Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-06-05

her on the train without being noticed
by Markley. who, of course, was busy
with his engine The old lady was IN
high glee over the bit Of innocent de
ception she was practicing on her SON
She enjoined me again and again not
to tell Slas; end then ! left and took
my place in the cab. 1t was mid
summer day. and the weather was
delightful. Tho train was neither an
express nOra an accommodation but one
which stopped at the principal stations
ON the route On this occasion 1t was
run by telegraph, as there were two
special trains on the road that after
noon, and the greatest caution had to
be observed.
lis it difficult to run a train by
telsgraph" asked the reporter
"No; not difficult. The engineer
has simply to obey the Instructions
which he receives at each station.
But if he should happen to think
the instructions not rightf"
Happen to think. He's no bust
ness To think at all When trains
run by telegraph the engineers are so
many machines in the hands OF one
controller, who directs them all from
a central point and who has the whole
road under his eye. If they don't
obey to the least title their orders it
is destruction to the whole. Well, as
l was about to tell you, we pulled out
in good shape ON this run, and easily
reached the first station in the time
allotted to us AS we stopped there
the boy ran alongside with the tele-
gram, which he handed to the en-
gineer. The next moment ! heard a
smothered exclamation from Markley.
Go back, he said to the boy. Tell
Williams TO have the message repeat
ed there's a mistake. The boy
dashed off. Ia ten minutes he came
flying back Had it repeated, he
painted. Williams is storming at
YOU. Says there is no mistake, and
you'd best get on He thrust the
second message Hp as he spoke.
Markley read 1T, and stood hesitatiug
for half minute. There was dismay
nd utter perplexity Ia the expression
Il his thin face as he looked at the
telegram and then at the long train
behind him His lips moved as If he
were calculating chances, and his eye
suddenly quailed, as if he saw death
al the end Of the calculation. | was
watching him with considerable
curiosity | yentured TO ask him
what was the matter, and what he was
going to do, I'm going to obey, he
replied CURLY.
THE engine gave a long shrek Of
horror that made me start, as If 1T
were Markleys own voice. The next
instant we rushed out of the station,
and dashed through low-lying farms
at speed which seemed dangerous to
me. Put in more coal, said Markley.
1 shoyeled it in, but took time
We are going very fast, Markley.
lie did not answer His eye was fixed
on the steam gauge; his lips closed
shut. More coal, he said. | threw
il in. The fields and houses began to
fly past half seen We were nearing
Dufreme the next station. Markley's
eye went from the gauge to the face
OF the time-piece and back. He moved
like an automaton. There was little
more meaning in his face. Morep
he said, without turning his eve. |
took up the shovel-hesltated. Mark
ley, do you know we are going at the
rate of Sky miles an hOurE
Coal
81 was alarmed at the stern, cold
rigidity of the man. His pailor was
becoming fmghtful | threw in the
coal. At least we must stop at Du-
freme. He told me that was the next
halt The little town approached.
AS the first houses came into view
the engine sent out its shrek of war
ming; it grew lSuder, louder We
dashed into the street, up to the sta
ton, where a group of passengers
waited, and passed it without the halt
of an instant | caught a glimpse Of
the appalled, faces of the waiting
crowd Then We were in the fields
again. The speed now became lit
orally breathless; the furnace glared
red-hot. The heat, the velocity, the
terrible nervous strain of the man be
side me seemed to weigh the air /
found myself drawing long, steror-
Gus breaths, like one drowning. |
heaped in the coal at intervals, as he
babe me.
I'D have done nothing Of the
kind, ~ interrupted the reporter. THE
man was mad.
II did it because l was oppressed
by am old sense of duty, which Z
never had in my ordinary brainwork.
Since then / have understood how il
Is that dull ignorant men, without a
spark of enthusiasm, show such hero
ism sometimes rs soldiers, engineers,
captains of wrecked vessels. 1t is
this overpoveriug sense of routine
duty Its q finer think than sheer
bravery, to my notion. However. L
began TO be OF your mmd sin. that
Marlley was mad laborlug under
some frenzy from drink, though | had
never seen HIM touch liquor Tie did
not move hand uer foot, except I'M the
mechanical control of the eugiue. his
! eye going from the gauge TO the time
piece with a steadjueSS that was more
terrible and threatening than any
CLEAN of usauit, would have been
J