Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-01-06
NO. G..
Tales aud Sketehes.
By THE THICKNESS OF A BUTTON.

The punch has had full head of steam on
this long time" cried old engineer Zim-
mermann to several sturdy figures, who,
deep buried in thick furs, that left only
red noses and cleaning eyes exposed,
came putting and stamping. and covered
with snow, into the engineers room at
Burglitz.
1t is New Years eve, and the table in
the engineers room is covered with an
exceptional neat white cloth, and on it.
next the stove. stands the mighty bowl,
at which old Zimmerman is vigorously
working; while the clouds of steam that
rise from it, and the empty rum TASKS that
stand by it. leave no doubt that its con-
tents are devoted to 90 at high pressure
into throats of boiler-iron "A genuine en-
gineer's punch.
That devil! Uncle Zimmerman
hard old Sylvester's dav this, eh !" cried
the newcomers, shaking off the snow. and
pulling off furs. jackets, caps and outer
boots.
What do you sugar babies know of
hard days in your glass houses, on your
machines that rock you with their easy
springs as gentle as if you were in your
nurses armsp You ought to have stood
with us back in '39 and 40 on the little
machines that went so hard and jolinp
you felt every jog of the rails from the
soles of your feet up under your caps, and
that would mt bulge foot if the snow
lay hands breadth deep on the rails;
and then we stood all out-of-doors, night
and day, without screen or shelter, sum
mer and winter, the hottest day in July
and the coldest day in December, with
out any protection but your coats and
buffalo-outside coat, that had been well
drubbed, tell you, by the storms. That
was something like hard times. But what
do you know about it? For that matter,
what's the worst you have to do to what
they've pout our Hennig through here to-
day, who has come off A from his ex-
animation? And here he is now"
"Hallo old fellow. How was it ? How
did it go9 Did they make you sweat?
Come, sit down. Bring on the punch -
were the exclamations poured on the new
conner from all sides.
LESS noise, there - broke in the harsh
voice OF old Zimmerman. "Sit down?
Yes Punch? No Hornig and Franz
aren't here yet That are coming in with
the freight. 1t is twenty minutes behind
now, and must be in minute or two
more. Glass and glass about for all, that's
fair play"
"Well, now began the young cand-
date, wiping from his forehead the pres
piration that broke out afresh at the recol-
lection, "they gave it to me we'll, can
tell you. | was examined by the new
rules, you know. There sat row of
chaps, guess rod long, and nary one
of 'em except our engine-master, did |
ever see on an engine-mastcr, did ever
see on an engine or in shop And our
engine master wasn't the worst either.
They questioned me sharp, that's a fact,
right up to the handle. But one could
understand them. and give them some
| sort OF reasonable answers. But what the
other fellows asked me | didn't more than
half understand. 'Twan't any railroad
lingo they used and what they were driv-
ing at-well, yes, l know-rd looked it
up in the books Superintendent Herzel
lent me, Just to be able to answer. Never
saw anything of it in service. never had
any occasion for it, and don't believe |
ever shall if live to be a hundred"
And what in thunder was it all, then ?'
began one of the crowd, lighting his cigar
Just as the door was suddenly thrown
open. A cloud Of snow burst in, and out
of it emerged the dim forms of two new
arrivals-the expected engineers Of the
two engines that had brought in the be-
lated freight train. Bravo Glad you've
got here - was the greeting that met
them. Now pass round the punch, and
let's have the solids in from what's his
names"
Here's bit of roast for one thing"
cried one of the last arrived, and raised to
view half-scorched hare, that he held up
by the hind-legs.
"Where did you get that creature
And what are you going to do with him ?''
This fellow wished to do himself the
honor OF making a part of Hennigs treat
tonight, but probably was in too much of
hurry, and did himself Il little too brown"
laughed the possessor of the hare. The
red lights of my Pluto" routed him out
of the hole in the snow where he sat
crOuched on the bank as comfortable as
you please, and he began to run wager
with our train. For two or three minutes
perhaps, | saw the stupid, little black
rascal skimming over the snow in The Sec
ond track alongside the engine. gave
short riff! That scared him he put on
a squirt, got ahead into the red light of the
signal lantern-perhaps that blinded him
he doubled before the engine as be
would before dog, right across the track.
| looked to the other side to see when he
would come in sight again, but he didn't
appear. thought he was either killed or
had run back under the train, and forgot
the creature. But when we'd got to
Seestadt, and the CRATE of my engine was
being cleaned out, the fellow down under
meath there With the poker called out
from ash-hole: "Hornig. Hornig, you've
brought roast with you. believe the
fire of the Pluto has scorched the fellows
brains. Come down and see ~ Sure
enough, as true as l sit here, there lay
my hare underneath in my sh-box. dead
and half stewed. The ash-box must have
caught him on the Jump. He was in
hurry to be roasted"
Loud laughter followed the young en-
gineer's story.
"Now laugh, will you, you stupid block
heads, at the poor beast! !" growled Zim-
| ha fIiaA ha srta s.t.a