The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-04-19
TIE TEBRER'S TRIP,
And. the Dangers that its NaVigatOrS
Encountered.
by Matthew White, T.l


each knew the name OF every locomotive that
ran in and out of Prairie Junction.
Foster, or Eos for short, had good share Of
the mechanical genius of Civil Engineer Brett,
and was always pulling over how he could
invent some improvement in something that
would make him rich and famous. So he was
greatly delighted when one summer his father
gave him small hand-car, which had been
half smashed in an accident, to use his wits
upon.
"But what can you make out of it except
another hand-car?" asked Chandler, as he
looked at the ruin with some contempt.
If Pm going to invent something new,
what 90 l want with any of the old things?"
and Eos began to measure the length and
breadth of the car IN a very business-hke
fashion.
The two boys watched his movements with
a growing interest and when the young in
yentor put up his rule and inquired if they
could keep a secret, they both placed their
hands upon their hearts as a sign that they
could lock up hundred if need be.
well, then" continued Eos, after making
sure that there was lie one in the round house,
by the side of which his car had been placed,
" I'm going to rig up a sail-bOat!"
with the nearest river twenty miles
away"
f" For no river at ALL" returned Eos. "That
wouldn't be an invention, would it e? No, it's
something that's never been tried before, I'm
pretty certain, and it's just this: if you'll
both help me l mean TO put a sail on this car"
But you can only go the way the wind
blows" objected Chandler, so how do you
propose TO get back to your starting point
Do you expect the wind to change to suit you
every timer"
"Now there" cried Eos, "Pm glad to hear
you talk like that, because, you know, all the
great inventors were laughed at at first, SO /
guess my idea must be worth something"
This had its effect, and both Andy and
Chandler listened more seriously as their COM
panion went on to tell how once when some
professor proposed to cross the Atlantic Ocean
to Europe in a balloon by means of an easterly
current of air, there was the same objection
about his getting back.
" But didn't he get people to make him
balloon" went on Fos and wasn't the thing
talked about in the papers, and he had his
picture published"
Sand came down in the woods before he
even got to the coast" finished Chandler
"But that was because it was balloon"
returned Eos, quickly. IF I can sail with
the wind, I'm not afraid but / can manage
so as to come back again; but even if l can't
it'll be great thing to prove that cars can be
moved by means of sails, so they can put them
ON the regular trains, when the wind faYors,
and make them go twice as fast"
Chandler was privately of the opinion that
| such an arrangement would prove fatal to all
/ timetables, and was just going to inquire how
people would know when to expect train,
| when Andy suddenly exclaimed: We've got
| q sail at home that you can have If you want
| it, Eos. We had it on our boat when we lived
| East, and brought it out here thinking it
might be useful for something or other, but 1
! heard father say when they came across it in
| cleaning the house that he didn't want it. It's
| all widowed and fall of holes, but l guess it
will do for trial"
| "JollyI" cried Eos. "That'n save lot of
trouble in begging for old sheets. And now,
| Chandler, bring your tool chest over to the
| grove behind our house after dinner, and Wen
| set to work mending the platform and making
| a place for the mast We can let it down a
foot or two underneath, you know, and brace
| it with strips. Has. your sail got boom,
| Andy ?"
s. No, and if you take my advice, you won't
| have any, for it'll be sure to come flying around
| suddenly and knock one of US over
Well, / suppose it'll DO if l Just fasten the
| sheet to q cleat. think I've seen some big
boats fixed that way around the docks in New
! York"
"Whatn we do for mast2" asked Chand-
! Ter.
1Oh, we can take the fag-poIe we put up for
the Fourth for that" replied Eos. You know
| it's in the grove there, nice and handy. And
now be careful, both of you not to say word
about it to anybody until after we have made
the trial trip"
| '.All right" returned Chandler; and then
| the three went their several ways for dinner,
| to meet again in the grove in which that years
| Fourth OF July celebration had been held.
| A seldom-used siding of the railroad ran
| through it, and on this Andy and Eos had
pushed the hand-car, after having placed on it
the old sail, which Mrs. Steadworth declared
| she was glad to have out of the house.
The first thing to be done was to take down
/ IL. -,
| task as Eos had thought. However, it was
finally done without accident, and then "the
| captain" declared that three feet must be
sawed of from the lower end. Andy mean
| while Strengthened out the sail, while Eos
patched up the platform of the car not forget
| ting to leave hole for the mast. Next came
| the fastening of the sail (which luckily was
of the 81 g-o'-mutton Style to the pole.
This was done in very unseamanlike fashion
by means of bits of rope.
| The mast, with the sail added to it, was
! pretty heavy, but the three at last succeeded
| in lifting it into positions and them while Eos
and Andy held it, Chandler made it fast by
| means of the flooring and two or three braces.
All this took time, and as the last nail was
being driven the Brett's supper bell rang.
81 don't believe anybody ii notice that mast
| in here tonight" said Eos, as lie wound the
sail around the pole; and if there's breeze,
| remember we're to start on our trial trip at
| D o clock tomorrow morning. There's no tram
| till seven, so Wen have clear track. My,
| wont she tear along!"
Lets name her the Clearer" suggested
Andy, catching the delight of his friend.
"Good!" cried Eos; I'll paint it in red
letters on o piece of board tonight
The last thing before going TO bed that night
the three boys put their heads out of the win
| dow to see about the state of the weather, and
long before five the next morning they Were
up dressed, and vending their way against
| half a gale Of wind toward the grove.
Foster, of course, was the first one there, and
| when the other two arrived ne pointed proudly
| to piece of shingle nailed to the front of the
hand-ear, on which was painted in rustic let
| tering the word Tearer.'
sect aboard" he cried, excitedly. The
sooner we're OF the better
| But how are we going to get back?" in
| CURED Chandler, as he somewhat doubtfully
| took his place on the car.
| sob, it's just trial trip you know; so we
needn't go So far that it'll hurt US to push her
back. But isn't it fine TO have such glorious
breeze, and exactly in the right direction,
too? Itll take us right on to the main track. "
| The wind was certainly al that could be
desired, and as they loOsened the sail, Andy
and Chandler began to grow IS excited as Eos
Now each of you put out a foot and give
her start" ordered the latter, when all was
ready. lone, two, three-gO!"
Aud go they did, for the three had showed
with all their might, determined to have a
splendid "send-oG," if nothing more. Out of
the grove, on past the round-house and the