The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-09-06
ADVENTURES OF AN ENGINE
DRIVER.

l QO not tnlnk L ever IelJ pIOuuer III
my life than | did one morning when
Job p. Slogger, our locomotive " boss, !"
accosted me as | was making ready the
4" Milwaukee " to take the " through ="
train westward.
well, George" said he, " heard the
news? Guess not, Ell? You amt got
to run this route agin y
turned pale, fearing had got into
some scrape; but only said; "Why,
sir ?"
Why y he repeated, smiling at my
scared looks, " because you are put up
in Abers place. You feel kinder spry,
/ reckon y
| did not feel kinder spry," for
Alb !, a frst-rate hand, had Just been
promoted with handsome douceou, for
sion. | was his companion on that
occasion and as the adventure was the
causa Of my being made an engine.
driver, | will, with your permission,
proceed to relate it without further
preface.
Soon after my arrival in the States |
succeede in obtaining a situation as
fireman on one of the trunk lines.
After time / became associated with
Abel Storer, who had the reputation of
a tirst-class engine driver, though he
was TO my taste "A little too reckless;
and when :" in liquor" nothing daunted
him. From Abel | heard many tales
respecting the encounters he had had
with white Injuns," as he denOmi
mated certain tilibustering gentlemen
who had playful habit of Disgusting
themselves as native Indians, and car
rying off any specie or ammunition
contained in the wagons. At times in
deed, | believe, they did not hesitate to
cor NIT the most dreadful outrages
under the guise OF the war-paint.
One morning, about two months after
my having been appointed +" fireman, y
we got orders to take a train down 10
Landerville. Abel was accordingly in
great hopes of shooting some lnjuns,'
and provided himself with a quantity
of ammunition for his six-shooter. /,
more skepticll, neglected this precau-
ton. We started, however, having a
quantity of specie in boxes, some val
liable stores, and a mixed cargo OF
EMOTIONS in our charge. We had re-
ceived instructions 10 shunt at Bunkunl
City for faster train of passengers,
and then Of it had not previously run
into us) TO assist it up the steep incline
at that place. our train being subse
quentiy helped up by the other locomo
tive.
We arrived at Bunkum Siding in
safety about o'clock, and hearing
nothing of the following train, replen
ished the engine, and then proceeded
to look for some food for ourselves
We pitched upon a small store, where
we managed TO procure food and some
of the most fiery stuff (miscalled wills
XVI that ever tasted. Abel drank il
ereedily, however, while | devoted my
self to the food We were on the eve
of departure as two rough. looking fel
lows entered and demanded liquor
taking stock " of us as they swag
gered about. Seeing that Abel was be
coming more intoxicated, and rec j
lecting that the passenger train mus
be due, attempted TO remove him, bu
one of the strangers, stepping forward
requested US to "liquor up" before we
started. Abel granted drunken as
sent. and /, not daring to refuse, sal
uOWn WHllt Allt hllhh was ptibE Htt-
pared. During the concoction of the
reviver," Abel kept wandering aim
lessly about. swaying recklessly against
the tables, and when the glass was al
length prepared tor my acceptance, he
lurched heavily against the stranger
Crash went the tumble upon the floor
while amid volley of curses dragged
the offender from the house, and man
aged to regain the engine unmolested.
Anticipating we should be followed,
kept Abel's revolver in readiness, but
after time | noticed two figures pro-
ceedng in the direction of some log
huts which lay some little distance
down the line upon the left. As the
strangers disappeared over the brow OF
the hill | turned my attention to Abel.
To my astonishmont he responded to
my first adjurations by saying, as he
gained a sitting posture, " Darn them
cusses, have they gone right away ?"
For moment | stared in speechless
surprise.
Why, ! thought you were drunk, :"
cried at length.