Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-07-08
now rom RAN THE ENGINE WITH
OUT WOOD OR WATER.

| ly puSneu MS way up TO be nreman, engln
eer, master me echanic, and finally presden
Of a railroad. He often said his own chanc,
in life would have been better IL he coulC
have gone to school when boy, and learned
from books about steam and engines, levels
inclines and curves, before he undertook tC
fire a boiler or take locomotive over tn,
road. So it happened he built the schoo
close to the repair shops of the road of which
he was president. He put good teachers and
good books in the school, and then opened
it, free, TO the sons of the brakemen, con
ductors, engineers and other men employed
on the line. In the school the boys were to
study the science Of the railroad and the loco.
motive, and then, if they afterward went to
work on the road, they would not have such
hard time as the train-boy who became
president.
Twice every year the president offered O
Waltham watch as prize to the boy in the
school who should write the best composition
on any subject connected with the things
they had been studying, or anything in rela-
tion to engines or railroads. Tom Stayboltt,
whose father was conductor on the night ex-
press, had been in the school three years,
and tried five times for the prize, and lost it
every time. Tom was regarded by all the
scholars as the brightest boy in the school.
He suffered in his speech, and his hand
writing was as stiff as a switch-rod, yet he
was always at the head of his class. You
could never trip him on any knotty ques-
tions as to whether the cylinders were on top
OF the boilers or under the tender. He knew
the name and use Of every bit of metal in an
engine, and it was believed by all the boys
that he was good engineer, and could take
his fathers train right through to the juno
tion, without running past a red light, or
wasting steam on the down grades.
The semi-annual prize had been announced,
aud nearly every boy in the school was busy
over his mpostion-except Tom.
'I-i.it's no use, b-b-boys. l shall not try
for the prize. can't write, and never can
t.ttell-tell what know. If they would give
prize for doing something, l think might
gg-get it,"
Tom was great favorite in the school, and
not one Of the boys laughed at this speech.
They were taught manners, as well as me-
chancs, in that school, and the boys well
knew that what Tom said was true. They
might write compositions aud get prizes, but
when it came to doing the things, why, Tom
StIyboltt would beat them all.
The day Of the prize-giving drew near, and
every boy save Tom was hard at work over
his composition. He had tried five times,
and each time the teachers had said his coul-
position was very bad, indeed, with the wrong
words, awkward sentences, and punctuation
that was truly awful. Now it happened that
the day before the prize was to be given,
new locomotive arrived on the railroad and
stood, without wood or water, on the track
of the repair-shop yard. 1t had been hauled
up on the freight train, and had never been
used on the road. After school a number of
boys went over to the yard to see the new
engine, and among them was Tom Stayboltt.
1t was first-class passenger engine, built
for high speed, and looking very handsome
in its new paint and shining brass work.
There were several men looking at the en-
gine as the boys came up, and they gathered
round to hear what might be said.
IAN empty engine" remarked one of the
men, always seems to me a very helpless
thing. 1t is so big and heavy, it is impossi-
ble to move it without steam power, and yet
it will not only move itself, but will drag
many times its weight at 40 miles an hour
over the line"
1T is not the engine that moves" said an
other man. "It's the wood or coal and wa
ter-the fuel and steam. If it were not for
the fire and water inside, it could never move
at ALL"
II can make her go without w-w-w-wood-
wood or water"
This remark caused laugh from the boys;
and even the men smiled at the absurd state
ment One man came over to where Tom
stood, and said, "How would you do that,
my boy ?"
I'D rather n-n-not-not tell"
why not?"
because n-n-never t-t-trie-tried it,"
"Oh, you mean, you think you could, but
you have never proved your theory by eTper-
iment."
"Y-y-yes-yes, sir"
The men and boys became wonderfully in
terested in this conversation, for it was clear
that Tom Stayboltt knew what he was talk
ing about
DO you belong to the railroad school?"
"Y-y-yes-yes, sir"
"You mean to try for the prize, l sup
pose ?"
No, sir. My handwriting is as crooked
as a r-r-ram's h-h-horn-ram's horn"
After that, nothing more of impo rtance
was said, and the boys, having looked over
the engine to their hearts content, went
home.
The next day at 10 o'clock the entire school
was marched into the lecture-room of the
school building to see the prize watch given
by the president to the boy who had written
the best composition. All the teachers were
there, together with the fathers and mothers
of the boys, visitors and people connected
with the railroad. This prize giving was re-
garded as a great event along the line, and
every man, from engine-wipers to directors,
with their wives and daughters, marched in
and took seats on the platform, while all the
boys stood up as a matter of respect to the
founder of the school. 1t was altogether
quite a grand and ceremonious affair, and
was for the boys an impressive occasion.
When the directors and the ladies were seat
ed, the boys sat down. Then there was
speech from the ad-master, followed by
one from director, and one from the presi-
dents wife. Then it came the presidents
turn to give out the prizes. All the compo-
sitons, neatly tied up in red tape, were laid
on the desk, and when he stood up he brush
ed them all one side, as if he did not care
much for compositions. His speech was short
and very peculiar:
Ladies' and gentlemen, and boys of the
school; have carefully read all the compo-
sitions, and, while think they are all excel
lent, have decided that this time the chance
to win the prize shall be open to those who
did not write a composition"
This was great surprise, and the boys
wondered how this was to be done. They
knew the president was just and honorable
man, and would do nothing unfair; so they
accepted what he said in silence, though
those who had written the compositions were,
OF course, somewhat disappointed.
Yesterday" continued the president II
heard one of the boys say he could run To-
cOmotiYe engine without wood or water. If he
can do it, he shall have the prize. Is the
boy present ?"
There was a solemn hush in the room.
Every one looked about, and wondered if the
audacious and foolish boy was there. Of
course it could not be done, and the presi-
dent had taken this means to punish him for
his vain and idle boasting. As for Tom Stay
boltt, he felt ready to sink through the floor.
Something must be done about 1t, and in
moment he stood up, and said, in a clear,
manly voice
81 said SO, sir; and if you will give me the
engine, and Jerry Smiths Mogul, I'll do it. "
The sudden appearance of little Tom Stay
boltt, pale and yet calm, and the clear voice
without defect, caused a great sensation,
and every one turned in wonder to look at
him. Some of the ladies wanted TO know