The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1871-06-29
THE ENGINEERS STORY.
BY 6. L. CATLN.

passengers on the night express, Uuc
| B at noon, a8Oke to look cut through
the narrow window panes upon a LAND
| scape white with snow, and TO hear tn
wind bowling dismally loud above the end
less clatter of the car-wheels beueatl
! them. The snow was still falling fast, AM
| great clouds of it, caught UP upon the gale
came dashing in drifts against the train
eDvelOping roof, and platform, and window
! ledge, and anon whisking away again
! leaving them as bare as a newly swep
! floor. Now and then sensible IetaIdint
of motion would tell Enthusiastically tina
tie great engine, far UP forward, had en-
| cOuntered some snowy barrier, difficult t
| penetrate yet through and on, and ava,
again, moved the train, in the dim light o
morning, winding its dusky length through
| the field of otherwise unbroken white, un
til day gradually stole upon the travellers
and disclosed scene SO cold and forbid
ding without as to only serve to give ;
keener Est 10 the warm, cOZY cOmtoT
within
As the hours wore on, the storm, ia
from showing any signs Of abatement
seemed, # anything, to increase in Vio
lerce. Eight O'Clock had arrived, and the
station where the Train usually stopped a
that hour for passengers TO breakfast, wa:
yet matter Of twenty miles or so distant
I lie snOw-drittS ahead grew more and more
formidable, taking all the strength of the
engine to batter them down before it
Passengers began to grow uneasy, pulled
out their watches, necrel anXI0ussy out ol
the windows, consulted thu timetables
tried to take note of familiar landmarks by
the wayside, and assailed the conductor
whenever ne passed, with all sorts Of ir-
relevant inquiries, when suddenly the
train slackened its speed-ag jill moved on
little-slackened mOre-again tried to
move and then stopped stock still, with a
jar and q rebound which had Well-uigh
sent some unWary ones oil their ttct.
Instantly there was rush for the Tor
ward car, ip the hope of ascertaining the
cause of this uniooked-tCr stoppage. One
or two imprudent ones undertook 70
aiCht, but ON finding themselves waist
deep, We're only too glad once more to re
gain the solid footing Of the platform.
Meanwhile, the word ran down from
mouth to mouth, from car to car,
"SnoWed in" Every moment the sltua-
tion was growing worse, and the posi-
blIity Of eXtricating the train grew more
remote with each keen blast that came
piling a few more inches Of tleccy wall
around us. Front and rear, and on the
side, the barrier each instant grew higher
SpasmOdic etfOrts-nOw forward, now
backward, but each succeeding one more
feeble than its prcdccessOr-all proved
trmtlcss, and at length the great monster,
weary and exhausted, ceased its fierce,
fiery breathing, and the train lay still,
halt buried in the snow
Meanwhile, upon impromtu seats, boxes
ant logs, and barrels, a merry party had
gathered about the glowing stove in the
express car forward, and were making
themselves vastly comfortable under the
circumstances.
"Pve been tbinking," said the express
messenger, that our friend Jim T,
during his twelve years of running an
engine on this road, must have run up
against many q worse adventure than this,
my friends. So propose we clll on him
for a story, from his own experience
That's a good idea" answered several
Come, jim, old fellow" said the con-
ductOr, give us the story of that day
when you came so near going head first
over the p Bridge, train and all.
never did hear the whole truth of that
matter"
The engineer looked into the fire
thoughtfulIy for moment, and shadow
stole over his pleasant face, as he an
swered
Well, boys, it's ten years ago since that
little affair happened, but it never comes
back to mind without making me shudder
at the recollection of it. | was running
No. :, between Il and B, at that
time; the road was in prime condition, my
engine had lust had a thorough overhaul
ing, and altogether the duties were pleas
ant and easy enough, as one of our trade s
duties go.
wei, on Sunday morning, had back
ed down from the engine-house to the sta
tion at Il, coupled on to my train, and
was waiting for the passengers to finish
their breakfast, and get aboard again for a
start One by one they came huTrying
out, and | stood on the platform by the
tender, playing with the children, whom
my wife had brought down to the depot,
as was her custom every Sunday morning,
to see me of | was living in Il at
the time, for that way | had chance to
pass my evenings at home, you see. | was
Just giving my yOuDgster parting hug,
and wondering why the fireman stayed SO
long at his breakfast, when all of a sudden
| saw a man, q stranger to he, jumI
stealthily but quickly upon the engine, and
pull the throttle. The wheels creaked, the
train moved, the lOitcrers on the platform
jumped hurriedly on board Quick as
as thought | placed the child in lis moth
ers's arms, and in another instant was face
10 face with the intruder
a SINGLE look sutficcd to tell me thai
he meant mischief \ man of herculear
stature, bare headed and scantily attire q
with eyes glaTing like Goals of fire, with
long hair falling down upon his shoulders
with sleeves rolled up above his elbows
displaying brawny, muScular arms, anC
with wild, excited laugh upon his cOun
tcnance, was before me, pulling the bell
rope violently, and taking apparently bu
! little notice of my presence. In less timt
than | have been telling it, had closel
| with him.
"What are you doing? Areyou crazy?
| | cried.
"He looked at me for a minute, Will
| that same devilish leer III his eye, sn,
pushing me back as if were feather
! said, abstaCtedly:
"Don't annoy me now, beg of you
I'm busy
4 summoned all my strength and rush
cd upon him again, for by this time tn
speed was mOmentarily increasing.
He let 90 of the bell rope, and as
seized him by the arms, grasped mine i
turn, and holding me in a vice-like griI
| looked me full in the face.
"'Didn't tell YOU said he, in harshe
voice than before, that didn't wish t
be annoyed
q glanced into his face closely as h
spoke, aud then, for the first time. tn
horrible truth broke in upon me-tte ma
iodS mad
Il felt a shudder run through my vein
and great drops Of cold sweat stood OF
upon my face, as in single moment | r,
allied the dreadful danger before me.
thought of my little children, whose kisst
were yet warm upon my face, and Of tn,
long train behind us, full of passengers :
little suspecting their peril. All the ST.
ries I had ever heard or read of GRAZ
people and their freaks, flashed throug
my mind in that instant, as l felt myse
pushed backward to destruction.
but no; quietly seating me upon II
bench, on the other side, he loosened h
hold and returned to his post, saying,
the same distracted voice as at first: