Weekly Chillicothe crisis., 1884-05-08
THE BRAKEMAN'S STORY.

a good talker and full of railroad cx-
periencc.
Our conversation happened 10 turn
on the sleeping cars, and | incidental
ly mentioned that | always took an
upper berth, because the steam pipes
beneath the lower one made it so un-
comfortably warm.
"Let me advise you, them said
Charley, "to always make the porter
or conductor hook both the chains that
hold the berth down, and nincty-ninc
chances in a hundred he won't if You
don t call his attention to it and insist
on it.
"What chains do you mcan?" | in
quircd, my curiosity at once aroused.
"Wcll, when the upper berth is
opened, two little silyer-plated chains
are used to hold it down, being fastcn-
ed to the middle. They seldom ever
take the trouble to hook more than
one, and if it should break or come un.
fastened the berth might close up. and
there wouldn't be the ghost of u show
for man, for it has spring lock
which can only be unfastened from
the outside. A person would smother
in very short time.
''But has such a thing ever occur
rcd?' inquired
There are whispers Of several such
cases"
"But | should think they would have
become notorious ana the public be
warned.
"a great deal of hush money may
have been used. However, | will tell
YOU a circumstance that came to my
notice, which will leave you to Judge
for Yourself
At this | squared myself up, and lis
tened to the following story;
mot six months ago we took on ut
Dcs Moincs Il youg lady, her mother
and little sister. She was the most
lovely creature ever saw. This, |
think, is saying Il good deal, for you
must allow that in my business we see
II great many pretty faces, married
and single. But this one was scraph-
ically beautiful. When | saw her on
the platform, could have fallen down
and worshipped her; but | was requir-
ed TO do the infinitely more agreeable
task of helping her on the train. |
tell you what, Frank, the touch of her
thrilled me through and through. 1t
made me sick at heart to have to take
my hands away and help the others.
OF course, was clear gone. The only
time in my life, and it was the mad
dcst, most delicious pain | ever cxpc-
ricnccd.'
II need not tell you that as soon as
we started | found where thcy were
seated, and made an excuse to remain
where could feast my eyes on her
face.
They had sleeping car tickets and
soon retired; and had looked my last
time on the beautiful vision, | sup
posed, though knew which section
they occupied, and took long look at
it, imagining could see that lovely
face through the thick folds of the cur
tain.
Satisfied that my violent love spell
was about at an end, | seated myself
in the smoking room-as we are now
to dream of that face and build an
air castle out Of smoke, in which my
lovely and delicious charmer was
queen, and | her accepted John Brown.
You see was hopclcssly lost!
"Whilc | was absorbed in this de-
licious rcveric, we were rounding
Horseshoe Curve, just beyond which
in the timber, freight train was
halted.
"The engineer, Tim Parrigan, did
not see her until she was pretty close.
She had no fagman out, for She had
not stopped yet, but was crawling very
slow, trying to climb Lookout Hill
without doubling,
Tim grabbed the handle, and turn
ed on the Westinghouse automatic
with full force, bringing the train to a
stand with 4 jerk, and just in time to
prevent hitting. Then the conductor
dropped off the freight, and asked Tim
to buckle on and help them up the
hill, there being side track Just be-
yond. This he did, but nearly a half
hour time was lost
"When the air brake was put on so
suddenly, | was thrown out of my seat
here, and nearly buttcd my brains out
against the other side. When | had
gathered myself together, took a
peep into the sleeper to sec how the
passengers had Jared.
at was a comical sight, for about
half of the dreamland tourists had
been thrown out into the aisle, and
there was an exciting scramble for
their borths, together with groans,
screams, and exclamations of a varied
nature.
"a glance sufliced to show me that
my angel was not one of tho discom-
fitted ones, and | was half-sorry that |
had not an opportunity to rush to her
assistance, and half-glad that there
was no necessity, from the embarrass-
ment that might be occasioned.
"Matters were quickly righted, and
by the time the freight was pushed up
over the hill and side-trackcd, all were
serenely snoozing, even to the porter,
who had given me instructions to call
couple of travelling men, and stole of
to bed.
81 soon saw that Tim was bound to
make up lost time, notwithstanding he
had a bad piece of track over which to
do it. He was whipping the engine up
and down hills, and around reverse
curves, at terrific speed, the cars
rocking almost like a boat. He was
working her in the corner with full
throttle, and the way we did spin was
enough to raise the hair.
81 was still absorbed with the con
temptation of our fair passenger,
whose image seemed fixed before my
eyes, though l took time to observe oc.
casionally how like lightning we were
going.
1--WE were nearing the point at which
the travelling gentleman wished tc
stop, and l started through the car tC
awaken them.
"Of course my eyes wandered 10 the
section which held my beauteous
! vision, but l was not prepared for the