The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-07-13


thumb.
Belle was greatly pct out She was
red and pale by turns. and pressed close
against me for protection.
81 told you that was engaged, Mr.
Handley," she said. "And I'm su.e l
never gave you any encouragement,
''Well, there's more fish in the sea-" he
returned, and went back to the engine,
roaring with laughter.
Belle told me that she had met him at
ball in Decatur, and he had beset her
ever since. She prayed me not 10 quarrel
with him, and pacified her the best way
could with promises.
''Joe," said |. as we ran down TO the
cutting, o.! never thought of your beng
my rival"
Faith" said he, 81 never put you and
Belle Carroll together in my thoughts be-
fore TO day"
"You bear no malice p asked, sffer>
ing him my hand, for Bellies sake.
"What would l bear malice for T. he
returned. "'If she be not fair for me,
what care for whom she be 7'''
But he pretended not to see my hand,
50 l drew it back, and was angry with
myself for offering it.
l was nervous all that afternoon for the
first time in my life, l believe. l don't
know that had any positivea-what do
you call ii -preseutiment of evil but
was uncomfortable, and altogether unlike
myself
Joe staid in the tender all day, and
whistled. He was the best whistler 1
ever heard, and the men used to stop
picking, to listen to him.
The day wore away painfully. We got
a good load on the fat cars, and dumped
the dirt two miles fulther down, On a
road that crossed the track. BY that
time, it was nearly dark, and 1 gate The
word for Decatur.
AT Harristown we stopped, to get the
engine before the cab oose, and take on
a dozen twenty>four foot rails. The men
threw up the last rail just as the first
fakes of a terrific snow storm fell around
US. Then they jumped into the caboose,
where there was good fire.
| waved my lantern above my head to
Joe, and off we started.
was talking with the fireman, who
was still sulky, and determined to de
mand his discharge, when a remark of
one of the Irishmen called my attention TO
the fact that we were travelling at a much
faster rate than ordinary. In a few
seconds, the caboose, which was a con-
demned freight Car, AS old as the line
itself, commenced to jump off the rails,
and bump down on them again, in an
alarming manner. There was no weight
on it to keep it steady, you see, and we
were going at rate far Beyond regulation
speed.
Faster and faster we went, and the
caboose swayed from side TO side, and
bumped and jumped more and more!
The men go; frightened, and struggled
from their seats, with their eyes on me,
qrestioninslv, and then fell back again,
because they couldn't keep their feet.
That born diri! means to murdsr yez
all - cried an Irishman, wiping the sweat
of fear from his forehead.
All this time thought Joe was playing
off one Of his mad practical jokes on US,
and l was shaking with rage.
Hell never drive that engine again !"
l said, as l gained my feet.
! pushed back the sliding>door, and
swung myself out SO that 1 could see the
light in the tender The wind was blow
ing gale, and the snow.blinded me. got
a better idea of the pace at which we were
going, looking out, and fear crept into my
heart as estimated the danger.
l swung the lantern, low down, back
ward and forward, and shouted out at the
top Of my voice.
Joe answered with shrill laugh that
rose above the bowling wind, and | felt
the caboose leap under me and come down
with a sickening crash. l knew that he
had let on more steam, and that the trick
he WAS playing Us was one of those prac-
tical jokes that Satan delights in! 1t
meant murder
We were about seven miles from the
work, forty rods or more in length, over
which no train is allowed to pass faster
than a man can walk.
knew perfectly we'll that the caboose
would never 60 over that elastic bridge at
the rate of twenty miles an hour, let alone
sixty, the pace at which Joe was driving
US then and felt as sure that he meant
TO keep the Unbelievable open :ill he
smashed Us, as l was that I'd cut poor
figure before my Maker, if called away
that night.
thought of my gray haired old mother,
knitting stockings for me by the fire-side
in Toledo; thought of Belle. so beautiful
and good, and happy and L thought how
nice il would be to have Joe down under
me on the floor of the caboose-to have
my knee on the pit of his stomach, and
my hands on his throat.
There was panic among the men
Some of them were swearidg, and some
were praying. Two or three hung on my
coat as l swung the lantern mechanically
to and fro outside, and implored me to
save them.