The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-05-26
Running q Locomotive.

| Nv ell, L We nau u ilttlt experience III
running an engine" said long speci-
men of the genus Yankee. putting one
elbow on the bar counter and holding
his whisky straight up to the light, "and
if it would amuse you I'll give you u
yarn or two"
'Stave ahead" said his companion.
"but I've been there myself. used to
run an engine from New York to Phila-
delphia."
"Oh, you did," said the Yankee
"Well, that just amountst to nothin'. I've
| been n special engineer for the last ten
year, and there amt mile of track
atween here and Frisco haven't travel
ed over. You see us specials are obliged
to be ready for anything at a moment
| notice. and when we travel we just GO
right over the ground, and don't you
forget it."
1--WE made some pretty good time
myself" said the second engineer. II
took train through from New York to
Philadelphia in eighty minutes"
"Oh, that's child's play" said the first
engineer. why, man, I've made that
run myself, and with one piston-rod
gone at that. I'd just got back from a
special run up through the coal regions,
when word came that one of the big
guns of the company wished to start at
| once for Philadelphia. l knew what
that meant, SO jumped aboard long
legged Jim, hitched construction car
behind the tender, and drawing-room
coach behind that and reported for duty.
knew my engine, and ran up forty
,,nnrI, pf ctn hn & RI
ell to carry. When 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 'en
five minutes you couldn't a counted the
telegraph poles they flew by us SO fast.
l had two tiremen I'M just made 'em
earn their passage from the word 90.
Old Jim must have eat up two ton O.
coal inside of ten miles"
"Whatr' calculated the second en-
gineer.
"Surer said the first engineer. "And
We hadn't been out of the station fifteen
minutes before every blasted boiler pipe
was red hot, and We had to keep flood
ing the cab with water to keep from
burning the darn thingup. Oh, we was
just gettin there, my boy, and didn't
let ny pound. Every time we took a
curve the outside wheels would be at
least foot up in the air. and once or
twice the tender jumped clean on to the
ties, and old Jim would yank her back
again, and"
Amt you kind of stretching point?"
asked the second engineer.
Not bit of il" said the first en-
gineer. "Why, afore we was half way
to Philadelphia, both o those stokers
was down on their knees praying. and
had to do the feeding mysefuntii Iswore
'em back to their senses again. Well,
everything went well the first two thirds
o. the run, and was just whistling to
myself over the record l was piling up,
when there came report like a rifle,
and 1 knew one of the blasted piston
rods had busted. There was nothin' 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
whats to be done?" said he. I've got
one piston rod left says l, 'and I'll
take you through on time He knew me,
and he just lit fresh cigar and walked
back to the coach as contented rs a
lamb. Well, just set those praying
tiremen to work for all they was worth,
and had her up to sixty pounds over
| the limit in less 'en no time. Then Ilet
her slide Lord, Harry, thought old
Jim would jerk the stuiiin' out of every
thing behind him. We just played hop
scotch, and don't believe we touched
the rails more nor four or five times q
mile. ! knew it was 800 check or
nothin', and was after that check
Well, those iiremen got topraying worse
zen ever, and had to swear I'd throw
'em overheard afore they'd come to
time. tell you we was just movin'.-
Why, the towns got runnin' all together,
and we had no more EN- got squint at
the next one"
s.Hear! hearr' said the second en-
gineer, "that's laying it on too strong"
True as you're here" said the first
engineer. I'd introduce you to the pray
ing fremen, but they cut the business
after that run, and kinder lost sight
of 'em. Well, we got within ten miles
of Philadelphia and begun to stop
her."
stop here''
Eyes; knew couldn't do it inside
o. ten miles, and didn't quite fetch it
at that; for when we ran into the station
We smashed in the bumpers and ripped
up about twenty feet O the platform be-
fore old long-legged Jim would agree
the run was over, but got the check, "
and the Yankee engineer thOughtfully
drained his glass, as his friend ordered
the barkeeper to ''set 'em up again.
Brooklyn Eagle.