The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-12-23


John Nixon knew every mile of the road
and he could not be spared.
After long mental debate the fireman
| stepped upon the engine and sat beside
| Hetty. He talked with her pleasantly,
| mentioning not his fears, but watched
the engineer without ceasing.
The train moved off after its usual
halt, and was soon rushing through the
dense fog.
The engineer conversed for few min
utes when he became sullen and stood
in the door with his back to the lovers.
'sWhat's the matter with John?" asked
| Hetty, in whisper.
Her question drew a secret from the
| young fireman's heart. In whisper he
narrated the scene in the groggery, and
| told her the engine was under the care
of a drunken man.
The fair cheeks grew pale at this, and
Hetty's hand dropped upon her lovers
arm.
"John, we must take the Rigoletta
safely to Hamiltonl' she said, with firm
ness. "Think! Our good Governor is
on board, and there are women and chill
dren in the sleeping cars
| He nodded, and said, eyes, Hetty,"
without taking his eyes from the en-
gineer.
We ought to find signals in this fog"
she said, for, from her lover, Hetty had
learned much about the iron track
eff there be danger we Will find
them," he answered her. The COVER
nor's presence inst1res the extra precau-
| tions, and [ expect to hear the signals
before we reach Hamilton. Why, in
this awful fog, which seems like a shroud
OF triple thickness, we couldn't see a
headlight fifty feet before u.s.
At that moment Nixon turned and
looked at the guage.
Then he threw open the furnace door,
"Wood!' he laconically said to the fire
man, who looked at Hetty and turned to
the tender.
| "John, aren't we going fast enough
! through this fog?" she said to the en-
gineer, in soft, half pleading tone.
''I'm the engineer of the Rigoletta,"
he answered her. not harshly, but with
| a smile.
s'But the Governor IS on board
"He's no better than John Nixon!"
"John, we might collide with another
trair.''
ssIn which event the Rigoletta would
| be knocked out of shape. I've run
through worse fogs than this, and. in a
lower voice as he turned away, 'Tll run
as I please if we burst the boiler"
| Hetty with pallid face saw Julius feed
| the furnace anew and reseat himself at
| her side.
The speed of the engine increased,
| and John Nixon mad with brandy,
watched the pointers of the guage.
"Why don't Bradley ring him down
to slower time?" asked Hetty.
Hes having good time with the
governors party, and then he's got all
On, still on, through the cold fog chat
made Hetty wrap her shawl about her
! shoulder and shiver, even then, went the
engine, growing rs mad as its drunken
| master.
Suddenly strange report that seemed
! to eminate from beneath the very
| wheels of the engine fell upon the lovers
ear
Julius Baird sprang to his feet.
''The fog signal!'' he cried, and looked
at Nixon
"What's up young man?' said the en-
gineer, look ing at him with wild eyes
| that would have made some believe that
| their owner was a maniac. ''S1t down
with your doll-faced girl. I'll run the
Rigoletta"
sJohn, didn't you hear the fog sig
nal ?'' said the fireman.
"No, nor you either. We're all
right"
''There! the second onel'' cried Julius,
as q report exactly like the first fell upon
his ears. ''That means STOP
eff you're running this train I want
to see your commission of authority"
said the mad engineer.
s'I am not running it, replied the
youth, quite calmly. 'sYou know the
code of the road as well, perhaps better,
than I do. You know all about the fog
signals. The first means run slower,
the second, stop, the third, stop at all
hazards there's danger ahead"
ssWhat's that you're trying to tell me?"
| roared Nixon. Course your fog sig
nalsl You sha'nt dictate to me because
you've got your sweetheart with you to-
night. Now keep. your mouth shut,
| or"
| He never finished the threat, but laid
his hand on a heavy wrench, and looked
| daggers at the youth.
| The last word had scarcely left the
| engineers lips when the third and last
! fog signal sounded more distinct than
/ the others. The wheels had crushed
| the cap on the iron rails; but John Nix
on paid no heed to it.
s'He's crazed with drink said Julius,
moving back toward Hetty Mcfarland,
'and he's driving the train right into
some terrible accident. The rains may
have swept that river bridge away; we
must be very near it now
The minute that followed was one of
agony.