Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-09-27
A STRANGE STORY.

Can recall them now9
No-yes. One remember, because 1t
was the very most inexplicable affair
that ever befell-no, did not befall-but
that ever became secondhand, almost
as good as new"
Found myself one day at certain town
with "no connection" Till five of the after
noon--a train that might make sixteen
miles an hour with ninety>six miles to
get over. Due on the platform at 1880.
That wouldn't do. SO OF course had to
have special"
Place and ime-Central Iowa, some
years ago. Country just fiat plain, not
the rolling prairie land lying farther ives
no towns, few villages, fenceless, treeless;
a speck of anything easily seen afar had
any speck existed.
Even the ties were without incident.
One after another, one after another, all
alike-same length, striking family re>
semblsnce, lying on the even ground
without so much as ditch at the side to
UTcuk INC uouOtOny.
Nothing of interest without, so turn
ed my ewes TO inspect what might be
found within. They were generally wide
open when they are to look at machines
or msohinisis.
have travelled behind engines, and on
them by thousands, and have walkel
about and questioned and gazed and e1.
amined them pretty thoroughly. but al
ways with fresh wonder and admiration
SIR ong MS Titans, obedent as slaves, sim,
pie, complicated, helpful, meroiless
beautiful, yet terrible.
And never looked a. them without
wondering W hat manner Of world this
i'll be when some one learns how "a
utilize not enc hundred, nor fhy, but
even fifteen per cent. OF steam.
AS to their manipuators: Fools don Y
abound among them. A man needs
bra ins and logic to be good machinist
i like TO watch frst-class one listen t
an argument on subject with which he
may be ever so unfam iliar. He sees the
flaws, and knows where tho screws ar,
loose, and the sequence is broken, ane
the point overlooked or bunglingiv made
better, hall the time, than the combatants
though they oe no mean ones.
lf man knows machine he know
how to argue from cause to effect step b,
step OF the way, and he isn't easily "bam
boozled," and there's precious little mon
seace" about him.
My engineer was one of the right sort
A clear,eyed, intelligent, wide-awakt
young fellow from New England-thC
last man in the world you would sus.
pect of either drink or superstitious aim-
fans.
He was explaining to me somo OF .bo
mechanism, when, with his right hand
on the lever, he suddenly Lushed, threw
himself half out OF the little window,
gazed moment up the track, then, turn
ing away his head with his left hand
thrust before it as though shutting oui
some awful vision. drove on.
There was no mistaking the attitude
and its meaning.
"You have run over some one here,'
said L.
'Yes-no--I don't know he answer
ed.
His fireman seemed to notice neither
action nor answer. / gazed at both with
amazement akin 10 horror. "Am push
ing through space forty miles an hour in
the keeping OF two mad thought
"Let us see."
"You don't know?"
~ don't wonder you look" said he,
"and ask too. VIII you kindly oblge
me by telling If you saw anything off at
the right?"
Nothing" said l, "but open plain"
Nor ahead of us?'
Nothing but level track
Nor behind us? Did you look back7'
Yes, looked back. There was moth
ing but track and plain
Il knew IL, said he, knew It just as
we'll before / asked as afterward, but
couldn help asking. Do you think that's
queer?'
Il think you are troubled. That Is
more to the purpose. DO you mind my
asking what has troubled your
DO l mind? Don't / just want 70 tell
you aud see what you can make Of it,
and he drew his hand over his forehead
ard across his clear eyes as though it
we're nightmare that threatened TO un-
make him. at beats me-
i wouldn't let IT, smiling TO cheer his
distressed face. You are too broad
shouldered TO stand that sort OF treatment
from anything a. VIII ich he laughed a
little, and the fireman encouragingly ro
marked, You just pitch in, Ned;' and
Ned pitched n.'
AS for a story-it isn't much Of a
story, you'll say-but-well! You see
as was coming down the road the other
day--a good two weeks ago, nova road
I've been over hundreds OF times and
know every foot Of it, saw, off at the
right, instead OF that pan cake region,
regular hilly country, wild and green
looking, plenty Of trees, and among them
on top Of a sort of ridge, there was a
shambl!ng tavern painted red.
1T was growing dusky, and could
SEQ lights in the tavern, and hear loud
voices laughing and growing. Directly
fellow came plunging out of the door
with his hat off, a flannel shirt unbutton
ed at the throat, and one sleeve loose and
hanging, holding a whisky-bottle. He
reeled. down the hill, stumbled. and
! stumbled. struck his foot against log al