The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-08-13
HARRY ROWLAND.

not of me, and Of what will become of
them, should anything happen you when
under the influence of liquor. Oh, Harry,
you do not realize that the habit is grow
ing OIL you, and that You act differently in
every way than you did N the happy days,
now. alas seemingly gone forever. Even
if IL is not remarked as much by the Of
ficials as by the loving eyes at home, you
must know that you grow reckless and
careless, and expose yourself TO danger
needlessly. OF late, when you are on the
road, 1 am in constant dread for fear that
you may be killed, and / start and tremble
at every sound, for fear that they are bring
ing to me the mangled remains of my dear
husband. Promise me, then, dear Harry,
that you will not drink any more-at least
this trip. Try it this trip, my dear, and
see how much more like the Harry of yorc
you will feel, and what joy you will bring
to the hearts of those you love best when
you come home TO them safe, and with
mind unclouded and breath free from the
faint of liquor"
"Oh pshaw, Nelliel That's Just like you
women, always making mountains out of
molehills. You need not fear for me-, / tell
you. I'm all right on duty and if you
nave seen me once or twice under the in
huence of liquor, there are very few that
can say the same, and no one can say that
| was ever so on duty. l kno just what
| can stand and when to leave OF, and it's
only when after we reach the end of the
run, and / am tired and worn out, that |
yield TO my own desire for a stimulant, or
TO the opportunities of my many friends.
1t is not necessary TO bind myself by any
promise. / am not going to drink to ex-
cess; of that you can rest assured. So.
Nellie, don't c~onjure up any phantom from
your vivid imagination, to worry yourself
into n fpvar over while i am gomez
And Conductor Rowland kissed his wife
and little ones, and with a merry goodbye
ran out of the gate and his swinging pace
soon carried him out of sight in the gath
ering darkness, as he hastened to the Office
Calling in the children, Mrs. Rowland
busted herself until bedtime; and then,
kneeling, offered up a fervent prayer for
the safety of her loving but Maynard hus-
band, who was even at that moment, in
company with other railroad men, doing
that which was to work him so much
harm ere the daw of another morn.
Conductor Rowland's vigorous walkin,
soon brought him TO the depot Office, where
he asked for orders, as is the rule ere leav-
ing on any train.
He was informed that n freight train had
Sbeen ditched ten miles west, and received
orders not TO leave the yard with his train
until her arrival, which would probably
nc Nllulu lNo uOuIH hlNSI MS w itshN lnB
time.
"And," said the operator, "as this is the
second wreck this week, Harry, look out
that yon don't come in at the wind-up for
the inevitable third
Never you fear for me-, replied Harry.
"You know hat l I'M called the luckiest
conductor on the road, aud / don't pro-
pose to belle my reputation at this late
day
And, leaving the office, he made his way
to the yard to look at his train.
That duty performed, and time hanging
heavily on his hands-as it will on any
railroad man during a protracted layout
he willingly accepted the invitation of his
engineer TO indulge in a social glass at n
saloon hard by, instucting his brakeman
TO call him should he be wanted
One glass led TO another, n second TO a
third, and when ut last the whistle of the
incoming freight was heard, he had given
the lie TO his assertion TO his wife that he
"was all right on duty and "knew just
how much he could stand, and when to
leave OF.
He hastened to the Office, in answer TO
the red liglt just hung out for orders, re-
aiiziug for the first time his condition as
he blundered up the track, but trusting to
the darkness, and the hurry and hustle, to
conceal il from the eyes of those in the
office.
Il did my best to look sober and digni.
ted-as all drunken men do-so as TO shut
the eyes of the operator and others in the
office TO my condition, > Harry told his wife,
while being nursed back TO life again after
that dreadful night. But several of them
noticed that / had been drinking, though
through regard for me they did not say
anything. II would nave been far better
for me had they lone so, rs it has turned
out, but / suppose l should have resented
IL as a deadly insult at the time
Il received my orders, and made my way
a 10 the train, and in n few minutes we
pulled out. At first, the air and the mo-
ton Of the train caused me to feel much
better, but l soon grew 30 dizzy that l, at
the solicitation of my brakeman, was ilin
10 lie down in the caboose and endeavor to
sleep of the effects of the accursed poison.
AT the Falls, my men took on an empty
coal car, which was TO go through, and i,
being in a drunken stupor, knew nothing
of IL
Shortly after, ! awoke, and started over
his train 10 20 TO the engine, despite The
entreaties OF Phil. Cotton, my rear brake
man, not to do 80. ] did very well till |
came to the coal car, and in the darkness
1nd my sr55. 1;mmed from sleep and
drink, j did not perceive II, md. stepping
from the box-car next TO it into the oper
space, down l ven
at flashed over me, rs i went down, thai
VIC had broken IN two, and that rs soon al
] struck the track, ! must scramble out of
the way, TO prevent the rear car from run
ming over me. So the instant | struck tn,
bed Of the coal ear, which l conceived Il
be the track, | gave a c~onyulsiye spring Il
Il side, and Of course lcaped of the train
1 received a terrible fall, and, rolling owe
and over down the ~emllankment, struck 6
piece of timber with such ionee as to rem
der me ~insensible.
When recovered consciousness, / wa,
lying IN the eaboose, and by the rumbl,
and roar i knew that we were In motion
L endeayored TO raise myself up, but foune
that i WAS no battered and bruised that i
WIS impossible. ! could move my head
but seemed TO have use OF only one arm.
Phil now cime in. and, after ~congratu
iafing me on my rS-lpe from what scene,
inevitable death. informed me That he lrai
oIiowed me up M top OF the train, hai
seen me when 1 feii To the coal car, an
when ! jumped 1rom il 10 The ground. II
Immediately stopped the train, tagged tn
extra, which was close behind, backed nj
put me IN the caboose, and we were the
halfway over the road lie had bandage
up several severe cuts and bruises, and, a
though / was badly hurt be thought u
bones we're broken