Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-07-04
How Tom Ran the Engine Without
Wood or Wafer


man began life as train boy. and steadily
pushed his way up 10 be fireman. enginesr.
master mechanic and finally president of
l ralIoao. he olten said his own chance in life
would nave been better IL he could have gone
10 school when boy and learned from books
aoGut steam and engines. levels, inclines and
tots YES pelore he undertook TO IRE boiler or
lake locomotive over the road. 50 &c hap
pened he built the school close to the ren,ir
Snops OF the road OF which he was president
ne ne put COED teac lers and good books in the
SCHOOL shd then opened 1t, free, to the sons of
tne piahemen, coDd.,ctors, engineers ana other
men employed On the line In the school tina
Joys were TO study the science of the raiIro adj
aho locomotive, and then If they arterward
"eht 10 work on the road, they would no have
president. NV 'SsNN40
Twice every year the president offered Wal.
nam watch as prize TO the boy In the school
WIo should write the best composition on any
SsaoJecI connected with the things they had
a nSen sluoylngA Or anything In relation to en-
glnes or IailroaNe. Tom stay poltt, whose father
was conductor on the night express. ha1 papn
tt ~ .ne scnooi three years. and had tried five
Ilines iof the prize, and lost ft every time: Tom
was regarded by all the scholars as the bright
est COY In the school. He suffered In his
81 eech' ara bis handwriting WAS as stiff as
sWtcE-rod, yet lie was alwaps at the head of his
lass. GU could never trip him on any kuoJly
questions as TO whether the cylinders were on
sop VI NE boilers or uEder the tender de
hHeW the DaGe and use OF every bit or metal in
an engine, and Ii was believed by all Inc boys
tnat he was good engineer and could take MS
i i,, n train right through TO the Junction
Without running past red light or WASTING
steam On the down grades
Inc semi annual prize had been announces.
a ou 4 h,a every boy In the school was busy
Lifts no use, BIB boys / shall not try for
inc -p-prlze L can't write, and | never can
en n'taa what know. II they would give
pi na, io[ GOING something, l think might
Tom was great favorIte In the school ana
T TIt oIe OF the boys laughed at this speech
les In that school, and the bows well kneW that
what Tom said was true. They mig write
cOHposltlons and get prizes, bat when It came
t poot lhe thlhgs, why, Tom Stayboltt would
The day Of the pr,ze-gtving drew near. and
every Doy save Tom was hard at work over his
composition. He had tried five times, and each
time the teachers had said his COMPOSITION was
very Dad indeed, With the wTong words. awk
WAR. WaIa sentences and punctuation that was
t noty aWiul. Now IL happened that the day
nelore Inc prize was to be given, a new locorlo-
i've arrived Oh the railroad, and stood, WITHOUT
WooQ or water, on the track OF the repair-shon
YARD. lt had been hauled up on the freight
IRAN. ana haG never been used on the road,
Ailer school number or the boys went over TO
TIE Yard TO see the new engine, and among
them was Tom Stay BOLT.
II vas first class passenger engine built for
high speed, and looking veiy ha1dsome I'm JIs
Lew paint and shining brass Work. There were
several men looking at the engine a, the BOYS
oa 1e up, ana they gathered round To hear what
An empty engine" remarked one of the
men, always seems to me very helpless thing
II II Is SO dig and heavy II is Impossible to move
II without steampoWer, and yet iC will not only
move Itself, but 1t will drag many times IT'S
weight at 10 miles an hour over the line"
or LIS Is not the engine that moves" said
WateI-tle fuel and steam. II were not for
al all"
81 can make her go Without w.w-w-wooa-
wood OF water"
This remark caused laugh from the boys,
ana even The men smiled at The absurd slate
aid said, "Hsw would on do that my boYq"
"a rather n-n-not-not TELL"
"Wby nOt?"
Because Nm never t-t-trie-trIed IT.
ION, you mean you think you could, but Won
hs'e Lever proved your theory By experiment"
i-y-yeS-yes, SIR
The men and boys became wonderfully inter
esleo Ia thls conVe4 satlon, IOr 1t Was clear Ihat
Tom Stay BOLT knew what he was talking
about.
DO you belong to the railroad school2"
You mean to try for the prize. 1 SUPPOSE
NO, sir. MY Handwriting is as crooked as a
r-I-Iams Nh horn-rams horn"
AFTER mat nothing more OF Importance was
said, ana the boys, having locked over the en-
CINE to their hearts content, went home.
The neEt day at 10 O'Clock the entire school
was marched into the lecture room OF the
schooi building TO see the prize watch given by
The PRESIDENT to the boy who had written the
best composition. All the teachers were there
tosether with the fathers and mothers Of the
railroad. The prize giving was regarded AZ a
great event along the nne and every man.
from eLglIe-Wipers TO directors, wanted to be
At 1915, Ieilroad time, the president and the |
honorable directors, with their wives and |
daughters marched in and took seats on the
Ter CT respect to the founder OF the school II |
Was altogether quite grand and ceremonlous |
aIIalF, and vas for The boys al impressive oc- |
seated the boys sat down. Then there was
peech from the head-naSter. followed bs ore |
iiCIn Clfector, and one from tie presidents |
Mlie. Inen 1t came the Presidents turn to give |
cut the prizes. All the Compositions, neatly |
ueO up IL rec tape, we're laid on the desk and |
Nhen ne stood up he brushed them all one side |
as as II ne Clio not care much for compositions.
bis Speec. was short and very PECULIAR
Ladies aid geDtl-men, and BOYS OF the
school, nave carefully read all the compost |
u S, and. While Think they are all excellent,
The piize shall be open TO those VINO did not
WIiie composition"
THIS was great surprise, and the boys won.
deIed now this was to Dc done. They knew the |
president was just and honorable man. and |
v ould do nothing Unfair; so they accepted what
te salc Ii Silence, though those who i'd written |
tne COMPOSITIONS were, OF course, somewhat
Yesterday" continued the president. 81
neaIu one OF tne boys say he could run a loco
i4Iotl'o ouS liz Without WOOD CT water. Ii he |
cah 90 II, he snail have the prize. Is the boy |
PRESENT."
There was solemn hush In the room. Every |
PIE looked about and wondered II the auda- |
clous and foolish boy was there OF cOurse II
could hot De done, aud the president mad taken |
THIS means to punish him Tor his vain and Idle |
ooastlng. AS Tor Tom Stayboltt he felt ready |
10 tHk through the floor. Something must ba |
coie about Ii, and In moment he Slool 10. |
alt Sal0. IN clear, manly voice.
i said so, sir; and IL you Will Ave me the |
engine, and Jerry Smiths Mogui, I'll do tt
Inc sudden appearance of little Tom Stay
o4olt, pale anu yet calm, ana the clear vote |
Without defect, caused great sensation and |
every one turned In NoId4r to look at MIN |
Some OF the ladies wanted to know what the |
10y meant by Jerry Smiths Mogul,n and the |
gentlemen with them explained that lt was |
heavy freight engine OF The ..Aogui" pattern |
lun by j. Smith.
The president called Tom up to the platform.
Ill for moment OF Two there was q wins.
pered conversation between Tom, the head |
master OF the SCHOOL and the president. Every |
one locked On with the greatest interest aud |
what would happen next Ton |
seemed to have convinced Jne TWO gentlemen |
mat he knew exactly what he was talking |
about, for The PRESIDENT smiled and shook Tom |
by the hand, and then stood up and said TO an |
The people:
"When / heard Master Stay bolt say Yesterday |
afternoon be could run the engine, resolved |
10 give him a chance. l therefore ordered a |
Train TO be got ready, and l now invite the |
.chool and all their friends to 60 TO the station
Ne VIII take the engine out on the line, and |
Master Stay boltt shall try for the prhe By run