The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-04

raging, seething furnace in my brain! and
he clasped both hands to his head and
strobe rapidly off towards his engine.
Well, was scared. didn't quite like the
looks of things, but I thought if let him
alone for awhile he might work it off and
| be all right again. After he'd got aboard
| l went around to where his fireman was
oiling up the machine, and calling him on
| to one side out of earshot of the cab, said
to him: See here, Jake, L want you 70
keep sharp eye on Joe this trip; he's not
| feeling Just right, and Pm afraid something
NAV happen to him if he's not watched
That's all right, Tom! l knows all about
! it; he's wrong here,' and he placed the tip
| of his dirty finger on his forehead, and all
Pve got to say is that mans fool to lose
| his head over a girl like Never mind
| that, says L; but do as l tell you; and mark
nv words if any harm comes to the lad
! through your carelesSness Pll make you
pay for it, and don't you forget it, Well,
| the afternoon wore away slowly and even
| ing approached. 1t was just such night
as this, warm and pleasant, and the stars
were out so that l could distinguish OBJ
| jects at a great distance. l knew Joe
would be along soon, for he was al
ready overdue by some little time, so
| lighted my lanterns and placing them here
where they would be handy, sat down to
watch for him. As the time passed and no
| SOuQu OIL Ills WulSJlo TtdCuou my cars L DC-
| gan to grow uneasy; | couldn't understand
| it. There was certainly nothing to detain
| him at r. and he should have been back
| long ago. l walked down to the track and
! listened-all was quiet-I could hear moth
| ing. The silence was ominous. / even
| got down and put my ear to the rail, but
| there wasn't the least sound or the slight
est vibration. l began to grow alarmed.
| thought something had happened to the
boy, sure. Suddenly it occurred to me that
| it was about time for the Montreal to be
here. l stepped quickly into the shanty
| and glanced az the little clock that hangs
there bv the door. 1t lacked just thirty
minutes of train time. Well, thinks l,
there's no use looking for him now, he
won't be foolish enough to start back until
| the express gets by, and even if he should
attempt it, the station agent at R would
| hold him, for you know everything has to
get out of the way of the regulars and give
| then a clean track, as they always have
| the right of way. Just then l heard a
shout and looking out the door saw the
telegraph operator running toward me
from his little box of an office down the
track there by the tavern.
"He was waving something in his hand,
and my first thought was of Joe. tom;
for Gods sake quickn he exclaimed, as he
rushed up and thrust a message into my
hand. snatched up nv lantern and read:
Joe is coming down the track wild.
Gave me the slip at R. Stop him at
the junction or ali is lost! Jake -
''For an instant | was dazed, completely
stunned; my worst fears were realized; but
| knew there was not a moment to lose,
and with the blood surging through my
veins, I seized my lanterns and rushed out
into the night.
Some of the BOYS were hurrying toward
the shantv to see what was the matter, but
without giving them time to inquire |
thrust the lanterns into the hands of two
of them and shouted: Down the track
for your life, Jack, and stop the express;
and you, Ned, up as fast as you can and
stop Joe on his way down. They were
railroad men, always ready for emergen-
cieS, and knew iii moment what was up;
SO they started off on run in opposite di-
rectiOns, while | sprang to the switch. The
express was due here at any minute, and
already l could hear a far-away whistle
down the track, while in the north my
practiced eve caught the reflection against
the dark sky of the blaze from the smoke
stack or fire-box of an engine which l knew
must be Joe'S; but my God! what head of
steam he was carrying. He was feeding
his own furnace and running a race with
death. If the Montreal could only get here
| first, | thought, l could run her on to the
siding out of the way; but no, it was too
late. Joe was already in sight and coming
| like the wind. | could see the lanterns
dance along the track as the men hurried
on. The express would surely stop, but
would Joe? That was the question. Would
he mind the signal or would he keep right
on and rush headlong into the waiting
train? No. There was one alternative
left but shuddered to think of it. At the
last moment l could turn the switch
and throw him on to the siding. The
| siding ends abruptly, with a deep ditch on
the farther side. To run on to it such
rate of speed was death. All these thoughts
flashed through my mind on the instant.
| o! Godi it was terrible. And mist l do
it? Must l sacrifice my brave boy, my poor
Joe? Was there no help for it? l cried in
bitter agony. Down the track, the man
with the lantern had come to a standstilI.
The express had seen the signal and was
coming up slowly. Up the track, the other
had taken his position directly in front of
the rushing, laundering locomotive that
was sweeping down upon him, and was
swinging his lantern violently. God grant
he could stop him. If Joe would only slow
down, | thought, perhaps Ned could jump
on and wrest the throttle from him, but it
was one chance in thousand. Nearer and
nearer came the engine. The man in front
Sprang quickly to one side. The critical
moment had arrived. l clung to the switch
with both hands and strained my eyes
pesring through the gloom. Suddenly
there was a burst of steam, a roar, and d
shower of sparks. He had reversed the
engine. God be praised! He had seen the
signal and was slowing down. The i'm
petuS, however. still carried him along.
"The man with the lantern dashed it to
one side and was chasing down the track
after him. Would he catch him? The en-
! gine had almost come To a standStill. A
! few leaps more and he would be in the cab.
| OF how earnestlT. l praved that he might
| be successful. l could Just distinguish his
! form in ti1a darkness Ha had on
| the step now and was about to spring
| aboard, when there came rush of steam,
! the engine jumped her length, and the man
was rolling in the ditch beside the road.
| Joe had seen him and in his delirium had
! thrown the throttle wide open and was
| coming down the track at a terrible speed.
! | could see the ponderOus machine swing
| from side to side in its beadlOng rush, and
| nv brain grew dizzy. | reeled and would
have fallen had not both hands been glued
! to the switch in vice-Iike grip. Go he
merciful, l groaned. The men yelled to
me to run for my life, to get away from
| there. Never! l would die there first
They laid hold of me and would have
dragged me back but fought them off.
was wild. was desperate. l wanted to
| die there with Joe, my Joe, my poor, brave
boy. 1t would have been a mercy to me
then, but God in His Infinite wisdom had
ordered otherwise, and it was not to be.
| VI scarcely know what happened. 1t
was quicker than words can tell. great
engine sprang past me on to the siding.
There was a sad, pale face in the cab. A
calm, sad face, but the brown eyes that l
loved shone with a strange, unearthly light
! as he gaZed down on me. One look, and
| that was all; but, boy" and the old mans
voice dropped to whisper, sit was look
from the other world, look that burned so
deep into my brain that were l to live a
thouSand wears. / cOuld never root IL ont