Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-07-25
THE ENGINEER's LAST RUN.
By r. J. BURpErTE.

BN X. y. III
Pile in the diamonds, Tom. for tho run il
! long.
And the Lake shore train from the East is a
little hate:
And the minute We hear the tap OF the depot
gong
The old girl wants TO strike her liveliest gait.
The night is 80 black as death. and the wind is
in the west.
And the sky above us Is stres,ked with dusty
bars.
Whether IL storms or not the night will be dark
a; best
For that climbing bank OF clouds is blotting
out the stars.
| 81 wish we could start on tim {. Tom, for were
pullin' a heavy train
Three coaches, smoker two Pullmans, bag
gage, express and mail;
Aud the old girl leans at the draw bar as tho
she could feel the strain
I can see her holding her drivers awfully
close 10 the rail
There goes the gong. look 90 I, Tom. the signal
Is ON your side
'Afraidr | hear him; what does he signal
All right say you2 go ahesdr .
Now. grille, We'll give these folks In the sleeper
an all night ride,
Andwe'll laugh at the Mis- 'issIppi ere the east
ern skies are red.
"S,ealy, old girli Go casy, look out for your
sclf-don't slip;
Look at you, now Hold close that's right
there amt no hurry just yet,
Here's a handful OF sand Or your drivers; It'll
help you TO hold you grip
Look for that crossing don't stub your toe
easy, old girl. don't het.
Nov. then, yon run IA little. We haven't no time
20 dream;
IN Just let YOU take a emile gal, til were
well outside of the va rsis;
20 were past Grand Cross ing now rush right
along just help youT self 10 the steam.
And wen give OIL Time and Distance our
swiitcst ami bcs; gsrls
" liza, ha' Do you feel her 90 ver. Tom? It's n
little too fast. know,
She knows she has time t,' make up-she is
running 80 wild sa. so glad:
And haven't the heart To hohI her. Tom. when
see she wants go;
When know by the ,hrob of her nervous
pulse that she wants To rtr 4 so bal
- II must be early morning. Ton, the night has
worn away,
But the skies grow blaeksr and darker. IL
seems, as the night wears on.
And though can tell by the smell OF the air
that il must bc nearly DAY,
Yet the clouds have bIo,ted out the stars that
should pa'e in the early dawn.
She shows two gauges, does Mt she, Tom? This
light, l can't half see
The very headlight shows duh and dim. fall
tiers As IL fiiekers along the rails;
/ reckon rm nervous with this hong run; and
II always seems 10 me
That along in the early m0 ming. n fellow
weaLcns and falls.
We must be near the river, Tom; l wish
could see II now.
But Wen hear IL sweep rouT the great stone
pier. reckon by ami by
We're right ON time, and u ont feel afraid OF
anything. but somehow
I wish could see old Eu' lington's hills up
looming against the SKY
Just feel her spring, how eager she seems, how
faster than life she goes,
Hear. when touch iht whistle, what agony
in her scream;
And you cannot CO ant the whlrling miles that
over her sho alder she throws
Why. the nights run seems to me. boy. Ike n
strange, " Id, unreal dream.
' Ny hand Is heavy the whist blew just now
Icould not hear;
Andy your voice is 81 stranf e aud distant Tom.
can't tell where yor. are.
Have wo dropped the trair,' Its roar is hushed
but murmuring es,ld and clear
can hear the sweep OF the river now-it can
not be very far.
The headlights out. and this airbrake. boy
II wont work ANY more,
There's something wrong, but I'll drive ahead
there Is no cause for fear
lrs dark and siin as the grave behind, it's dark
on the traes. before.
But tho signrllights are all set right the
track ahs al Is clear
' The river y close ahcs i. boy. can hear Its
ceaselcss fiow.
Though lcannot ser in the darkness the rush
OF this chilling. tide;
Il isn't the Mssiss ppI. Tom. it's some river that
DOM snr "
And The shs' lowy sweep of its waters is dark
sna CO.. Il and wide. ...
There ain no bridge can see. Tom. but know
the way is sure,
And .'m going 10 pull right straight ahead
through the quiet, starless night,
Fo' see across the river. and white and clear
and pure.
The signal lights burn steadily. aud they're
set-'Come ahead. All right