The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-05-03
''PUT ON MORE c0llS,''

| e0A SOU VIZ SNVAys "u0u was d
youth OF nineteen and lived with my
parents in Pennsylvania town, 1
had q taste for railroadinR and boy
ish ambition to become q driver, al
though I had been educated for lottier
pursuits.
During my college vacation I loung.
ed about the station almost constant
~. making friends with the trainmen,
and especially with a driver named
SiIas MarkIey. I became much at.
tached to this man, notwithstanding
he was forty years old and by no
means a sociable fellow.
He was my ideal of a brave ,skillful,
thoroughbred driver, and 1 looked up
to him as something OF q hero. He
was not married man, but lived
alone with his old mother. / was q
frequent visitor at their house, and l
think they took quite fancy to me
in their quiet, administrative way.
| When Markley's fireman left him l
induced him to let me take his place
during the remnant of my vacation.
fIe hesitated for some time before he
consented to humor my boyish whim,
but he finally yielded and I was in
great glee. The fact was that in nv
idleness and the overworked state OF
my brain 1 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 l became an amateur fireman, and
liked it exceedingly, for the excitement
more than compensated for the rough
work was required to do.
But there came q time when I got
my ill OF excitement. Mrs. Markley
one day formed g. plan which seemed
to give her good deal OF happiness.
1t was her sons birthday and she
wanted to go 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. l arranged the preliminaries and
got her into the train without being
noticed by Markley, 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 enjOined
me again and again not to tell Silas,
and then left her and took my place.
1t was a midsummer day and the
weather was delightful. The train was
!
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
telegraph-that is, the driver has sim.
| ply to obey the instructions which he
receives at each station, so that he is
but q 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
it is destruction to the whole.
"Well, we started without mishap
and up to time, and easily reached the
first station in the time allotted to
US. AS we stopped there the boy ram
alongside with the telegram which he
handed to the driver. The next mo-
ment heard smothered exclama-
ton from Markley.
"Go back" he said to the boy; "tell
Williams to have the message repeat
ed, there's mistake"
The boy dashed off, in ten minutes
he came flying back. "Had it repeat
: ed" he painted. civilians is storm
ing, at 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 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. l was
watching him with considerable curl
| osity. ventured to ask him what
| was the matter and what he was going
to do.
"pm going to obey" he replied curt
ly:
The engine gave a long shrek oihor.
ror that made me start, as if it were
| Markley's own voice. The next in.
| slant we rushed out of the station
and dashed through low-lying farms
at a speed which seemed dangerous to
| me.
"Put in more COAL" said Markley."
shovelcd it in, but took time.
ave are going very fast, Marley"
He did not answer. His eye was
| fixed on the steam gauge, his lips close
shut.
"More COAL" he said; l threw it in.
The fields and houses began to fly
past half seen. We were nearing
Dufreme, the next station. Markley's
eye went from the gauge to the face OF
the timepiece and back. He moved
like an automaton. There was little
more meaning in his face.
"More!' he said. without turning
his eye. Itook up the shovcl-hesi-
| tated.
"Markley, do you know that we are
going at the rate of sixty miles an
hour?"
"Coal!"
I was alarmed at the stern, cold
rigidity OF the man. His pallor was
becoming frightful. l threw in the
coal. At least we must stop a.
Dufreme. He told me that was the
| next hault. The little town ap-
preached. AS the first houses came
into view the engine sent its shrek OF
warning; it grew louder-louder.
We dashed into the street,
up to the station, where
u group of passengers waited,
and passed it without the halt OF IN
instant, catching glimpse of the ap.
palled faces OF the waiting crowd.
Then We were in the fields again. The
speed now became literally breath
less, the furnace gla:ed red-hot. The
heat, the velocity, the terrible nervous
strain OF the man beside me seemed to
weigh the air. found myself draw
ing long. stertorous breaths like one
drowning.
Iheaped in the coal at intervals, as
he babe me. did it because l was
| 80 I,,t,v