ao'i Z, 20.
"Tbat's the nas5n Interrupted the sup
erintendcnt ''and he has been specially
recommended to me, from the Cllftwood
Junction, as Grstratc Ercman and thoro.
ugbly up to ohis'work. Are yoa satisfied 2
"Certarnly." o ''
7 shook the hand which Vas once more
,lexteAded tome, and 'hen, without another
work, set off at swift pace for the en-
ainclhousc, for considered every momen
!, as precioas.b p' e ta s'hla'ei i''f
MY prejudice against the new fireman
though be was truly a most ilIfavore'
looking fellow, wfth'a lowering brow AM