Louisiana capitolian., 1880-08-24

had brought out, except tho Pres'deht
and Altlricb, went back to c. op the
three o'clock express train. This was
the last regular train which was TO pass
over tho road until next Monday.
"Esrly'in tho evening lleft the ma
chine in charge "f my ii,onan and went
over to al eating house to SEQ il ! could
not spend the time more PLEASANTLY than
on my engine. Tbehours drrgsed them
selves away slowly. was playing a
game Of don,inoes with the station agent
when in came Roberts, the President in
II state OF great excitement. .}EtEs
"'Harry, said no to mo. I want yon
TO put mo down in c. At II o'clock
"As it was nearly eleven o'clock then,
and tho distance was sevontyRve miles,
l thought he was joking at first; but
when wo got outside tho door, he caught
mo by arm, and hurried mo along 80 fast
that saw he was in earnest.
"'Harry, said l,e, If you don't set mo
down in C by twelve o'clock am a
ruinedman, and this road IL a ruined
road. Aldrich is dead; but no told me,
bofore he died, that he had embezzled
from time to time $500, 600 Of our money,
and his clerk is to start with it on tho
twelve o'clock boat from C for Can
ada. If we don't have that money on
Monday morning, to make Some pay
,nents with, the road goes into other
hands; and II you put me down in C
ut the right time, 40 that save the
money, you shall have $4,000. Under
stand it, Harry. Five Thousand dollars.
"Ofcourse understoodit lsaw now
the reason why tho wages had been cut
down; l understood it all, and my blood
boiled. felt that l would save the
road if l lived. and | told Roberts so.
~ "'See that you do It, Harry he re-
piled, as he climbed upon the steps. Of
the coach, which was coupled TO my OIL
! gine.
81 sprang up into the footboard, got
up tl,eswitch tender to help my fireman.
opened the throttle. and just as s"e com
menced moving looked at my watcl-it
was Just II o'clock, SO that had one
hour to moke my sevonty.five miles ill.,
"From y to C there were few
curves on tho road, but there were sew
eral heavy grades. was perfectly ac
quainted with every rod Of it, 80 that
Iknew exactly what had to encounter
and when saw how the engine moved
l felt very very little fear for the result
"The road for the first miles was an
air line, and 20 smoth that our engine
flew along with scarcely perceptible
jar. l was 50 busy posting myself ny s'
to the amount of wood and water
aboard, etc, that we dan ced by the first
station almost before | was aware of it
having been five minutes outand having
five ,uiles accomplished.
"'You are losing time' yelled voice
from the coach. looked around anf
there stood Roberts with bis watch il,
his hand.
II knew very we'll that we would have
to increase our speed by some means j
We carried out our plans of reaching
c. by midnight, and looked anxious
ly around to what could do to accom-
plsh that purpose. She was blowing
oft steam fiercely at 40 pounds, so
turned down the valve to 200, for knew
we should need it all to make some 0
the heavy grades which lay between u
and c..
1T was three miles to the next station
With the exception of a few curves th'
track was AZ good as tho last. As "
darted around what commonly seemed
to DO a rather long curve, ut the station
but which was, at our high speed shor
enough, l looked at my watch, and W
had done it in two minutes and half.
"Gainipg,' shouted back to Roberts
who was yet standing on the platform
, Of the coach.
, 'Look out for the heavy grades h
replied, and went inside the car.
The next six miles rose gradual
from q level the first, to ton and q hal
feet grade tho last, which lay betwee
,us and the next station. My firema
kept her full and now she began to &c
, hot. The furnace door was red and th
3 steam raised continually, so that sl'
8 kept her speed and passed the static
4 80