Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-07-03

"o' W SecIeIJ run us down, lie woulC
act just as he was then doing. Jake, al
hrst seemed TO be struck dumb-not Sc
much because he then thought of danger
as at the cool impudence of The engineer
behind. He looked as if he would like &c
throttle him. His tongue, after while
got IN working order, and he broke out
nat does this crazy fool mean?"
The engineer must be either crazy
or drunk, said |. If he keeps on in thai
way ten minutes longer he will surely be
INTO US; and signalled the fireman to put
on more steam. What business the train
mas u pom the road at all to- night is what
puzzles me-
wonder if it isn't an engine the old
man Is sending down to Jamaica 10 the
shops Tor repairs? said Jake. saw the
ben Franklin standing ON the side track
WIN steam up just as we Started. From
the way she overhauls us there can't be
much of train beh nd her.
did not know but that Jake might
be right. for / had seen the Franklin
standing in the depot when we left. That
engine was just as fast as our own, and if
IL was without II train attached, as Jake
supposed, might easily gain on us, as it
seemed to be doing. At any rate we
snail See when we pass Jamaica station
whether Jake's theory is correct, thought.
and said to him.
" by this time the fireman, acting as
engineer, had given our engine ali the
steam she would take, and we were slash
ing along ut lively rate, tell you, said
the conductor.
Ihe good people along the road who
were out OF their beds must have thought
That II railroad Gilpin was riding another
race according to the new style. was
angry enough to have Sent bullet at the
crazy engineer following us, and dctern.
lned that my first business the next dav
should be 10 complain to the superlntend
ent OF his ool-llardiness. | thought that
possibly, being for the moment his own
master and no longer under the immedi-
ale orders of a conductor, he was indulp-
ing IN Kind OF railroad spree, and for a
lark was driving US to the top of our speed,
expecting TO end the race and his days's
WolK al lhe same time at jamaica,
-, wei, we tore through that sleeping
village without stopping long for refresh
iheh,S can assure you, ahd then Jake
anu looked to See our comical friend in
ihe rear pull up at the station and take
iouglng ior the night. But we were mis-
taR"n III our guess. Not II whistle was
gwen by our pursuer as n signal that he
intended to stop; not II signal of slacken.
ing was shown, but, ON the contrary. he
Was gaining upon us even when we were
doing our very best. Sometimes II curve
IN the road would shut him a moment
irom our view, but he would round it in |
an instant, and every new turn brought |
HIM more closely upon us. jamaica had |
been lett lar behind, and we were out on
the wide Hampstead plain. The old Com
stllntlon Was on her muscle. Our tr lin
was actually swaying and rocking with
speed like yacht on the waves. The tel
egraph poles, upon which the LIGHT from
our windows would CLINT in the dense
darkness, were flying behind us at every
second. The sound of our wheels as tbey
struck the ends of the rails was a continu
Gus hum. But, do the best that it MIGHT.
our engine. with its heavy train, was no
match for the light weighted one behind
that was gaining upon us, and was not the
eighth of 1t mile Off. The glare from It's
lantern shone brightly in our faces.
thought Jakes face looked little pale.
and perhaps mine did TOO. Now that our
pursuer did not halt at jamaica, we were {
entirely off our reckonings, and we could
make no guess rs to the cause of our
chase, nor when it would end. The pros
pect seemed that We might be driven to /
The end of the road if we were not over
taken and smashed before it could he
reached r
That's the franklin. sure,' broke ont Q
Jake once more. No other engine on.the
road could overhaul us AS we are going a
hat .,c l.,
mean by driving her at such rate? He e
must he drunk. If the boss don't break /,
Inn tomorrow he won't get his deserts. e
lie will be into us in two minutes C
80 You are right, jake. said I. GO t,
Onward and see II you cannot get us II
little more headway. Empty few of h
nose petroleum cans on the wood and fl
bitch 1t in and see what can be done.' II
While Jake was forward on his cr- III
and thought over the situation Here | h.
vas with hundred or Two passengers,
nder my care, all ignorant of The danger
Which knew they were in. If we should
We overtnken and crushed in the rear the i,
lsaster would be Il serious one, and would ~
probably cause the death or injury at least -, ~
some OF the passengers. If we were ~,
ot smashed in This way there was an. ~
Iher and perhaps greater danger before ~,
S. The train of which | have spoken. b;
'hich left Greenport when we left Brook II
,n, was on It's way to meet us on the w.
tme track. 1t should switch off ut Lake p w
md in the middle Of the island, and allow ";
s to pass an hour after we started, or at ~, "n
|even O'clock. 1t was now halEpast ten. ,;e
nj we We're close to Lakeland already. ~, ~
nj would pass there long before the ar ho
val OF the Greenport train beyond with .,n
ut warning of our approach. and col m th,
sion in front rs well rs the rear would be T.,
le cons, quence. a.,
We reached and flew through the -" ,'
akeland depot nearly half an hour before ip,,l
me. Of course the Greenport train was .,'
II there yet, but was coming down the on.
'ad. Our speed was now IL little ahead
any ever before made upon the Long ia;
land road. The telegraph poles fairly no,
'nced behind Us, and the bushes ON ,yl
ther side OF the track seemed IL continu- t.''
is wall OF fre as they were lighted up bv Cnr
e flame which was pouring out of our cor
loke slack. But dangerous us it was for .Jn
to keep on, ii was just rs da ,gerous to con
lcken speed, and so on we went nla'
The conductor rolled his quid from one ovo
eek to the other. raised the window by snn
side anu expeciorated into the outer
rkness and became silent for several
,ments rs if burdened by the II collec-
n of his former perils. After waiting a A
,sonable lrnglh of time for him to re- oret
ne his story, said: When the coils ago
! occurred, was it with the train in front nea
in the rear. or with both?" mot
Oh, the collision! " said the conductor. liant
Well, now You come TO the ridiculous ron,
t of the story. The collision did not reae
10 ph1ce at all, he said in an apologetio desc
e, rs If there ought to have been II seri- whe
accident after so much preparation, to S,
While was standing on the platform enol
1king whether had better warn the full,
sengers to hold themselves ready for Il stud
ok. Jake ctme from forward dragging u fe
II him two petroleum cans, each of nooi
ch would hold II quarter of barrel of mite
the
Now. then slid Jake to me, if vol, ing
oil one side of the track will try the and
er.' floor
saw Mt once what his plnn' wns Wo the