The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-03-15

ton given by experience and contact
with facts for forty years. l was honor
ed by the friendship of this grim engi
neer. But the question of his sobrietY
that day was serious one. A man in
charge ola train with hundreds of souls
aboard / felt ought to be sober, particu-
larly when l was shut up in the engine
with him.
"Just as We started slip of paper was
handed to him, which he read and threw
down.
do you run this train by telegraph
| asked, beginning to shovel vigorously.
Yes. No more coal
Isn't that unusual?'
"'Yes. There are two special trains
on the road this afternoon
ais it difficult to run a train by tele-
graph?' l said, presently, simply to
make conversation. Staring in silence
at the narrow slit in the gloomy furnace
or out at the village street, through
which we slowly passed, was monoto-
nous.
"'No, not difficult simply have to
obey the instructions which receive at
each station
"'But if you should happen to think
the instructions not right?'
"'Hapren to think I've no business
to think at all When the trains run by
telegraph the engineers are so many ma
chimes in the hand Of one controller,
who directs them all from a central
point. He has the whole road under his
eye. If they don't obey to the least tit
tie their orders it is obstruction to the
whole
"'You seem to think silent obedience
the first and last merit in a railway man.
"'Yes,' dryly.
Il took the hint and was dumb.
awe were out of town now. Blakeley
quickened the speed of the engine. l
did not speak to him. There was little
for me to do, and was occupied in look
ing out at the flying landscape. The
fields we're covered with deep fall of
snow, and glanced Whitley by, with
strange, unreal simmer. The air was
keen and cutting. Still the ride was
tame. was disappointed. The excite
ment would by no means equal dash
on spirited horse. began to think l
had little to pay for my grimy hands and
face, when we slowed at the next station.
One or two passengers came aboard the
train. There was the inevitable old lady
with bundles, alighting, and the usual
squabble about her trunk. was cram
ing my neck to her, when the boy ran
along side with telegram.
The next moment heard a smother
ed exclamtion from Blakeley:
"'Go back said he to the boy. Tell
Sands to have the message repeated.
There's mistake
"The boy dashed off, and Blakeley sat
waiting, coolly polishing bit of the
shining brass before him. Back came
the boy.
"'Had it repeated. Sands is raging at
you. Says there's no mistake, and you'd
best get on thrusting the second mess
age up.
"Blakeley read it, and stood hesitat-
ing for half minute. l never shall
forget the dismay, the perplexity that
gathered in his lean face as he looked al
the telegram, and at the long train be-
hind him. His lips moved as ifhe were
calculating chances, and his eyes sud
denly quailed, as if he saw death at the
end of the calculation.
"'What's the matter? What are you
going to do?' 1 asked.
@'Obey.'
"The engine gave long shrek of hor-
ror, that made me start as if it we're
Blakeleyis own voice. The next instant
we rushed out of the station and dashed
through the low-lying farms at speed
which seemed dangerous to me.
"'Put in more coal,' said Blakeley.
Il shoveled it in.
awe are going very fast, Blakeley,' l
ventured.
"He did not answer. His eyes were
fixed on the steam guage; his lips close
ly shut.
"More coalI
Il threw it in,
"The fields and houses began to fly
past but half seen. We were near Sun
bury. Blakeley's eye went from the
guage to the face of the timepiece and
back. He moved like an automaton
Thele was little more meaning in his
face.
'Morer without turning his eye.
81 took up the shovel-hesitated
.Blakeleyi We're going Ue1y fast |
We're going at the rate of sixty miles an
hour.
@'Coal'
al was alarmed at the stern, cold rig |
idity of the man. His pallor was be-
coming frightful.
Il threw in the coal.
"Atleast we must stop at Sunbury. He
had told me that was the next halt.
"The town approached. As the first
house came in view, the engine sent out
its shrek of warning; it grew louder,
louder. We dashed into the street, up
TO the station, where group Of passen-
gers waited, and passed it without the
halt of an instant L caught a glimpse of
the appalled, faces of the waiting crowd.
Then we were in the fields again.
THE speed now became literally
breathless the furnace glared red hot.
The heat, the velocity, the terrible nerv
Gus strain of the man beside me seemed
to weigh the air. found myself draw
ing long, stentorious breaths, like one
drowning. Iheaped in the coal at in
tervals, as he bade me-"
@Pd have done nothing of the kindn'
interrupted one Of the listeners. %The
man is mad
"I did it because / was oppressed by
an odd sense of duty, which never had
in NV ordinary brain-work. had taken
this mechanical task on myself, and
felt structure upon me to go through
with it at any cost. know now how 1t
is that dull, ignorant men, without a
shark of enthusiasm, show such heroism
sometimes. as soldiers, engineers, capt
aims of wrecked vessels. It's this over
powering sense Of routine duty. 1t is a
finer thing than sheer bravery, to my
notion. However, began to be OF your
mind, Wright, that Blakeley was mad