Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-07-23

line"
The woman said not word, but nodded
mournfnlly and leaned against the side of
the cab FOR support, and then the fireman
gave her his set, where she could look
out ahead over the line. How the engine
shook and roared! The small finger of the
steam guage tremhled and rose higher and
higher as the steam pressure increased
over the raging fire. The engine seemed
to be eating up the track in front, and,
behind. the rails spun out like shining
ribbons in the sun. The station and train
had already sunk down out of sight, and
the grassy horizon on either side seemed
TO fly away in kind of gigantic waltz.
The wind died away to dead calm, and
In few moments Il little breeze sprang up
and blew in at the front windows.
1--WE are beating the wind" said the
engineer. " If we can keep up this pace
we shall soon overtake them"
" How long have they been gone!"
shouted the fireman above the roar of the
engine.
" don't know" screamed the woman,
without taking her eyes from the horizon,
where the rails met the sky. 1t may have
been two hours or more. They were
playing in the empty car"
''liow did she get off the sidingP (1e
meant the empty carl
" It's one of the new switches" said the
engineer. Cars can easily jump out
upon the main line"
All! something ahead. Was it the
runaway car? No. the next station
What Il terrible pace! Twenty miles al
ready!
"Oh, don't stop!" cried the woman. as
she saw the engineer put his hand on the
throttle valve.
~ must mtrm. We are about out of
water, and perhaps we can learn some
thing of the runaway"
The sudden arrival of a solitary engine
containing two men and a woman alarm
ed the station master and he came out to
see what it meant. He seemed to guess
at the truth. for he said:
"AfIer the runaway carp"
Yes, yes. There were three children
insi e."
"Oh, marin, I'm sorry for you. 1t went
past here, going twenty miles an hour; ii
came down grade all the way, but the up
grade begins about two miles out; was
inside when it passed, and didn't see it till
it had gone past the door"
How long it took to fill the tender. The
engine stood hot and smoking by the
water tank, and the water came out in II
slender stream, while the poor mother
stood looking on, fearful and patient.
"Good bye! | Il Put up the pipe
Heaven help ye!-the up grade
The rest WAS lost, for the engine went
on and over the open prairie. The water
tank seemed to sink down into the earth.
and the shining rails stretched longer and
longer out behind.
All! what WAS that? A cloud of steam
on the horizon, far ahead. The engineer
took out his time book and studied it care
fully.
Freight NJ. bound west, stopping on
the two mile siding"
How swiftly Freight No. rose above
the grass and grew big along the way
Listen! A whistle the engineer whistled
IN reply and shut off the steam; Their
engine quickly slowed down, and they
could see men letning out from the othel
engine, as if to speak to them.
Its ten minutes back. running slow
on mlin line road clear"
THANK Ieaven!' said the woman. The
engineer said nothing; but at that moment
the engine gave great leap and shoI
ahead, at the rate of fifty miles an hour
up IN easy grade. How long the minutes
seemed, and yet each meant almost II
mile!
All! A speck-a black dot on the hori.
zon! The car? Yes, it was the car; il
grew bigger and bigger; now they could
see it plainly. But the children! where
were they? the firemen sprang out through
the forward window and ran along the
engine and down upon the COW catcher.
The monster began to slacken its terribl,
pace. and in II moment it struck the Car
with gentle jtr and stopped.
The fireman believed himself lively
man, but the woman was before him and
Sprang up into the Cur
There they lay, safe and sound. in the
corner of the car-Mary and Tommy fast
asleep, and Kitty watching over them.
oh! mother knew you would come;
Mary and Tommy cried themselves to
sleep, and IL"
Nobody could say a word; the fireman
tried to rub his eyes, and only marked hi,
face with black streaks. The mother
laughed and crieI all at once; the en-
gineer picked up the little ones and
quietly took them into the cab of the
engine.
There, now, my hearties you have had
a risky ride; but it's all right. Come!
We're more than thirty miles from home
and it won't do to be late to dinner. Fire
up, Jack
AYE, aye,sir," said Jack. St Nicholas
f m ,JllU