The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1881-05-27

Gear ttncl tho way through, md he
sast meant t. ''douce her, you bctr
"a had been longing for Just snch
an opportunity as this since the Grst ap-
pearance Of the "Lightning run" as il
wRs termed, / unhesltatiugly accepted
teo invitation aud climbed into old
Johns place by the window, aod
scarcely lad done 80 before the de.
uyrd train camc stealing into The depot.
in a fpw moments the mails were
abrotd and tbs Lansing wax made fast
% the four white cars, each oie of
which had
tagies letelgl u.ge a. sid.
st'aut1 passeus ets i"r sush itsl,.
Then came the mgna for the start,
aud as Oh John touched the lever the
train moved slowly out from the depot
and towutd The outskirts of the city.
IL was hot unt.l Na l.u atrsck the
ol-n country that the rna fairly com.
mentcd. and then, with ltngh in hia
eyes, the old fellow told ine tJ look ont
and pulled tho throttle vide open. For
II moment the monster scrmed - trcm
bio under my feet, npd we darted of
| like an arrow The trunks OF the trees
that stood by tnr sid, ol the trucks
seemed transtoFmel iatp spiil wallis.
Tho fences were narrow strips of ribbon
luticung ia the wind. The tri.ets,,li
poles became furesis az We passed bf.
and the hay-stacks lcrt standing ia tho
brown fields were all wal;zing together.
For moment my heart seemed -
cease It's beating and locked ~ the
engineer. lie WAS "hiatling 10 him elf
and az cool AS cucumber Then, as
the w,ld rush grew wilder, |. toe, be-
gan to grow reckless anl % enjoy the
rnce Looking straight ahead through
the c.tb windows hp,ts,. wonil l3om
up right ia our path. AID then. ~ VI.
struck the curve, it would saii oG to
one .iie on sea of air. Now, a bong
bridge came on right ahead, nnd /
looked for hin T. sl4cken the spee,l "A
aitlc. Not bi.of H. Bridges, curves
aud frogs were a'l fhe same Ia him
iaeiincti,.iy ! srAtpel che ss,st with "A
arm gsii a. wc daitr.i on 10 Il with
ra,tling sound like the rolling Of musk
etry. aul held my breath uu,iI wo were
safe on the other side. Taru ~ sigh |
ofre.iet cscaied nay lils. leaned Over
and paiI
John, bo~ fast are yon runni < !
nov. d. you thinks"
about Gfty-iivs mi.'-s ,p lou~ !
le'kon, L,t fore we gif Erie l'm 1
a gsia. io show yaf usillg /
can tayel mile = m #Av l"s 80 nf
ghat these r','r at asrp. a'r rs b. I
contfsty
Hoy ad1s.a4 ea a
you goll' qee.bd /.
just eAhsii. ls.e ts,# ,f la t.c4
he auawerrd, ".,sa b-y rus !, m'l.. 4
minute si;h, herau ! k.s sstin. J,-t
you ~sis sIil nr Htr,l.s a alfas2sss 49,,
q. tgaes, young islle', ah'i tatn fset
aec her make D.. D"
She vas running Ease - :i..ss u.
sull u.r, ,5ut dil uoi jatet, ,sil b4,. ~.
AMP sheu after alb | might neysr l.a,r +, .
chance 70 ride "a mile a minufc again. +
A. last we cims - - straight level .
stretch OF tGaci;, and handing me stop .
aaic!,, be- said:
"5ssr. her again when the mile post 4
is right s. tbe cowcatcler. aud stop Der I
a hen tle next one is in the same placr; I
l'l!iell you when she gets u-coine'
Thuse or four minutes passed ia get
ting the speed ur, and then Al looked
from the cub Windows | realized what
sixty miles AN hour meant. Houses
came sni disappeared Ike magic. The
forests became indistinct masses uf
haze whose general outlines ouly we're
discerniblc The ribhonel fences hai
turned to thread.l,lsc lines, und tie
mile.posts were drifting hy like thistle
down upon the winds.
Twice / tried H. and both tim.s ia
vain, bu, at the thlrl attempt it was
-. stop her" he said did 50,
and the hands upou the dial's face
marked OF hfty-lile seconds. ! could
hardly believe il, and wait.d for another
trail. Fifry-eight seconds the watch
made answer To the questioning look of
my eyes, AMI as ola John slnckcd her
up little he asked
"Well, can the Linsing run a mile a
minute"
"Yes, sit / repli 81, ".,nd if anybody
saws she cant, send them bo me.
"lia, hal' he chueklsl, Il knew the
old girl could do II; but I'm glad YOU
seed it done, my hd, for they won't
believe I'd John whrt be says she d ne
it,"
4 Few minutes .fterWard the train
came to stand still at the platform in
Eric The eighty eight miles had been
made, including two stoppages, IN one
hour and forty-six minutes
Dismounting from the engine, which
was left in change Of the fireman, o'd
john and myself went over to the hotel
for supper, and then after we had slowed
away 4 square meal we repaired to his
room, where, with the aid of pitcher
of ale and some cigars, we proceeded TO
make ourselves comfortable 10y the
cheerful fire thai blazsd brightly in the
little old-iashioned CRATE.
Soothed into a feeling oil content
ment by the wsed and msllowiug lntiu
enc.s of the ale, the old fellow, after a
great deal Of urging on my part, told
lne the following true story:
'fNow, | don't ask yer fer ter believe
this yarn I'm agoin' to tell ye," he be-
gan, "but It's true for all that. | ain'l
no great shakes in spinning story
cause / cannot dress it up like you
fellers that writes for the papers, but
I'll tell you a strange thing that hap
pened to me once when was goae
deal younger than ! am now, and | kin
date my gray hairs right from tina