Middletown transcript., 1875-09-25
l knew We were going at the rate o.
fully mile minute.

|
fully mile minute.
Swiftly then the horrible though
flashed across my mind that all was nc
right with Kirk-that we were in tn
power Of 4 madman. Surely it must b
SO, .or he would never be driving th
way be was.
l wondered Why it was that the fire
man did not cndeavor to stop him or t
communicate in some way with me.
He was slight built youth, and
the engineer wasmad he would have bu
slight chance with him. Perhaps b.
had endeaxored to reason with him, an,
i Kirk had thrown him from the cab.
l did not wish to alarm the passen
gers, so l passed quietly back through
the car, but | had no sooner shut th'
door behind me, than I graspcd thu
cord overhead for the purpose of giving
the signal to stop. But no response wal
given. There was no signal for dowr
brakes and we went whirling on through
the darkness at rate such as we had
never run before.
Surely Kirk was mad, all our lives
hung as by thread.
From the objects by the roadway
knew that we were close to our first
stopping place. If it was not right
there, hundred souls were doomed to
instant destruction
There was but one thing for me to do,
and that was to make my way to the
engine as soon as possible. ! hurried
into the baggage-car and there found
one of my brakemen talking with the
baggage-master, with face as white as
a sheet. h ~ @
Follow me- I said to the latter
There's some trouble on the engine.
Hurry. stand by the brakes ready to
put them on the moment you get the
signal to do so.' aa
I, threw open the door at the FORE
most end Of the baggage, car. and clamT
bered nm on the wood which was heaped
high upon the tender. Once there !
saw sight such as | hope never to see
again, 44
! The furnace door was open,7 and the
great glow that sprang ont revealed
everything to me as plainly as though
il was broad daylight. iTt3is
] The fireman lay on the bottom Of the
cab apparently devoid Of life. The en-
gineer with the face of demon was
hulling wood into the glowing furnace.
The throttle was out to its utmost eK-
tent. and the engine rocked and sprang
onward as though it was as mad as the
insane man who had it in charge. All
our lives hung as it were by q thread.
For a moment the sight paralyzed us
both. The baggage-master had climb
ed to the wood with me. and his face I
knew was but a reflection Of my own,
Come on T I cried, breaking the
spell at last we must secure him,
or We are all dead men. ~ s5o.s r,s
We sprang forward toward the mad
mana He saw Us coming, and seemed
to divine in an instant what our errand
was. Graspiug = huge billet of wood
be sent it whirling at my head. BY
good fortune it. went past me leaving
me untouched The next moment, and
before be could grasp another missile,
/ threw myself upon him. and we went
down together.
/ By good fortune 4 came uppermost
and then came1a terrible struggle. The
madman seemed possessed Of the
strength Of Samson Had I been unE
derneath, he would have choked my
life out Of me in less than q minutes
time. aga
The baggage. master sprang over us.
and the next instant came the signal
for down brakes, He then reversed the
engine. and our terrible speed was les.
sened.
The madman was doing his best to
throw rs both from the cab, and in spite
of all my strength it seemed that he
would do it. The baggage-master saw
that there was only one way to save
my life. Grasping billet Of wood be
watched his chance, and when it came
be dealt him a blow on the head, which
ended his struggles at once.
Three minutes later we glided into
the station, and not one of the passen-
gers on the train knew Of the terrible
danger which they had escaped. The
madman was lifted from the cab and
placed in the hands of the proper
authorities; and to-day he is an inmate
Of madhouse, with little hope that
reason will ever dawn again
THfNK.-Do your own thinking.
Yes that il the idea. Think for vnnr-