New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1888-05-02
PUT ON MORE GOALS

youth OF nineteen and lived with my
parents in a Pennsylvania town, 1
had taste Tor railroading and alloy
lsh ambition to become a driver, all
though / had been educated forioftier
pursuits.
During my college vacation loung-
ed about the station almost constant
y, making friends with the trainmen,
and especially with a driver named
silas Markley. I became much at
tached to this man, notwithstanding
be was forty years old and by no
means a sociable fellow.
He was my ideal OF brave ,skillful,
thoroughbred driver, and i looked up
to him as something Of hero. He
was not a married man, but lived
alone with his old mother. / was a
frequent visitor at their house, and /
think they took quite a fancy to me
in their quiet, undemonstrative way.
When Markley's fireman left him I
induced him to let me take his place
during the remnant of my vacation.
lie hesitated for some time before he
consented to humor my boyisn within,
but he finally yielded and I was in
great glee. The fact was that in nv
ldleness and the overWorked state of
my brain | craved excitement as a.
confirmed drunkard does liquor, and,
besides, | had had such longing dreams
OF the fiery ride through the hills.
mounted literally on the iron horse.
So became an amateur fireman, and
liked it exceedingly, for thee1 element
more than compensated for the rough
work | was required to do.
But there came a time when ] got
my fill OF excitement. Mrs. Markley
one day formed a plan which seemed
to give her good deal of happiness.
1t was her sons birthday and she
wanted to 60 down to Philadelphia in
his train, without letting him know
anything about it, and there purchase
a present for him. She took me into
her confidence and had me to assist
her. I arranged the preliminaries and
got her into the tram without being
noticed by Marley, who, OF course,
was busy with his engine.
The old lady was in high glee over
the bit OF innocent deception she was
pracUicing on her son. She enioined
me again and again not to tell Silas,
and then left her and took my place.
1t was q midsummer day and the
weather was delightful. The train was
neither All express nor an accom-.
mediation, but one which stopped at
the principal stations on the route
On this occasion, as there were two
specials on the line, it was run by
telegra ph-that is, the driver has sim.
ply to obey the instructions which he
receives at each station, SO that he is
but a machine in the hands Of one
|&controller who directs all trains from
a central point, and has the whole
line under his eye. II the driver does
not obey to the least title his orders
tits destruction to the whole.
''Well, we started without mishap
| and up to time, and easily reached the
first station in the time allotted to
Eus. AS we stopped there the boy ran
alongside with the telegram which he
handed to the driver. The next mo-
ment [ heard a smothered excama-
ton from Markley.
"Go back" he said to the boy; "tell
Williams to have the message repeat
ed. there's a mistake"
The boy dashed of, in ten minutes
he came flying back. "Had it repeat
ed he painted Williams is storm
ipg.aat you, says there is no mistake,
and you'd best get on" He thrust
the second message up as he spoke.
Markley read it and stood hesitat-
ing for half a minute. There was dis.
may and utter perplexity in the ex-
preston Of his 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 eyes
suddenly quailed as if he saw death
at the end OF the calculation. I was
watching him with considerable Curl
"osity. l ventured to ask HIM what
was the, matter and what he was going
to do.
'Im going toeobey," hereplied curt
lly.
| The'engine gave d long shrek ofhor-
For that made me start, as if it were
Markley,s own voice The next in
stan5 we rushed out of the station
and dashed through low-lying farms
alta speed which seemed dangerous to
me.
@4Putiin more COAL" said Markley.'
shoveed it in, but took time.
1--WE are going very fast. Markley.''
lie did not answer. His eve was
fixed 'antthersteam gauge, his lips close
shut.
"More,ooal,,' 'he-said; / threw it in.
The fields and houses began to f1y
past half seen. We were nearing
Dufreme, the ,nextsstation. Markley' S
eye WENT iron the gauge to the face OF
the tlsaeDiece and back. He moved
like an sarrtomaton. There was little
more meaning in his'face.
''MoreF' he said, without turning
his eye. Itook up the shovel-hesi-
tated.
.'MarkIey, do you know that we are
gong at the late OF .aixty miles an
hour?"
"Coal!"