River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-01-24
IT shovelled it in.

ed on the steam gauge; his lips closely
shut.
More coal!'
81 threw it in.
eThe fields and houses began to fly
past but half seen. We were nearing
Sunbury. Blakeley's eye went from the
gauge to the face of the timepiece and
back He moved like an automaton.
There was little more meaning in his
face.
More, without turning his eye.
II took up the shovel-hesitated
Blakelyl We're going Gerry fast.
We're going at the rate of sixty miles an
hour
'Coaln
Il was alarmed at the stern, cold rigid
ity of the man. His pallor was becoming
frightful.
II threw in the coal.
''At least we must stop in Sunbury.
He had told me that was the next halt.
The little town approached. AS the
first house came into view, the engine
sent out its shrek of warning; it grew
street, up to the station, where a group of
passengers waited, and past it without
the halt of an instant. | caught glimpse
of the appalled, faces of the waiting
crowd. Then we were ia the fields again.
"The speed now became literally breath
less; the furnace glared red-hot. The
heat, the velocity, the terrible nervous
strain of the man beside me, seemed to
weight the air found myself drawing
ong stentorous breaths, like one drowning.
| hcaped in the coal at intervals, as he
babe me.
% I'd have done nothing Of the kind :
interrupted one of the listeners. The
man was mad
an old sense of duty, which | never had
in my ordinary brain-work. l had taken
this mechanical task ON myself, and
felt a structure upon me to go through
with it at any cost. | know now how 1t is
that dull, ignorant men without spark of
enthusiasm, show such heroism some
times, as soldiers, engineers, captains of
wrecked vessels. 1t is this overpowering
sense of routine duty. 1t is finer thing
than sheer bravery, to my notion. How
ever, I began TO be of your mind, Wright,
that Blakeley was mad, laboriRg under
some sudden frenzy from drink, though
[ had never seen him touch liquor.
ole did not move hand or foot, except
in the mechanical control of the engine
his eye going from the gauge to the time
piece with a steadiness that was more
terrible and threatening than any CLEAN
of insanity would have been. Once he
glanced back at the long train sweeping
after the engine, with headlong spec
that rocked it from side to side. Yo
would catch glimpses of hundreds of men
and women talking, reading, smoking,
unconscious that their lives were all in
the hold of one man, whom / now strong
ly suspected to be mad. / knew by his
look that he remembered their lives were
in his hand. lie glanced at the clock.
"'Twenty miles, he muttered. Throw
on the coal, Jones. The fire is going
out
81 did it. Yes, l did it. There was
something IL the face of that man that
| could not esist. Then l climbed for
ward and sh ook him by the shoulder.
'Blaksleyl' shouted, "you are run
ming this train into the jaws of deathP
al know it. quietly.
" 'Your wife and child are on it,
"'My Godr
HE staggered to his feet But even
then he did rot move his eye from the
gauge.
Gina mute
MA up the fire, he SAID, and push
ed in II .hrottle valve.
"I not1
- up the fire, Mr.. Santley, very
81 rot You may murder your
self-.,} our wife and boy, but you shall
not murder me-
'He looked at me. His kindly eyes
glared like those ola wild beast. But he
controlled himself in a moment.
. 4 could throw you out of this door,
and make short work of it. Bullock
here; do you see the station yonder?"
81 saw thin whisp of smoke against
the sky, about five miles in advance.
al was told to reach the station by six
o'clock. The express train meeting us
is due now. l ought to have laidlby for.it
at Sunbury. I was told TO come on.
The track is a single one. Unless | can
make the siding at the station in three
minutes, we will meet it yonder in the
hollow
Somebody blunderedn
g Yes, think So.
"' And you obeyed?
"He said nothing. l threw on coal.
If l had had petroleum, would have put
it on. But | never was calmer in my life.
When death has man actually by the
throat it sobers him.
'"Blakely pushed in the valve still
farther. The engine began to give a
strange painting sound Far of to the
south | could see the bituminous black
smoke of train.
81 looked at BlaBely inquiringly. He
nodded. 1t was the express.
/ stopped 10 the fire.
"' No more" he said.
II looked across the clear, wintry sky
at the gray smoke of the peaceful little
village, and beyond, that black line coma
ing closer, closer, across the sky. Then l
turned to the watch.
"In one minute more
Gentlemen, | confess; L sat down and
buried my face in nay hands. | don't
think l tried to pray. had confused
thought of mass of mangled, dying men
and women, mothers and their babies,
and, vaguely, of merciful God. Lit
tie Charley with his curls and pretty
suit
"There was terrified shrek from the
engine, against which leaned. Anoth-
er in my face. A hot tempest swept past
me.
=" / looked up. We were on the siding.
and the express had gone by. The hind
most cars touched in passing.
THANK God! You've done it, Blake
ley Blakeleyp I cried.
But he did not speak. He sat there
immovable, and cold as stone. / went
to the cars aud brought Jane and the be s
TO him, and when he opened his eyes and
took his little woman's hands in his |
came away.
" An engineer named Fred, who was at
the station, ran the train into Harrisburg.
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