The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-09-18
The Girl Who Stole an Engine,

1llle leleBIttpn OillCe uuu uiOppSU INV
the chair before the clicking instrument.
Glancing at the clock above her head,
she noticed that 1t was almost time for
her to close the office for the night and
seek her humble home at the foot of one
of the darxened streets of the village. The
rumbling of the train which had just
left the station was growing fainter and
fainter, and the girl listened TO 1t as
though 1t was the voice of friend who
was leaving her for long time. She did
not expect any more messages that night;
the engine breathing heavily from its
great iron lungs on the track near her
window could not move until the night
express had passed up, and the engineer
knowing this, had sought his sweetheart
who lived in the village.
Tom Gray, the engineer of the train
Just departing, was Drucie's lover, and
his intimate friends knew when the
wedding was to take place. He had not
known her long, but that did not mat
ter since he was true fellow, who loved
her with all his heart, and with all hers
she loved Tom.
The rumble of the train at length died
away, and Drucie was about to shut off
the current and leave the Office when
message began to fall upon her ears.
She started, for the first word drove
the color from her cheeks, and standing
over the instrument she heard this
message:
4" Number ten switch at Colby till
number six passes. Six just starting !"
A" Six just starting! My God they
will meet ~ cried the beautiful operator.
What can do to save hin1-them ?"
And with her eyes staring at the clock
she stood in the middle of the room,
thinking of the two trains approaching
each other through the mist that almost
hid the moon.
The real situation, enough to blanch
the girls cheeks, was appalling.
The order for the train which had just
left Fletcher to switch at Colby could
not be obeyed now. The telegraph could
not even stop it, for there was no night
office at Colby. 1t was an unusual
thing for No. 6 to leave Fort Wayne be-
fore the arrival of No. 10, but as the lat
ter train was twelve minutes behind on
that particular night, No. 6, anxious to
leave on time to save its connections,
telegraphed to Fletcher the message
which had so startled Drucie Miller
, From Fletcher to point four miles be-
low Colby, the company had completed
Il double track, which when completed
TO Fort Wayne would obviate the trouble.
When Drucie Miller recovered her
selfpossession she started from the office
with the message in her hand. It had
arrived just two minutes too late, and
Tom Gray, unconscious of its existence,
was driving his engine ahead, thinking
of the girl he had so lately kissed adieu.
He knew that it was known at Fort
Wayne that he was unavoidably behind
time, and supposed that according to
custom the express waiting there would
not move out until he arrived.
But let us return to Drucie Miller,
She saw the freight engine standing
on the new track already mentioned, and
caught a glimpse of the young fireman
asleep on his box.
A determined resolution entered her
head and the next moment she was in
the engine room with her hand upon the
boys shoulder.
That you, Miss Drucie 2" said the
boy, rousing himself with a yawn.
Laws mercy !'-
Get out and uncouple the freight !''
she cried. Toms moved out, and if he
does not switch at Colby everybody will
be killed. We must catch himln
The boy, with cry of horror, left the
engine and in minute later the freight
cars were standing idly on the track,
while the engine and its tender were
moving out, gaining momentum at each
revolution of the wheels.
What'll Dick say when he comes
back and finds his engine gone ?" said
the boy, looking up into Drucie's face.
What do we care? What is Dicks
anger to the precious lives of two trains9
Jim, how fast can your engine travel 2"
About two miles a minute !" the
boy answered with smile. ''She's the
swiftest bird on the road. But 1 don't
think we can catch No. 10; we might if
we had Dick with US; he knows how to
manage the Belle"
And so do L. Wood up, Jim Fill
the furnace chuck full. We must catch
Tom on this side Of the new tracks, ter.