The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1882-06-22

from LOgAnspOrt to Chicago.
1.-The great tragedienne had lost a con-
nectlon, an(! was very anxious to go in the
shortest possible time by special train.
1t was cold, rough afternoon. a bad dav
tor railroadng on the prairies in any
event, but particularly SO for Special
that had to make time with the fierce
Wiuds beating and bowling over them. a;
| believe they never do anywhere else
where railroad tracks are laid, excent oft
Lake Michigan. But [ bad nv imDera-
tive orders TO put the train through with
this our fastest engine, SO that Miss Cush-
man might be in season to fill her engage
ment that night in Chicago
1.-The train had arrived at LogansD0rt
ten minutes behind time, and we started
out with the least possible delay. | had
carefully inspected my engine, and for nv
fireman I selected the very best man to
make steam that could be found in the
railroad corps at that city. But, in spite
OF these precautions, about 4 o'clock In
! the gray November afternoon we came to
a dead halt out on the open prairie |
! jumped down from nay cab, with oil-can
i'll hand, but the mighty gusts OF wind
that swept against me made me glad to
crawl back into the shelter Of my cab.
! 'Presently enc Of the brakenen. with
! his cap tied on his head with stout scarf,
came forward to tell me that Miss Cush-
man desired to see t}@ engineer in the pas
: scnger car. | sent back word that could
not leave my engine that would do the
best could with our train, and that moth
ing could be said OF suggested, even by
the distinguished passenger, which would
make the least gain in our hcadway.
THE brakeman took himself off, and |
was not at all pleased, must confess, when
Jake, my fireman, who was at the moment
locking out of the cab window, down the
track in our rear, shouted, above the gale:
"'There is the lady herself coming now
to the engine. With her skirts and things,
she'll surely be blown across the prairie =
'Sure enough, there she was, looking as
If she were the spirit Of the wind At first
she walked resolutely and majesticalIy for
ward, the Wind-storm seeming to make no
impression on her stout, erect figure. Soon,
however, the queenly form succumbed 10
the sweeping wind, and she began to cling
to the sides OF the cars.
CATER we had dragged her up into the
cab and she was sheltered from the gusts,
she stormed about the delay enough, it APP
peared to me, to subdue any or all Of the
elements. She tried high tragedy on me
and my good engine, Hercules, until she
saw it hadn't the least effect.
Crest assured, madam [ said to her,
entirely unmoved by her excited and rath-
er vehement manner, that [ shall do every
thing that can be done to get this 'Fspecial'
into Chicago at the right time After
"Hercules' I;ts hat time 70 breathe q lit
tie, think he win pull lis along in good
shape; bat imagine he will find working
ahead OF old BortaS, in his present temper,
to be a harder matter than any Of the inn
mortal lahors his great namesake under
took
g The great actress, somewhat appeased /
now, smiled graciously, doubtless over the /
fact that a luau OF my calling should know
&C all Of mythology and its he
rUes. She uUa changed her tact and de- /
ineanor. Tie agreeable oeMned from her
countenancc, aud ,llt low, soft tones OF the
WOlnans y@lte appealed 10 me in their
hOneyed, moving persilasjvcness. | Ue-
gan TO teci the wonderful power Of her
personal magnetism. Ny fireman gazed |
put new life into me, and it seemed as If .
the Hercules drew strength from my
touch, for the steam-gauge ran up to al
most blowing-off figures.
II told my distinguished passenger
that, II she would now return to her car,
| would try to see what progress [ could
make. She begged me to permit her to
ride on the locomotive, at least 4 few miles;
but, as | was inexorable in my refusal
(for had become little nervous over the
state of the croWn-sheet OF my engine, for
some reason-beside, one Of the rules on
the line was that no Noman should ride on
the locomotives she had no other alter
native but to return.
ssWe helped her down the steps Of the
eab and, as she refused 10 let US accompa-
nv her to the rear Of the train, she started L
back alone. thought the merciless wind
would surely take the resolnte woman CIT
aer feet, and drive her past the train; but
pe soon saw her grasping the stop-guards
# her car with will, and she was pulled
lpon the platform.
<tWe started. | cl;pped Oh al steam.
The Hercules 'nobly answered to the open
ID throttle, aud presently we were making
air headway against the yet-remorseless
sale AS my engine was now regularly !
aboring along glanced back to the train,
md saw Miss Cushman standing at the for II
ward end of the car nearest us (Which was
lalf baggage and half smoking caI1,
Watching he intentlv through the top wiz
low Of the door.
s.she nodded and smiled whenever /
ooked that way, still remaining at her
,ost as we shot along with increasing !
peed. Her great, speaking eyes were
CLEAN with excitement; and there was
ook OF suppressed power III ner face that I
s