The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1876-04-12
AN ENaNEER,s STORY.

ndOlNCO saw hl " l6W MOOuntu, tnO
panther, the deer and the bear. The |
solitude seemed like that Of desert, |
and the straining, ascending locomo.
tive like gigantic wheezy pioneer.
There's right-down romance, or
tragedy, or whatever you may call it,"
said the engineer, attached TO this !
hill. And / was the least of hero |
in it. AS there was a woman in it, |
though, must tell you that Pm a
married man."
"All right Go ahead with the !
story"
Zone night about four years ago,
and Just about this month";" the engi- |
neer continued, 81 was coming down |
this hill with Considering the sea.
SOM pretty heavy train. At
Wilkesbarre over in the valley
which you'll soon see young lady
had got aboard in my engine. She
wanted a night ride and was put on
by the superintendent. She was
perfect lady, and her mother was in
one of the cars, back. To tell the
honest truth Gas have often said to
my wife), never saw more beauti-
ful or game-looking girl. She was
very small.sized. dressed in what my
wife calls complete taste, and her fig.
ure was so good, and her hands so
small, and her ways so frank and art
less, that | almost wish she was my
daughter. Her face, though, was
what can't give you an idea of. 1t
was the most beautiful face l ever
saw. 1t had" proceeded the engineer
warming, call the intelligence of
woman's and the simplicity of
child's. Aud she was so sprightly
and lovable together, and asked SO
many questions, that although never
had woman on the engine but once
before, invited her over here to nv
seat, and explained to her all about
how a locomotive was run. | showed
her how to manipulate the lever
which admits more or less steam to
the cylinder; how the reverse lever is
worked; how the tests of water and
steam are made. | showed her how to
blow the whistle and ring the bell, and
explained how the brakes were blown
down, and how warnings were. given
on the approach to crossings. She
took it all in, and" said the engineer,
stretching his arm across the boiler
and clutching my sleeve, at was the
best lesson l ever gave. Right up
around yonder about two miles from
town just as was handling the re-
verse lever we struck stone or some.
thing on the track,at nine o'clock at
night. ! was bending down at the
time (the girl was sitting where you
are, on my cushion) and quicker than
lightning the lever few back and
struck me in the eye and knocked me
well, I'll be id ifI know where.
Anyway it didn't make much differ.
enee for minute or two, for | was
just stunned. AS we were on the
down grade, with no need of fuel, the
fireman was back in the baggage car,
and when | came to, this young girl
was holding on to my head and fan.
ming me with a toy of a hat 1t wasn't
two seconds before L knew what was
to pay. The engine and the whole
train had started down the hill at the
rate of sixty miles an hour 1 tried
to spring up and reach the lever My
right arm aud side and right leg were
numb. My face and even my tongue
were so paralyzed by the blow / had
received that / could hardly speak.
was so desperate that (more to at
tract the girls attention to the dan
ger than for anything else) / grabbed
her hat with my left hand and threw
it outside of the locomotive, and then
managed to beckon her ear down
close to my lips, and say:
Trains going to fast. Well be in
hell if you don't turn the lev er p
"She understood me in an instant /;
and it was time. The engine was
rocking. swaying. grinding and skurry-
ing down the track like beast with
great bounds. Every second ex.
pected it would leap the rails; it GER
tainly was descending at the rate of
seventy miles an hour. But that lit
tie thing sprang up here, clutched the
lever motioned which way she should
shove or push it. and reversed the
wheels like little man. Then she
whistled down brakes-there was no
need of that, for the boys had put on
their brakes already. Inside of a
mile and half she stopped the train /;
and then she knelt down all trembling
and crying-and now what do you
think she said ?"
"She said; "Mr. -, feel as If |
should faint Haven't you got some
camphor, ora little &hiskey ?" And
as sure as you live she did faint right
away there right down in front of