The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-07-09
welded TO THE ENGINE,

hook on " to the fast express,
Suppose you think good deal of your
machine, don't yous' remarked an adj
miring bystandcr
think good deal of her, Why do
you say sos"
The bystander not encouraged by the
engineers manner, left the cab and walked
around the engine, admiring the bright
rods, pipes and mechanism-the silent yet
breathing thing of power, Soon he saw
the man in blouse and overalls crawling
under the machine with an oil-can in his
hand Some oil was dropped in cup here
and there, a valve or two inspected n nut
frightened or examined, and in another
moment the engineer stood by the
strangers side. He had not forgotten the
latters query, for he said
"Soyou think like her, do YOU"
And then, after pause and in lower,
more mellow tone
"Why shouldn't | like herr She is the
only thing on earth have to love"
Touched and interested by these words,
and by the manner in which they We're
said, the stranger made inquiries tending
to draw the old man out. He succeeded.
No, have nothing else to love-" said
the rugged engineer; II live upon my en-
CINE and for her She is all the world to
me, am without wife, child or relative.
am alone in the world-my engine and
me. Every trip make with her | call my
bridal tour, Once--but no matter about
that" And the grey head turned aside.
Once, you said, won't you tell me
what that means ~
Once" replied the engineer, his
voice more husky than before" thas
once means much to me. It's nothing
to you. And yet-and yet it will do no
, harm to tell. 1t is no secret. There is
nothing to be ashamed Of
Here the engineer drew from his blouse
pocket a big silver watch and glanced at
its face.
81 have eight minutes before the gong
sounds" he continued, land in those
eight minutes | will tell you what has
been an eternity for me, Sixteen years
You thought me older, of course, but am
only forty-siX, | was then engaged to
marry a young lady. do not need to tell
you how much | loved her; what hopes
and ambitions had for the future. Just
then | was promoted from freight 10 n
passenger engine, but was transferred to
the western end tthe road. That caused
aparting, but we arranged that l was to
be gone three months and then return for
my bride. The three months passed slowly
enough; you are not old and perhaps
your own experience will tell you what
patience mine must have been. But
saved my money, provided little home
at the end OF my run, and was happy.
Notwithstanding my impotence those
were the happiest days of my life. | knew
! had a rival for the lady's affections, but
even this did not worry me, so great was
my confidence in her.
when the three months We're nearly
up l applied for leave of absence, and one
night was On the next run to the last be-
fore | should go East to my wedding.
The night was dark and stormy. AT B.
Station | had orders to pass, without
stopping, No. 6, which was to be side
tracked for me, Our orders are to slow
up little for such passings and sound the
whistle. ! did so us / approached, but
all was right. But just rs | rounded the
curve leading to the station heard warn
ing signals from the whistle and saw
man with lantern running toward Inc
and swinging his red lamp across the
track. A second glance showed me the
rear car of No. q standing half on the sid
ding and half on the main track. 1t had
been derailed by the ice at the frog. There
are times when a man thinks with the
rapidity of lightning, and this is what
flashed through my brain, In making
the siding No. & was a minute or two late,
and at the last second the misEap had
occurred at the frog. What in twenty
clear track for me was now blocked by u
sleeping coach, probably filled with pas
, sengers unconscious of their danger. In
the distance had to run, my heavy train
could not be stopped, and a collision was
ineyitGble What should | do: AS |
said, all this came to me like flash. At
the same instant | decided what to do, and
began doing it. My course was as clear
TO me as if | had thought it out by the
hour Within two SEE onds of the instant
l saw the danger signal | had shut off
steam and set my brakes hard down
The next second | reversed my engine
The result, of course, was great check to
our speed, The set brakes make the long
train begin to drag after rs like Il heavy
weight. Then set my lever ahcnd once
moro, and pulled the throttle wide open
She bounded like hare, broke the
couplings between the tender and bag
gage car, and in twenty seconds more
would have crashed into The sleeper had
not again shut oil steam and reversed set
ting the brake hard on. If you were an
experienced railroad man you would un
derstand why ali this was done. a lone
engine can always be stopped quickly. In
this case we stopped our engine almost to
stand-stll forty feet from the slerpi g
coach. Back of us was the heavy III. n.
coming like an avalanche d,spitc the
brakes. But BY stopping the engine on
ahead made tbs locomotive receive the
brunt of the train s shock instead Of the
coach That WAS my am and J SIC.
ceeded. Before the tram crashed into the
tender my fireman jumped and WAS safe.
Having done all that man could do was
about TO follow him, Tut glance ahead
at the sleeping car seemed to strike me
numb | knew the coach was safe from
serious injury ana alsn the passengers in
my own train. The only danger was in
my cab where in a few seconds would
come the crash. But could not stir. !!
lost all feeling but that Of vision. | saw
- here the engineer hesitated, but soon
went on in a desperate t9ne-"l saw in
, one of the berths of that sleeping tar, by
the brilliant light from the head lamp OF
) my Locomotive, the face of my own be
trothed, ! saw hRr two eyes. looking out
: the window, The dcfaiin,tr III bad evidently
startled her. ! saw something Fl 9, t0o-a
no, none Of that, can't tel that: But |
shall never forget the EXPRESSION in her
eyes. though never saw her SINCE
WAS she-was thtrca wreekH1
Again the engineer looked ut his silver
watch, hurriedly pu, 1t in his pocket, and
resumed
'There was no wreck-of the Sleeping
| car There was one at my cab. hen
they pulled ne ont of it, half an hour
later, that leg there Was crushed ion
didn't notice it was wooden, ai.l lou
Yes, the train crashed into the teioer and
| Inc ttllueT llItC tiit tsiD, was p-Ii.N''
, against tins Lpiler, and there got the scar
you see on my meek But lhe sleep scar
was only slightly in3nrsG. and tie occu'
, pants were merely bruised 2 lttlc, I'll.
passengers of my own train were unhnrt
: People praised what they cal ed my
: bravery, apd heard Them l. lag that
could have saved II well hg i.mping, BAT
that had stuck To ny posi-. Trey did rot
understand. How ;ould they / recov'
cred from my inini and here am with
my only bride. my old LOGON 0.ive-twite
rebuilt since that ght, but stili the old
one to me- There's tie g0ng-I must
CO. ~
, his cab wIieH the stranger seized his hant
and exclaimed!
"But you must explaiE-there la st|l ;
mystery"
"Great Godr' came back the answer In
a whisper, "have you not guessed? II
was not the sigh. of my betrothed's fac,
: that prevented me iIGm jumping ant
turned these hairs gray in u i,ight 81
u nj uJnIT ~ - : =