The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-05-21
CHASED BY AN ENGINE.
\ GONDU CToR'S SToR

Pennsylvania Central from New York
to Washington on a mission as a news
paper correspondent.
We had passed Baltimore, and within
an hours time would be at our place of
destination. The conductor had finished
collecting the fares, and seeing vacant
seat by my side, had dropped into it as
if for little rest at the end of tire
some days work He made an entry
IN his note book, closed il, placed ii IN
his breast-pocket, buttoned his coat
folded his arms, and then turned to me
with a friendly remark, as if now he felt
at liberty to lay aside all official dignity,
and be sOciable. | was glad to while
away the time As the train was rushing
along in darkness which concealed all
objects of interest without, and so |
encouraged the conversation.
. You must have met with some in
teresting experiences and perhaps with
some great dangers in the course of
your life" said |. The conductors griz-
Fly beard showing that he might have
seen long service.
Well, perhaps the most exciting
time in my experience was the night
was chased by an engine-a night which
this one reminds me OF" said he, look
ing out into the darkness.
. Chased by an engine !" said |, get
ting Interested How did that hap
penn"
g Well" said the conductor, settling
down in the cushion and bracing his
knees against the back Of the seat in
front, many years ago | was running
the night express on Long Island from
Brooklyn to Greenport, a distance of
ninety miles, the entire length of the
road The Long Island road was then
a one-horse affair, having only Il single
track, with switches at the different sta
tons to allow trains to meet and pass.
On the evening to which | now refer |
started from Brooklyn at 10 o'clock with
the old Constitution, long since broken
up. but then the crack engine of the
road, with a baggage or freight ear and
three passenger ears. The night was
Just as dark as pocket, or, if anything,
perhaps a little darker" he added, as If
he had accurately tested the internal OBJ
security Of that useful portion of the
dress.
cit must have been very dark" said
we were the only regular train up
the road that night, with the exception
of the Greenport express to Brooklyn,
waio h was to start at 10 o'clock and
meet us at Lakeland station, in the mid
die of the island, switching off there to
allow us TO pass.
. Well, we were perhaps six or eight
miles on our way when | stepped out
on the back platform of the rear ear to
see if it was growing any lighter. We
were then going over part Of the road
which was as straight as an arrow for a
distance of four or five miles. As
was looking back over this stretch | saw
behind us, at the distance Of three miles
or so, what | knew was the headlight
ANYTHING else for of course | did not
suppose the government had been put
ting up any lighthouse along the road. 3"
=" Probably not" said |.
9 You may be sure | was little sur
prised," said the conductor, g for there
wasn't an extra train once a week upon
that road, and | knew there was none
going out from Brooklyn that night,
anyhow. | waited for few minutes,
until l saw that it was really an engine
coming, and, what was more, was gain
ing rapidly on us, although we were
going at our usual rate ofspeed. When
| was satisfied of this fact hurried for
ward and said to the engineer, Jake,
there is a train close behind Us.
g Jake dropped his oil-can and his
lower jaw at about the same moment,
and looked TO see whether | was crazy or
joking.
Well let the fireman attend to
matters here, and come back and see,
said l.
1--WE hurried to the rear, and in a
moment Jake saw as well as myself that
if there was any joke in the matter we
were the victims Of one and of rather
a serious one too, for the train in the
rear had gained on us a full mile while
| had been forward. The red cinders
were pouring out of the smokestack as
if from a blast furnace; the headlight
threw glare along the road, FURNISH
ing the iron rails TO our very wheels.
Close as he was upon US, the engineer
of the advancing train had not given us
the slightest signal to warn us of his APP
preach, and made no response To our re-
peated whistle of alarm He was VIC
lating all rules, and if he had determin-
ed to secretly run us down he would
act Just as he was then doing. Jake
at first seemed to be struck dumb-not
so much because he then thought ofdan-
ger as at the cool impudence of the en-
gineer behind. He looked as if he
would like to throttle him. His tongue
after while got in working order, and
he broke out, What does that crazy
fool mean?
" The engineer must be either crazy
or drunk, said [. If he keeps on in
that way ten minutes longer he will
surely be into u.s. and 1 signalled the
fireman to put on more steam. What
business the train has upon the road at
all tonight is what puzzles me-
.. | wonder if it isn't an engine the
old man is sending down to Jamaica to
the shops for repairs ?" said Jake. /
saw the Ben Frankling standing on the
side-track with steam up just as We
started. From the way she overhauls
US there can't be much of train behind
her"
II 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 it was without train attached, as
Jake supposed, might easily gain on US,
as it seemed to be doing. AT any rate,
we shall see when We pass Jamaica sta
ton where Jake's theory is correct /
thought and said to him.
ssBy this time the fireman, acting as
engineer, had given our engine all the
steam she would take, and we were
slashing along at lively rate, l tell
you, said the conductor. 1.-The good
people along the road who were out Of
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