The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-01-04

CINE.
Il say, Cap. called out Bill Davidson,
give the boys the story how you got your
| first engine
'Oh, sho = exclaimed Cap. you have all
heard that until it's stale
NO, mol I've never heard it
'NorI.'
Nor L.
Fire away,Cap We're as fresh as butter
cups on that lay
4 reckon their amt none of the present
fcompany but inc that's heard it, ventured
Bill, when the other voices had subsided.
WAL, anything to please the company.
If Pm elected for that particular yarn, why
that's the one I'm bound to spin. But first,
II rake out my fre-box, and heave in a
stick or two, jest to keep the machine
warm.
WAL, fellers,' he said, ,'ye see, was firm
under an engineer what was about as fine as
they make em. He sported kids and rat
tan, and a plug hat. The only thing whiter'n
his vest was his b lied shirt, with diamond
cluster on the bosom and the only thing
blacker'n his broadcloth was the all .killinest
moustache you ever sot eyes on. When he
swung into the cab you'd tho't he was the
jeewhilltaker jinks of all the highcockalor-
ums at headquarters. He always smelt strong
OF the BARRIERS shop; and he wouldn't Il
took his dainty self off the box if the sup
erintendent's lady had wanted to ride.
His handle was Jim Taford and s'pose
that was as good as any other. For his kind
of man, he done his work well enough (;
anyhow he didn't spree it when he was on
duty so they paid him his wages and no fault
he found.
OF course he never touched the oil cup -
that wouldn't gone down with his laven-
der kids. But there's engineers what crowds
their fremen worse'n than he did, so o,though
| never cottoned to him particular, we got
along.
'One thing-I always had sneakin no.
ton that, though he was so fine and big
teelin, he'd squeal if you got him in tight
pinch. / don't know why. Sometimes them
dandy elers is the very devil on wheels
when you put them to it, but somehow
didn't think he was one o that kind.
'Waal, it all went along as fine as fiddle,
until one day leetle chap with bushy
whiskers and eyes like gimlets come pokin'
his nose about. He squinted at everything
from the toe of the pilot to the copplin'.pin
of the tender Then he sings out
'Hollo l say, there can l ride with
you q
Jim was swingin' of his heels out O. the
winder. He kept a-pullin' at his cigar and
watchin' of the rings O smoke never lookin'
at the leete chap out on the platform, no
more if he'd been u chipmunk on a log.
so the stranger he sings out ag'in, step
pin up close under the winder
MY Christian friend, have you any OBJ
jections to my riding with you"
'Hollo' says jim, mighty big-Injinish
Did you speak to me p
Yes, sir spoke to you,' says the other
kind o slowly and squntin' his eyes SOS you
could scarcely see EN- |?
'Ahr says jim, tossn' of his cigar stump
, over the feller's head. And what do | un
derstand that you said :?
4 asked if it would be agreeable for yor
to let me ride with you,' says the leetl'
man.
L amt any objections says Jim. IF yol
pays your money you kin ride along will
me in the coach, where the other passen
gers ride ?''
He thought it a mighty fine joke, but tn
little chap he'd sold only sqinted his eye
closer.
May ask who you be p he says quiet
like
Ask away but don't take up too mucl
time says Jim, laughin at his own cute
ness.
'Waal, then, who be you, anyway p say
the stranger,
Me? Who bel says jim, adrawin' o
himself up, and lookin' at the leetle chal
mighty sharp 'waal reckon Pm the MAJ
what runs this hull machine. When | sa,
go, she goes, and when ! say stop she stops
Is that plain?
Yes says the stranger, You're wha
they call the engineer
That's Just it to T. says Jim. $50
onct you've struck the nail plump on th
head. And now, my inquizitive friend ma.
| ask who you areH
Certainly says the stranger payin hin
in his own coin.
'Wasl, who are you?' says Jim, ,rilin' 'whel
the laugh was turned on himself.
'Who am l p says the leetle feler, fun
r blin' in his pocket and his eyes were lik
black beads. 'Hyer's my card, and you XII
see for yourself-if you know how t.
read p
with that he pokes bit o. paste boar
into Jim's paw, aud walks off, as cool as
May mornin.'
Jim looked at the card Then he turne
the color of a billed lobster Then he look
J, ed after the stranger, who was chalkin'
down the platform. with nothin' in sight bu
his back and the whisksrs BLOWN out o
both sides of his head To top off with
jim cussed and swore like pirate.
- i caught slght OF the name. III was Ou
new superintendent You bet was tcklec
1t was enough to keep me geodnatured fo
two straight weeks. But it wouldn't do fu
to have him see me laugh so | begun t
chuck in wood like two year DID,
'Jm was mad, now and he put thing
r through that day, or I'm liar, The leetl
superintendent had busted out both the Cyl
a inder-heads fur him and Jim wealed ava
I. reckless.
ld we had gone about forty miles this wa!
- when we came to the bluffs nine miles out
n Cedarburg, The first blufgoes up two hun
dred and fifty feet purpendic'lar and tn
IS ss road hugs the foot OF it close on a shar
C. curve, down grade the way we was going