The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-10-17

brakeman were off for supper in or
near the station. He slouched as he
walked, his hands thrust deep into his
pockets; his oVercoat was too heavy
and too loose even for his bulky figure.
He had taken it off the hands, Of an
engineers widow whose husband was
dragged from under a wrecked train
one night last summer 'sMother "
used to look grave when Top, Senior.
began to wear it, but she was not
mite notional- Mother wasn't, and she
was glad now that poor Mrs. Wilson
had the money and he had the beaver
cloth coat. His face was begrimed
with smoke, his beard clogged with
cinders and vapor. A lady, travel
ing alone, hesitated visibly before
she asked question, looked surprised
when he touched his hat and turned
to 90 half the length of the platform
that he might point out the parlor-car.
He observed and interpreted hesitation
and surprise, and was good-humoredly
amused.
II S pose l don't look much like what
Junior calls hero, he medidated
with broader CLEAN. ssWhat cute
young one he Isl Please God he'll
make better figure in the world n his
father hes done. I hope that lily-fower
O. hisn will be open in the mornin'.
Seems if got softer-Eearted bout
hevin' tibet boy disapp 'iDted every day
live. Come summer, he shall hev a
run or two on Her every week. Mother n
me hes got to make up to him for what
he loses in not bein' strong an like
other chilren. Mother-she's disposed
to Spite him jest alcetle. But dear mel
what fustrate fault that is in wom-
an She did look good in that ere red
neck-tie, tonight, an she was always
pretty"
The rain was fine and close, like a
slanting mist that pierced the pores,
when the express drew out of the sta
ton, and as it fell, it froze. Stokes
groWled that 'sthe track would be one
glare of ice before they got her in. !" He
was inclined to be surly tonight, an
uncommon circumstance with the young
fellow, and after several attempts to
enliven him, Top, Senior, let him alone.
He was not in talkative mood himself.
The tea-table chat ran in his head and
set him to dreaming and calculating.
In five years Junior would be seventeen
old enough, even for a lad who was
mot strong" to earn his living. If all
went well there ought to be hundred
and fifty dollars in the bank by then.
There might be something in mother $
idea of setting him up as a florist And
mother could help with the flowers.
ssHello! ole Teller! look out!'
Stokes had stumbled over the fuel in
the tender, in replenishing the boiler
fires. He recovered himself with an
oath at the slippery rubbish" Some
thing had upset his temper, but he
neither spoke nor looked like a man
who had been drinking. The teasing,
chilling drizzle continued. The head
light OF the locomotive glanced sharply
from glazed rails and embankments;
the long barrel back of the engine shone
as with fresh varnish.
''D'ye know that on night like this
she beats out the tune O ''Home, Sweet
Home" s plain as ever you heerd a
band play it?' sad Top, Senior, cheer
lily out Of the thickening damps. s'It
makes me see mother n the boy clear
as ken be. rs great thing fur a man
to hev comfortable home, n a good
4 woman in it,
Stokes burst out vehemently at chat:
''This is worse than a dogs lifei We
you n me-are no more to them self
ish creturs in there nodding back
wards at the passenger cars then the
ingine that draws EN-. I'm sick O.
freezin' an slavin' an bein' despised
by men no better n I be! How man
of any sperrit n ambition ken STAN it
fur twenty years as you hev, beats my
onderstandin'.
He will always remember the pause
that prefaeed the reply, and how Top,
Senior, patted the polished lever under
his hand as he spoke: sShe's a pretty
respectable cretur, take her all in all.
When you n | run into the las dark
deepo that's Waitin' fur at the end, I
hope we'll be able to shows good stiff
kits as hern. Here's the bridge! Wen
be soon home, now
1t was a long bridge, built far out to
be above high tides. AS they touched
! it the furnace door flew open. Some
said, afterwards that the door was not
properly secured, others spoke of a
''back-draft, Others suspected that the
fire was over-fed. The volume of flame
that leaped out licked the very faces OF
the two men. They recoiled with a
bound and made simultaneous rush
for the air-braRe in the forward passen-
ger-car to stop the train and check the
t backward sweep of the blaze. The
passengers, seeing the flash and hear
ing the white and shouts of "Down
brakes!' pressed against the front
| windows and a dense living mfass
blocked the door against which Top
lige Briggs flung all his weight.
. 6''Git in eff you KEN" he said to the
) fireman. s'pll try Herr He fastened
the shaggy great-coat up to his chin as
!, he faced the pursuing fires, walked for
: ward to the stand where Tapped and
curled the fercest Of the flames, laid
I hold of steam brake and the lever by
i which he ssdroye' the engine. His fur
lined gauntlets scorched and shriveled
} as he grasped the bar; the fire seized
r upon his hair and garments with an ex.
) ultant roar. He held fast. He must
get the passengers off the foorless
7 bridge that might ignite at any mo-
/, ment He must check the engine as
, soon as he cleared the last pier, or the
! cars would take fire before they could
: be uncoupled He shut his ewes from
the maddening heat and glare and
). drove straight on. Not SO fast as tc
hurry the greedy flames that were doing
, their worst upon him, but at a rate thai
ran them over the river and upon solid
earth as the fuel in the tender burst
: into blaze and the forward car began
j to crackle and smoke in the hot
! draught. At that point steam and air.
brakes did their WORK in effecting safe
, halt.
: 1.-THE fireman was badly scorched, =
reported the press next day." but train
and passengers were saved by the hero
= ism of che engineer. =
: The words flashed along the wires
over land and ocean; were set up in
! startling type in hundreds of newspa pc.
: Offices while he who did not know hero