The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-08-24
Rnnninn a I,ocomotine.


running an engine said a long speci-
Inen of the genus y anlee, putting one
elbow on the bar counter and holding
his whisky straight up to the light, land
If it would annuse you I'll give you a
yarn or two
''Stave ahead" said his companion,
'tbut I've been there myself. | used to
run an engine from New York to Phila-
dclplia.
''Oh, you did said the Yankee
We'll, that just amountsto nothin'. I've
been special engineer for the last ten
year, and there ain't 3 mile of track
atween here and Frisco haven travel
ed over You see Us specials are obliged
to be ready for ANYTHING at moment 3
notice, and when we travel we lust 90
right over the ground, and don't YOU
FORGET it.
I've made some pretty good time
myself said the second engineer Il
took train through from New York TO
Philadelphia III eighty minutes"
ooh, that's child's play said the first
engineer ''Why. man, I've made that
run myself, and with one piston-rod
gone st that. I'd lust got back from
special run up through the Goa! regions,
when word c"ne that one Of the BIG
guns OF IL" company wished to start at
once for Philadelphia. | knew what
that meant, So | iumped aboard long
legged Jim. hitchei construction car
behind the tender. and a drawing
coach behind that and reported for duty.
| knew my engine. and | ran up forty
pounds of steam more nor she was mark
ed TO carry. Wien the word came | let
everything slide and the old boy Just
jumped in the air Then he settled
down to his work. Everything was clear
in front of us, and let him out for all
he was worth at the start In less zen
li,2 nI,;,,es YOU couldn't counted the
Telegraph poles they flew by us so fast.
had two iiremen I'M I just made 'em
earn their passage from the word 90.
Old Jim must have eat up two ton o
coal inside Of ten miles,
What" calculated the second en-
gineer.
s.Suren' said the first engineer. "And
we hadn't been out of the station fifteen
minutes before every blasted boiler pipe
WIS red hot, and we had TO keep flood
ing the cab with water to keep from
burning the darn thing up Oh we was
just 9ettin there. my boy. and | didn't
let up a pound, Every time we took
least foot up in the air. and once or
twice thertcnder jumped clean on to the
ties. and old Jim would yank her back
again. and -
''Ain't You kind of stretching pointer
asked the second engineer.
Not a bit of it, said the first en-
giaeer. why. afore We was half way
10 Philadelphia. both o those stokers
was down on their knees PRAYING. and
!l:d todothe feeding Inyselfuntil Iswore
era back to their senses again. Well
everything went well the first two thirds
. the run, and l was Just whistling to
1cyse,t over he record | was piling up, |
when there c;tmc report like rifle, |
and knew one of the blasted piston |
rods had busted. There was nothn' to |
do but stop. and lost ten minutes fix |
en- up. The big gun left the coach |
and came down to see what was up
w hat : to be dOne2" said he I've Uot |
one piston rod left says l, and III |
take you through on time He knew me.
and he Just lit a fresh cigar and walked |
back to the coach as contented as a
amb. Web, | just set those praying
iremen TO work for all they was worth.
ana had her up to sixty pounds over
he limit in less zen no time Then let |
ler slide Lord. Harry. | thought old |
Tim would jerk the stuffin' out OF every
hing behind him. We Just PLAYED hop
cutch. and | don't believe we touched
he rails more nor four or five times a
nile. | knew it was a 800 check or
lothin'- and | was after that check
Well. those tiremen got 10 praying worse
en- ever. and had to swear I'd throw
EN- overlooked afore they'd come to
ime. | tell You we was Just movin'.-
Why. the towns got runnin' all together,
nd we had no more ;en got squirt at
ne station afore we was live miles past |
he next one
''Hearl hear!" said the second en-
ineer, chats laying it on too strong"
True as YOU re here, > said the first
ngineer. I'd introduce YOU to the pray
~ fsremen, but they cut the business
fter that run, and l kinder lost sight
f EN-. Well, we got within ten miles
f Philadelphia and | begun to stop
err i
Stop her?''
'.les; knew l couldn't do it inside {
ten miles, and I'didn't quite fetch it S
t that; for when we ran into the station {
e smashed in the bumpers and ripped :
p about twenty feet o the platform be- {
IRE old long-legged Jim would agree S
ne run was over, but | got the check t
nd the Yankee engineer thoughtfully
rained his glass, as his friend ordered c
ne barl1eeper to @'set 'em up again - S
'roobiyts Eagle. /
His Prescription. a
Up in New Hampshire is well known t