The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-09-06
A LOCOMOTIVE HERO.


LOCOMOTIVE HERO.
Well, gentlemen, if you wish it, I'll
tell you the story.
When was youth Of nineteen and
lived with my parents in a Pennsyl-
vania town, had a taste for railrOadins
and boyish ambition to become driv-
er, although had been educated for
loftier pursuits.
During my college vacation lounged
about the station almost constantly,
making friends with the trainmen and
especially with driver named Silas
Markley,
He was my ideal of brave, skillful
thoroughbred driver, and looked up to
him as something Of hero. He was
not married man, but lived alone with
his old mother. l was afrequent visitor
at their house, and ] think they both
took quite fancy to me in their quiet
undemonstrative way,
When Markley's fireman left him,
induced him to let me take his place
during the remainder OF my vacation
He hesitated some time before he con-
scented to humor my boyish within, but
but he finally yielded and l was in great
glee.
The fact was that in my idleness and
the overworked state of my brain |
craved excitement as confirmed drunk
ard 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. liked
it exceedingly, for the excitement more
than compensated for the rough work l
was required to do.
But there came day when got my
fill Of excitement.
Mrs. Msrkley 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 Phila-
delphia in the train, without letting him
know anything about it, and there buy
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
was, Of course, busy with his engine.
The old lady was in high glee over the
bit of innocent deception she was prac-
ticing on her son. She epjoined me
again not to tell Silas, and then left
her and look my place on the train.
1t was midsummer day and the
weather was delightful.
The train was neither an express nor
accommodation, 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 tele-
graph-that is, the driver has simply to
oh tpot 1rtt nh 1,
each station, so that he is put as a ma
chine in the hands of one comptroller,
who directs all trains from a central
point and has the entire line under his
eye. If the driver does not obey to the
last 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 here boy ran alongside
with telegram, which he handed to the
driver. The next moment l heard a
smothered exclamation from Markley.
go back" he said to the boy, land
tell Williams to have the message re-
pested there's a mistake"
The boy dashed off in few minutes
he came flying back.
Had it repeated" he shouted. Evil
liams is storming at you; says there's no
mistake. and yon'd best get on"
Markley read it and stood hesitating
for moment. There was dismay and
sheer perplexity in the expression of his
face as he looked at the telegram and
the long train behind him. His lips
moved as il he were calculating chances
and bis eyes suddenly quailed as if he
saw death as the end of his calculation.
was watching him with considerable
curiosity. l ventured to ask him what
was the matter and what he was going
to do.
"Pm going to obey orders, " he replied
curtly. The engine gave long shrek of
horror that made me start as if it had
been Markley's own voice. The next
instant we dashed out of the station and
rushed through low-lying farms at a
speed which seemed dangerous to me.
put IN more coal" said Markley.
showed it in. but took time.
1--WE are going very fast, Markley."
He did not answer. His eyes were
fixed on the steam guage, his mouth
close shut,
more coal" he said. threw il in.
The fields and houses began to fly past
half seen. We were nearing Dumfreme,
the next station. Markley's eyes went
from the guage to the face of the time
piece and back. He moved like an
automaton, and there was little more
meaning in his face.
"Morel" he said, without turning his
head. took up the shovel-hesitated
''Markley, did you know that you are
going at the rate Of sixty miles an hour"
"Coalp'
was alarmed at the stern, cold
rightly of the man. His palor was be-
coming frightful. threw in the coal.
At least we must stop at Dumfreme.
That was the next halt. The little town
approached, As the first house came
into view, the engine sent its shrek of
warning; 1t grew louder, louder.
We dashed into the street, up to the
station. and passed it without the halt
OF an instant, catching a glmse of the
appalled, faces OF the waiting crowd.
Then we were in the fields again, The
speed now became literally breathless,
the furnace glared redhot. The heat,
the velocity, the terrible nervous strain
OF the man beside me, seemed to weigh
the air. found myself drawing long
stertorious breaths, like one drowning.
heaped in the coal at intervals, as he
babe me. l did it because / was op-
pressed by an odd sense of duty which
never had in my ordinary brainwork.
Since then have understood how it is
that dull, ignorant men, without spark
Of enthusiasm, show such heroism as
soldiers, firemen and captains of wreck.
ed vessels, 1t is this overpowering sense
of routine duty. II is finer thing than
sheer bravery, in my opinion. How
ever, began to think that Markley was
mad, laboring under some frenzy from
drink, though had never seen him
touch liquor. He did not move hand or
foot, except in the mechanical control
of his engine, bis eyes going from the
guage to the timepiece with a steadIness
that was more terrible and threatening
than any CLEAN Of insanity would have
been, Once he glanced back at the long
train sweeping after the engine with
headlong speed that rocked it from side
to side.
One could imagine he saw hundreds
Of men and women in the carriages,
talking, reading, smoking, unconscious
that their lives we're all in the hold OF
one man, whom now strongly suspect
ed to be mad. knew by his look that
he remembered their lives were in his