Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-07-06
A LOCOMOTIVE HERO.

l you the story, When was q youth of 19 and 1 lived with my parents in Pennsylvania town, had a taste for railroading and a boyish ambition to become a driver, although had been educated for loftier pursuits During my college vacation 1 lounged about the station almost constantly, making friends with the trainmen, and especially with driver named Silas Markley. l be came much attached to this man, notwith standing he was 40 years old and by no means sociable fellow.
 He my ideal of a brave skillful thoroughbred driver, and looked up to him as something of n hero. He was not a mar yied man, but lived alone with his ole Another. l was frequent visitor at theiI house, and l think they both took quite fancy to ne in their quiet, undemonstrative way.
 When Markley's fireman left him, in >duced him to let me take his place during the remainder of my vacation He hesituted for some time before he consented to humor my boyish whim, 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 the excitement as a confirmed drunkard does liquor, and besides, had suct longing dreams of the fiery ride through th, hills, mounted literally on the iron horse. Sc 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 q time when got my fill of excitement. Mrs Markley one day formed plan which seemed to give her good deal of happiness It 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 fol him. She took me into her confidence and had me assist her. arranged the prelimi naries, and got her into the train without being noticed by Markley, who, of course was busy with his engine.
 The old lady was ill high glee over the bit of innocent deception she was practicing on her son, She enjoined me again not to tel Silas, and then l left her and took my place
 It was a midsummer day, and the weather was delightful. The train was neither au express nor an accommodation but one which stopped at the principal stations on the route On this occasion, as there were two speciale on the line, it was 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 machine in the hands of one con troller. who directs all trains from q central point and has the whole line under his eye If the driver does not obey to the least little his orders, 1t 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 boy ran alongside with the telegram which he handed to the driver. The next moment 1 heard a smothered exclamation :from Markley.
 "Go back" he said to the boy; "tell Will Hams to have the message repeated; there's mistake"
 The boy dashed off; in ten minutes be came flying back Had it repeated" :" he panted Williams is stormlnS at you; says there's no mistake, and you'd best get on" He thrust the second message up as he spoke.
 Markley read 1t and stood hesitating for half q minute. There was dismay and utter perplexity in the expression of his face as he looked at the telegram and the long train be hind him. His lips moved as if he were cal culatlng chances, and his eyes suddenly ,quailed as if he saw death at the end of the calculation. l was watching him with con siderable curiosity. 1 ventured to ask him what was the matter, and what he was going to do.
 I'm going to obey" he replied curtly The engine gave a long shriek of horror that made me start as if it were Markley's own voice The next instant we rushed out of the station and dashed through low lying farms at speed which seemed dangerous to me.
 Put in more coal" said Markley
 shovelad it in, but took time.
 "We are 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 iTf.A The fields and houses began to fly past half seen We were nearing Dufreme, the next station. Markley's eye went from the gauge Sto the face of the tinepiece and back. He moved like an automaton There was little more meaning in his face. "More!" he said, without turning his eve l took up the shovel-hesitated
 "Markley, do you know that you are going at the rate of sixty miles an hour!" "Coalw
 was alarmed at the stern, cold rigidity of the man. His pallor was becoming fright full. threw in the coal At least we must stop at Dufreme. That was the next halt The little town approached As the first house came into view the engine sent its 'shrieks of warning; it grew louder-louder. We dashed into the street, up to the sta uon, where group of passengers waited, 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 bscame literally breathless, the furnace glared red hot. The neat, the velocity, the terrible nervous strain of the man beside me seemed to weight the air. found myself drawing long stertorous breaths like one drowning. heaped in the coal at intervals as he bade me. l did it because l was oppressed by an odd sense of duty, which never had in my ordinary brain work. Since then have un- derstood how it is that dull, ignorant men, without spark of enthusiasm, show such 'heroism as soldiers, firemen and captains of wrecked vessels. It is this overpowerine sense of routine duty. It's finer thing than sheer bravery, in my idea However, be gan to think that Markley was mad-labor. ling under some frenzy from drink, though I l had 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 a steadiness that was more terrible and threatening than any gleam of insanity would have been. Once he glared back at the long train sweeping after the engine with a headlong speed that rocked it from side to side.
 One could imagine he saw hundreds of men '