The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1881-12-21

From the cab of q locomotive on the
Union Pacific road, succession of dis
solving views strike the eye for mo-
ment and then fade away, as the speed
of the laundering iron horse whirls the
short train across the prairie.
"MOre coal, Jake more coal Tn
going to give these nabobs ride they'll
long remember | Ha, ha, Ia |" And
the peculiar laugh of the large, muscu-
lar man who held the throttle-lever with
one hand as he looked out of the window,
rang, half-cheerily, Enthusiastically,
above the roar of tho rushing train.
The laugh chilled the blood of the
fireman, brave as he was. He felt a
tingling sensation at the roots of his
hair, which would have stood upright
but for the skull-cap he wore.
ben what in the world do you mean
we're flying now; and look at the hand
of that dial
Ben, with a quick movement changed
the lever from one hand to the other,
stretched brawny arm toward the coal
scoop and turned his eyes on the fire.
man.
"More coal, I sayl"
Jake complied. Never before had he
seen his chief with such look-in such
an attitude. He could not account for
it; but he saw plainly enough that it
would BE- useless to demur. He added
fresh fuel. Ben gave another hitch to
the leyer-and away few the train at in
creased speed.
Ben Miles was one of the best en-
gineers of the Union Pacific road. And
it was In its earliest days, when the
spirit of adventure, fostered by the war
-. \
to seek their fortunes along its route,
either in the dollhouse enterprises that
sprang uE along the line or in construct
nag or operating the road. Ben's boy
hood had been passed In learning the
trade of worker in plaster-of-paris, which
held his young and buOyant mind until
the fascination of designing was lost in
the restless activity OF the first years of
manhood. With thousands Of others he
went West to see what was offered by
this great advancing enterprise. He
fell in love with the free air of the
boundless plains, and conceived the idea
of running a locomotive across them. A
man of mind to devise, an iron frame to
execute, with his indomitable viii he
soon learned every secret of the engine.
All p said he, "here is something
worth handling" He obtained employ
ment and In year became famous over
half the road. The capacity of loco
motive depends upon the man who
handles it. Like horse, it is obedient
and strong, or weak and fractious-re-
fecting the skill and temperament of its
driver. Ben had often jumped upon q
strange engine and hauled train which
its operator could not bulge. He studied
his machine, tending 1t with the solicit
tude of an enthusiast. He had tested
its strength, and had always yearned an
opportunity to put its speed to its ut
most capacity. Jack Saunders, the
stoker, thought his chief was now MAX
ing his long-sought experiment.
Ben Miles-brave, great-hearted and
mild-tempered-pos grievous sin.
His hours of idleness were the bane of
his life. 1t was known that he drank
nut his superiors trusted him implicitly,
for he never drank when on duty. No
power could tempt him 10 break his
rule. The train he was now hauling,
however, was not his own. A few hours
before party of railway dignitaries had
arrived at the eastern end of Ben's di-
vision, in a couple of magnificent
coaches, a sleeping and a hotel car.
They had asked for q volunteer, and
they wanted to he taken over the road in
hurry. Ben Miles was idle and re-
sponded to the call with alacrity, re-
solved In his mind to satisfy their cry
for haste with speed that should answer
it.
At the Office Ben's supeiors had
watched him attentively, but discovered
no cause to deny his request. His COM
panions ohaffed him at his anxiety
l. l. L al, Sc Ah, \
vision. They knew his attraction there
was young and beautiful widow, who
had little girl as pretty and fresh
Ben Miles as much as Ben loved her
mother, if that were possible. But
when they rallied him on this point they
we,e met by a fierce look so contrary to
his genial nature that, after he had gone,
the thought came into their minds,
and they exchanged fearful chances as
the word passed round, "Ben Miles is
drunk
"Coal, coal; do you hear, Jake? BY
the winged Jupiter See the mile-posts
htuTying by Three of them in two
jautes and a half; l believe we can
IKE three in two Stoke, man, stoke y
Such were the behests the mortified
fireman continually heard. They were
delivered IN tones that admitted of no
eepo tul9tion. Though at another time
8.Es VS. knew ne could not shake the |
good temper Of his chief, he saw it would |
ne uusagc now, and he contented him.
self with stocking, while he muttered the
conviction that had reluctantly forced |
self into his mind: Ben Miles is
drunk /"
Back in the parlor car sat company
IF Americas foremost fiRanciers; men |
who talked and traded in railroads and |
millions with the nopchalan0e of the |
clerks who counted their gains. They |
ioungsd about, chatting on whatever
came uppermost-providiDg il was not |
he real affairs ON their minds-and |
scarcely concealed their impotence |
under fifty miles an hour. The speed |
increas "a 10 sixty, and they were de- |
lighted
Listen, Col. Tom No click to be
heard, SO lightly do the wheels skip the i
joints IN the rails 4"
''Ah, the finest rolling stock in the
world; 10 be put to such q movement i
aud ride SO easilyl"
"Spoed Is time-and both are money!
e., SIN faster2 Great Scott, what are
vs coming top
Bat look at that landscape The
long sreteh Of plain, bounded only by
'he horizon, and dotted by the shadows OF
clouds, which pursue each other with
rapid though majestic movement, be-
yond the sweep Of vision i