Wichita eagle., 1888-07-18
A LOCOMOTIVE HERO.

town, had a taste for railroading and a
boyish ambition to become a driver, although
! had been educated for lofeier pursuits
During my college vacation lounged
about the station almost constantly. making
friends with the trainmen, and especially
with driver named Silas Markiey. be
came much attached tc this man, notwith-
standing he was 40 years old and by no means
q sociable fellow.
he was my ideal Of brave skillful,
Thoroughbred driver, and looked up to him
as something Of hero He was not mar
ried man, but lived alone with lis old
mother. / was frequent visitor at their
house, and / think they both took quite
fancy to me in their quiet, undemonsuative
way
When Markley's fireman left him, in
ducsd him to let me take his place during
the remainder of my vacation He hesituted
for some time before be consented to huror
my boyish within, but he finally yielded, and
! was in great glee The fact was That IL my
idleness and the overworked state Of my
brain l craved the excitement as confirmed
| drunkerd does liquor, and besides, had such
longing dreams OF the fiery ride through the
hills mounted literally on the iron horse So
! became an expert fireman, and liked it ex-
ceedingly, for the excitement more than
compensated for the rough work | was re-
quired to do.
But there came time when got my ill
of excitement. Mrs. Markley one day formed
plan which seemed to give her good deal
| of happiness. 1t was her sons birthday, and
| she wanted to go down to Philadelphia IN
the train without letting him know anything
about it and there purchase present for
him She took me into her confidence and
had me assist her | arranged the prellmi
naries 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 practiclng on
her son. She enjoined me again not TO tell
Silas and then left Der and took my place,
1t was midsummer day. and the weather
was delightful The train was neither an
express nor an accommodation, but one which
stopped at the principal stations on the route.
On this occasion as there were two specials
on the line, it run by telegraph-that is,
the driver has simply to obey the instructions
which he receives at each station, SO that he
is put as a machine in the hands OF one con
troller, who directs al trains from central
point and has the whole line under ms eye.
Ii the driver does not obey TO tue least little
his orders, it is destruction to the whole.
Well, we started without mishap, and up
to time and easily res.'aed the first station
in the time allotted 60 Us As we stopped
there boy ran alongside with the telegram,
which he handed TO the driver The next
moment | heard a slnothered exclamation
from Markley
go back" be said 10 the boy, tell vii
lianls TO have the message repeated, there's a
mistake
The boy dashed Of in ten minutes he came
flying back Had 1t repeated, be painted
Nv iliams Is storIning at you, says there's no
mistake, and you'd best get on He thrust
the second message up as he spoke
Markley read it and stood hesitating for
half a minute. There was dIsmay and utter
perplexity in the expression of MS face as ne
looked at the telegram and the long train be
hind lin His lips moved If he cal
culating chances, and his eyes suddenly
qualled US if he saw death at the end OF the
calculation. | was watching him with con
siderable curiosity | ventured to ask him
what was the matter. and what Ee was going
to 40
Pm going to obey" he replied CURLY
The engine gave long shriea OF horror that
made he start II 1t were Mar6Ieys own
voice The next instant we rushed ont of
the station and dashed through low lying
farms at a speed which seemed dangerous
to me-
Put in more COAL" said Markley.
l shoveled 1t IN, but TOOK time
I've gre going very fast, MarkleY."
He did not answer. His eyes were fixed on
the steam engine, his lips close shut
"More COAL he said; | threw it in
The fields and houses began to ty past half
seen We were nearing Dufreme the next
station. Markley's eye went from the gauge
to the face Of the tmepiece and back. he
moved like an automaton There was little
more meaning in his face
"Morer be said. without turning his eye
took up tho shovel-hesitated
"Markley do you know that you are going
at the rate OF sixty miles hourf'
"Coalr'
Twas alarmed at the stern. cold risidity of
the man His pallor was becoming fright
full threw in the coal At least we must
stop at Dufrema That was the next halt
The little town approached As the first
house came into view the engine sent It's
sbriels of warning; it grew iouder-ioader
We dashed into the street, up to the sta
b
and passed it without the halt of an instant,
catching glimpse of the appalled, faces and
the waiting crowd Then we were in the
fields again The speed now became literally
GREATNESS, the furnace glared red hot The
heat, the velocity, the terrible nervous strain
of the man beside me seemed 10 weight the
air. l found myself drawing long stertorous
I breaths Ike one drowning
] | hasyaat in fha esal or intervals as Ia ha IA
me- did it because was oppressed by an
odd sense Of duty, which l never had in my
ordinary brain work. Since then have IN
derstood how il Is that dull, ignorant men,
without a spark Of enthusiasm, show such
heroisu as soldiers, hremen and captains OF
wrecked vessels It is this overpowering
sense OF routine duty. It's a finer thing than
sheer bravery, in my idea However, | be
gan to think that Markley was naad-labor-
ing under some frenzy from drink, though
bad never seen him touch liquor,
he did not move hand or foot, except In
the mechanical control OF his engine, his eyes
going from the gauge to the time piece with
. seeadiness that was more terrible and
| threatening than any gleam Of insanity
would have been. Once be giared back at
the long train sweeping after the enstns with
q headlons speed that rocked it from SIDE to
Ita
One could imagine be saw hundreds q rlcn
and women u the carriages, talking. read
| ing. smoking, unconscious that their lives
| were all in the hold Of one Iian whom now
strongly suspected to be mad knew By bis
! look that he remembered their lives were in
/ his hand He glanced at the clock
J -,,s,se ~ ~ r,r@-aS~-i ~IN-~D