The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-08-29


hair by hair. II fired on '23' week ,fora
last, and | could hardly breathe; and
worse N that somehow | got scared. and
-and-well. l don't know what was tna
matter, but l went to sleeper tainted. or
something-and when L come to, there
was lying full o. cold sweat, and Stacy
shovelin' double coal right over MY head. -
"Them's !" cried the malcontent
"Scared! Why, my heart elm up and
clawed at my tongue, and it felt as big and
hard as driving wheel, and / keeled over
Gents, '23 s freight, but she's got a mas.
senger aboard. His names Mr.. Spooll
and his professions warnin' He's served
notice on me that '23' IS got a notion %
layin' down on her back, and maxim,
poached duck out o. me. I'll promenade
over, and sort o. tell Mr.. Train Dispatcher
Pm caught out"
suppose he'd put me on in your place?D
I said.
The men gathered about me with notes
of admiration, both decisive and sincere
1t was an off hour, and the bunch escorted
me over to the office and presented me to
the dispatcher. There was much
mock ceremony, conducted with a gravity
that would not discredit Parliament, and
much humor of a quaint, original cast
The train master looked annoyed when he
saw my credentials. Hitherto he had
deemed me what | appeared-a supernum-
tI tl manu-, lN ttlblllfs dSHl llllltlb
"Well, don't like this, ," he said, having
hidden me into his private office. Couldn't
you make your opportunity some other
way? It's taking such chances for the
train. o, you can fire? o, that's ali
right, then. just SO Stacy has helpa-I
couldn't risk him alone"
Drink" | said, casually.
of the other night. He's getting all broke
up"
At nine O'Clock "23, stood coughing for
| her start; a great ten wheeler, shining,
mighty. The yard lights shone on the
close brown cars of the through freight
behind her. stretching back, long line,
! like some articulated, sentient creature. A
group of the boys stood near, and speeded
US with good natured chaff.
"Look out you don't lose your mate again,
| Stacy" cried one; ''this is another new
man, and it's just month tonight since
the other said Goodbye, sweetheart"
| When | looked at Stacy after this, his
| face was as white as the aerated fluid in
the tube Of the water gauge. We had
scarcely left the lights of Walling behind,
when | felt a singular sense of oppression.
| Our smoke seemed to settle down upon US,
! laden with sulphurous gas, as when con-
| fined in a tunnel. Our train was a "time
! fright" that ran but once a week, and at
| this period the line was clear for our pass
age over the whole division. Carrying the
| water supply in a tank-Car, we had no
need to stop on the whole run. We
| clattered past small waystations, fast
asleep already, dark, save for the signal
mans lonely light. We clanked through
defiles tremblingly, as if the dark mount
aims on either side were crouching mon
sters, gathering for the spring. We hurled
| ourselves upon the shadOwy shapes of
| spectral bridges, with the indrawn breath
of uncertainty with which man ever APP
| proaches the insubstantial and mysterious.
Fire up" cried the engineer; che is not
| burnt"
Since our first start he had been leaning
on his rest, save when he mechanically
tended the machine. But now he turned,
| with a swift whirl, caught the chain door
swing of the fire. box, swung it open with
the stoker's accustomed swaying pull,
| peered into the fiery gap with searching
gaze, and slammed the iron door as if upon
u foe.
Fire up! Why don't you put in coal?"
1t wanted half the usual time but l wa
constrained to obey. had not yet wiped
the blackened sweat from my brow, when
he whirled about again and opened the
| furnace door.
"Plainer and plainer!" he cried; ''put in
more COAL"
He turned to the window again as l
| brought the scoop. That coal never was
burned. | threw it over the side, impeled
by prudential motives less than by q
curious appearance that arrested me when
| opened the fire-box door, And so,
| through the rest of the run, while the
smoke gathered thicker, denser and more
fetid, again and again, and a score of
times again, we repeated that same formula
he commanding, | alternating actual
obedience with simulated compliance.
The way-stations were thickening
|
preached me, after one of his wistful, re-
luctant visits to the fire.
you are good lot" he said; "you have
got sand. The others all tainted dead
away-they couldn't stand it, Yes, you're
good pluck. Come :" he said, ingratiating-
ly, ''YoH look and see if he is there"
Iopened the iron door. Eyes, he is there"
He caught the loaded scoop and thrust it
into my hand Throw it on him!v he
cried. land burn himup Perhaps you can
do it,"
shoveled in the coal, then turned and
took him by the arm.
"Why did you burn him up" [ said.
He covered behind me toward the tender,
turning his face from the furnace, ye-
glanciag back at it askant, as he had done
all along, drawn toward it by reluctant
fascination.
"Now l will tell YOU" he said. 81 knew
all along that he was Julius Wright. We
lived behind his rooms, up yOnder in the
| city-my wife and my Josie. Why
yeS-he got me this berth! Do you sup
pose I'd have given him away to the COM
pany-nOt for ninety millions when he
came out here and told me he was sweet on
Miss Duane. and had robbed the company
to get a start for her? No, sir! He carried
that pile of notes with him day and night
you know how much of it | could have
got by giving him up. He fired for me two
months, ale with me, slept in my bed. The
boys wondered to see me so thick with Sam
Barnes, my fireman. Fire up! Is he?
o, it's no use"' He took up his recital:
'He got a letter that night at Belen. There
was a picture in it See"
He took from his breast letter and
photograph. Blood was on them both.
The face in the picture was the face of
woman | had seen often enough in n luxu-
rious little cottage on our northern bay-a
merry, blonde face, with perfect teeth
peeping through the parted lips-the type
of woman who could smile into mans
eyes while she dishOnored him.
81 happened to come behind him while
he read. l saw the picture, and knew it.
| knew the writing. She signed Your
| loving JOsieD | stole away without his
| having heard me; and the first mile out of
Belen | struck him down, and took my false
wife's picture from him, and
burned him! But mark you | killed
him first-he was dead when | thrust
him into the lire-boX. But I've been burn
| inE-thrOugh HMM the flames of hellt
and burning alive! Fire up, and see-is he
| there? o, yes! [ knew it. You see, on