The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-11-24
The Daily Bulletin.
THE ENGINEERS STORY.
A Midnight Experience in the White
Mountains,


II had been showing steadily all day
LONG. not in boisterous, tempestuous
way. but quietly and persistcntly, as If
the feathery flakes which were rapidly
pilino themselves one upon the other
on the frozen ground had come for
long stay. Towards night the wind be-
oan to rise. and when the darkness SET
tied down moderate winters storm
was raging. We Were waiting in the
little station at l. for the down
train, telegraphed an hour and half
behind time, and were endeayorlng TO
keep warm around the small alr-tight
stove which served as the only heating
medium in the low-studded apartment.
l. is place of little Importance eX-
cept as a railroad center, for here TWO
trunk lines cross each other, and it Is
also the point where locomotives were
changed on the different trains. With
the exception Of the hustle and excite
ment incident to junction station,
there was but little to attract a tourist,
and the few natural charms the place
possessed at this time were hidden be-
meath the soft covering of snow 80
the weary walters were forced by dearth
of amusement, as well as the storm, to
while away the time as best they could
in the dingy depot The different time
tables were perused. the flaming adEer-
tisements scrutinized all TO no purpose,
for the hands of the monotonous-ticking
clock crept around the dial with that
tardy pace peculiar to railroad time
pieces when one is waiting for Il belated
train,
The conductor who was to take charge
of the express came in to warm his
hands by the little stove, and soon the
party was increased by the engineer,
whose machine could be dimly seen far
down the track ready for its expected
charge.
Bad night, Bob" said the con-
ductor. Better come in and warm
up. She won't be here for an hour
yet.
The engineer made some reply and
Joined the circle around the stove. be
was man of slight build, dropping
shoulders, and perhaps not up to the
average height. Rather effeminate at
first sight, until one noticed the square,
firm chin, the quick, steady eyes, and
the lines about the mouth, which show
ed that beneath that ca m face and quiet
manner Law the will to both do and
dare He had been selected especially
to run this night express on account OF
the danger of the position, for the down
train was frequently late, and the lost
time must be made up before reaching
the end of the road in order to meet
connections Time and again nothing
but the GOODNESS and judgment OF the
engineer had brought this train to its
destination in safety, and Bob Jennings,
a. he was called, had been remarkably
fortunate, and had never met with
serious accident The running Of the
two trains up to L and back to the
city constituted his days work. The
position was a responsible one, and re-
enumeration good and the Job, as the
BOYS termed it, was looked upon with
envy by Bobs fellow engineers,
After some minutes passed in con-
versation between the engineer and
conductor, the latter suddenly re-
marked:
How was it, Bob, YOU happened to
get this express? The superintendent
of the Portland and Ogdensburg helped
you to it, didn't he, on account Of that
affair up in the mountains? Tell us
about it?'
Eyes, yes," spoke up several who had
overheard the conversation. LET us
hear the story by all means
well, boys said Bob, as he bit off
a generous chew, and deposited the
quid lovingly in his cheek, lit amt
much of yarn, and it'll make you
laugh, for you'll think me spooky like.
Howsomever, it's as true as gospel, and
ii Dan was here he'd say so, too.
Twas when was running 40 on
the 7. q 0. road, which hadn't been
agoin more'n a couple of years. You
may perhaps be acquainted with the
line She runs through the White Noun
tain Notch, and is built right on the
side of the hills. How they ever had
the spunk to start such road beats me,
for at first sight it seems next to hope
less to get around some of them short
curves, to say nothing Of the big up
grades, Near Crawford's is that spider
like Frankenstein trestle you've heard
SO much about, where the track spans
a chasm eighty feet wide and one hun
dred feet deep. Strong enough, Isup-
pose but it makes man feel skittish
to 20 over it for the first time Well,
my good luck is all owing to that tres
tie. We lived in Portland then, Nell
and |. She is my wife, we were as
happy as could be. The only draw
back was that every other night | had
to take the late express up to Fabyan's,
and come back next day on the accom-
mediation. Nell used to be afraid to
have me 60, particularly as the road
was new, and accidents would happen
in spite of all we could do. kept tell
ing her it was safe enough, and the pay
was good, so I'd better stick to my
place for while anyway, though, to
tell the truth, didn't like the route.
twas so awful gloomy-like. No big
towns to 60 through, only now and then
little village, and they would be as
dark and quiet as a graveyard, when
we struck 'em at night, Summers it
wasn't so bad, but winters it was aw-
full. Well, one night in January, when
it was my turn to stay in Portland,
the superintendent sent for me and
said.