The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-11-08
A IooOM0TIVE OABsRIDK
The Pecu lar Red flag Girl Improyised
as a Danger fgna1.

II OhscannOL DO IL, Sdlu tMeceenseSs
'rm sure they will not consent. And, !"
he added, taking a base advantage OF
my sensibiity to remark, t'if / were
you would sit down, and not wriggle.
You don't know how satircallys Gov
ernor F. is watching you.n
Now, I had no fear of the regard of
that mild eountenance across the aisle,
and / resented this duplicity of Me-
c4nas.
IF you don't go and bring hither
the conductor" l threatened, 81 viii
go to him mysen-yonder among all
those men-ask him. - ~
MecRnas-I think the trait is COM
mon to most men-dislikes to be made
conspicuous, and knows my pertinacity.
A moment later the strong, square face
of the conductor bent over me, as /
preferred my request with an artistic
admixture of appeal and assurance.
This artfuiness was rewarded; at the
next station he came back to the plat
form where perched, breathless with
suspense. SIS
The engineer says you may Gomez
Taunting then, / protruded my chin
of Mecanas
''Nowi You see all men have not
your obduracy."
Mec@nas sighed. "Ah, well! Being
SO very wilful, you must CO.
1t was with no commonplace sensa-
ton that Swallowed my guide through
. hustled by varied throng. Here
stalked tall or sturdy prospectors.
rough-bearded, rough-clad, equipped
in all the pioneer paraphernalia of the
section; here lowered the stately form
and grand gray head of man had
often marked and revered on the streets
of Los Angeles; there Indians from
Yuma and Tucson skulked furtively,
dragging their sodden blankets trail
wise. wagging the heavy braids of
coarse hair pendant down their backs;
yonder staggered the bullying build
of cowboys from San Simon" heavy
booted, cartridge-belted, full of hardi-
hood.
From the chaos of this crowd, and
the Babel of their voices, the conductor
swung me up to the engine.
Here is the young lady who wants
to try the cab"
With a prompt business-like air, the
engineer lifted me to the cushioned
ledge where he had been leaning,
tucked my scant skirts beyond the
reach of the great, shining lever of the
dII-D1 SLhCSs ouOnSO IO" W
myself, rang the warning bell, blew off
the prescribed amount of water, and
sped his engine forward.
To me that was wild, weird ride.
The sun shOne in at the open cab VIM
dows, but the wind blew cold from a
snow-clad range at the right. / pulled
up my coat collar, and pulled down the
sheltering brim of my manly Kossuth.
Section men along the Hne-grimy,
stern-faced Caucasians and stolid cool
ies-leaned On their picks to gaze in
wonder at woman's face looking on
them from such unwonted masculine
surroundings, as we flew past. For
ward sped the engine along the ring
ing rails, fairly bounding over long,
straight stretches, painting up heavy
grades, reeling, swaying inward, as
the incline of the road fought the CEN
trifugal force around short, sharp
bends.
All that dreary, dry country, full of Il
dead monotony as it was, told tales of
''things that We're, and are, and things
that are to be;'' the mystery OF the
DESERT of thirst-smitten travellers, mad
dened by the trackIess desolation, stray
ing from their bearings, to die wretch
edly in those lonely defiles; of lost
leads and phantom placers; of the
ghostly mirage; Of murderous Apache
bands scourging the wastes.
The dismal Surroundings Mortified
me; / trembled that the great monster
mounted should 90 careering on, APP
parently nnguided. 1 wanted to
know it doninated-to see the hand
of man on the curb of the insensate
creature. / leaned out of the win
dow, and spoke back to the engin-
eer, standing on the tender. ''Come
and stand by me; am afraid" He
smiled, indulgcnt to weakness, as
strong men are, and came in at once.
He taught me The trick of the throttle,
learned me the lore of the lever. and
showed me the secure index of the
water-guage, where the aerated. milky
fluid ran up and down the tube. with
our motion.
Suddenly 1 clinched his broad shout
der with a nervous hand. THAT man
on the track! You will run him DOWN.
But his hand was already on the
bell-rope. That is a track-walker.
Do you see his red flag2 They are
stationed all along here every i've to
fifteen miles. He will leave in good
timer
The man, but q few rods away, step
ping from tic to tie between the rails,
swung himself leisurely aside as we
few past
I tried to excuse my cowardice.
''You see, ] have been weak and ill,
and l have seen two men killed by the
cars.
Eyes; I know what that horror. is
His voice dropped. i once killed !
man So
Presently HE opened sort of locker
beneath my feet, saying: Il must sec
the time table. This is only my second
trip over the road"
As l drew up my feet to give way, q
gust of wind sWirled in and swept my
skirts back from the low shoes and scar
let hose, that matched i'll the rest of 8
rather masculine costume. In despite
of himself the engineer smiled at my
CONSERVATION. Correctness of detail
is my pride and weakness.
Let me tell you story" he said.
at can hardly, seem impertinent, now
that we have laughed together. Before
| the junction of these reads | was run
| ming. between N-and M" He
named two stations on the Eastern line
Lacy, the station-man at Austin, had.
daughter, half-grown girl. wild as
an antelope. Austin was no place al
| all, Just the station-house, in part OF
which Lacy's family lived, and we new
er stopped there unless signaled. Ii
| was only four miles outsof Las Milpas,
and Tarv,s dauphter walked daily tC