Wichita eagle., 1888-09-09
Che Woman In White.
By WALTER WELLGAN.

motive engineer on the Burlington road,
and had trod the foocboard Of an engine
as fireman and driver since his mustache
first grew on his STRIPPING chin His
career had been one of such evenness and
calm, 50 much quiet Life within himself,
such absence Of Incident or accident. that
his steady temper had been rarely stirred
by iov or sorrow His first grief had
come TO him ten years or moro before,
when his wife died suddenly while he was
away on his engine Ee had never mar
ried again, nor seemed to care much for
society or company or ANYBODY or any
thing saving only his son Jack, and, of
course, his engine, for which he had
d half dozen pet names jack wanted
to be a locomotive engineer Ike his
father. and often coaxed to be taken out
20 learn to fire; but Jasper would not
listen to this. go to school, boy" he
said, and learn to be something in the
world An engineer isn't mach Yet if
anybody else had said this, which nobody
would in Jasper Wards Presence-at least
nobody who knew hin-Jasper would
have been very much grieved- He was
proud OF his calling; proud Of his record
On the foot board Thirty years had he
stood there, and IN all that time not one
accident more serious than the fracture Of
4 connecting rod piston bar had occurred
10 hin. Not one life incrusted TO his care
had been lost, nor even jeopardiZed. For
twenty years Jasper had run the same
train, an accommodation, and III the
people up and down that division Of the
line knew Jasper Ward and his locomo-
tive IS wei as they did their own door
yards. His face at the engine window
g. - =,
or two was TO take something out of the
daily life Of the people who dwelt near
the tracks.
But now Jasper was unhappy when he
should have been most content. for he
had finally rels--ed and taken Jack with
him on the locomotive His old fireman
had been promoted to an engine, and
Jack had tLereupon begged 50 hard that
his father finally applied TO the master
mechanic fer permission TO take the boy
on and make al engineer Of him It was
4 happy day for Jack when the master
mechanics reply was received; but not so
with old Jasper. for the message con
tanned these words: III give you new
engine, too. Take out No Adj tomorrow.
With your own boy on and shining new
engine, the official could not resist the
temptation q adding, unbusinessiIle
though it was-he wouldn't have added
an unnecessary word % anybody except
Old Jus-.-r--''you VIII be quite gay again,
and viii be having all the young men
suvving Won" The master mechanic
meant well, but il wcs a sad blow to
JASPER. "A new engire," he exclaimed,
somewhat bitterly; what have | done
that l should have ny old pet taken away
from me- Well, If the old engine isn't
good enough 10 run along yet awhile,
why, I suppose the old engineer VIII have
to so too, pretty soon. This Is the begin
ming OF the end, sure. They'll lay the
old man OF before the year Is out. -
Ms sorrow vas greatly increased when
he 1oarGed The new engine and found that
size was equipped with one Of the new
electric head lamps. with which the COM
paly was experimenting. Nor was that
the worst Of it. The whistle Of the new
machine was \ harsh, coarse whistle, IS
unlike the sweet tones of the old whistle
as ANYTHING couId be The first sound of
il nearly drove Jasper wild They'll get
ne oil the road now, he exclaimed; L
cant run an engine with a headlight like
that on It and such q whistle. They'll lay
the oil man oil, but they can't say lie
hash made time. They can't say that.
Making time Is sort Of hobby with al
good locomotive engineers. With Jasper
1t was a mania. An engineer isn't
worth cent unless he can get in on
schedule nineteen times ont of twenty,
he used to say. and 4 man can always
make time If he has the nerve. Let man
get the least bit timid. 50 that he pulIs-up
for everything that he doesn't like the
looks of, fer every speck on the track. G
for every down grade. and he'll never
make time. Let her 20. let her 90, he
advised Jack. don't be afraid OF any
thing. When you start out or a run make
Up vocr mind that YOU are going to make
tine or die trying. Don't be afraid of the
ditch. II it is your fate TO be ditched
and stop there you can't get away from il
BY shutting of steam every time she be-
gins 70 Jump Gttle Or you imagine YOU
aee something on the track. You'll in
sEine you see fifty things ahead in one
night, and II you so 10 shutting of for
them vouu never make time. never in
the world. boy"
And IN good truth the old man was as
brave IS Lis words. de was known along
tie road IS runner against everything
but red lights. But from the very first
day on the new engine he was changed
leave him, and he became instead nervous
and tiI-sd- Ee blamed it all or the new
locomotive. and particularly on the cleo
tric head lamp.
'JaCl- lie said. IS ther were running
alo1g one day shortly after the new
engine had been put IN use. this ma
chine isn't going 70 bring ne any good
luck I6lcw that. In getting nervous.
and an afraid L let her out on the down
grades. That brilliant light is running
my eyes. and something VIII happen one
OF these days. jack. you had better leave
TIE road 60 and Learn 70 be a black
smith. II engineer doesn't amount 10
much
And IS his Pride il his oxn calling and
career was aroused bv these worls. he
nu3Ead the throttle open little farther,
and the old look Of satisfaction came upon
his stern face. But this was only for a
moment Ilmidltv and discomfort were
becoming noce than ever marked II him.
ard JACK found lis father anything but
= cheerful running mate. But Jack didn't
mind that Ee loved MS father dearly,
and Old tle best he could 70 comfort ard
cheer him.
"Youu be 81 right in . day O. two.
father. he said: '-fhe machine Is Few
ea6 tae light Is brighter than you a-e ae-
custozad 70. but yo0u ike them both
before long"
No. ! Won't" the old nan replied,
stubborn IL his unh2PP;ness and fore
ooal1Es; 'ehey are determined 20 drive
lie son t2e road with tIeis new tangled
concerns They don't want tie old nan
say lo2EeE. iaey want ne TO ser behind