Nevada County picayune., 1888-07-25
A Locomotive Hero

tell you the story. When l was youth of nineteen and lived with m, parents in a Pennsylvania town.
 had taste for railroading and a boy lsh ambition to become a driver, al though l had been educated for Iof tier pursuits.
 During my college vacation
 lounged about the station almos constantly, making friends with th trainmen, and especially with dri Yer named SilaS Markley. l hecam, much attached to this man. notwitb standing he was forty years old anC by no means a sociablc fellow.
 He was my ideal of brave, skill fluff thoroughbred driver. and looked up to him as something of ; hero. He was net married man but lived alone with his old mother l was q frequent visitor at theil house, and think they both took quite fancy to me in their quiet undemonstrative way.
 When Markley's fireman left him l induced him to take me dur. ing the remainder of my vacatlon.- He hcsitated for some time before he consented to humor my bovish whim, but he finally yielded and 1 was in great glec. The fact was that in my ideness and the over worked state of my brain l craved the excitement as confirmed drum kard does liquor, and, besides, 1 had such longing dreams of the fiery ride through the hills, mounted literally on the iron horse. So I became an expert fireman, and liked it exceed ingiy. for the excitement more than compensated for the rough work l was required to do.
 But there came a time when l got my fill of excitement. Mrs. Mark lev one day formed plan which seemed to give her good deal of happiness. It was her sons birth day. and she wanted to go down 10 Philadelphia in the train without let ting him know anything about it and there purchase q present for him She took me into her confidence and had me assist her. l arranged the prelminarics, and got her into the train without being noticed by Marklcy, who. of course, was busy with his engine.
 The old lady was in high glee ov- CT the bit of innocent deception she was practicing on her son. She en- joined me again not 10 tell Silas, and then left her and took my own place.
 It was a midsummer day and the weather was delightful. The thain was neither an express nor an ac- ,o,,,,,J J,,;,n bu, opn uhirh StpnnaI at the principal stations on the route. On this occasion, as there were two specials on this line, it was run by telcgraph-that is, the driver has simply to obey the instructions which he receives al each station, so that he is put as a machine Tn the hands of one controller, who directs all trains from central point and has the whole line under his eve. If the driver does not obey to the least little his orders, it is destruction to i the whole
 Well. we started without mishap and mp to tune, and easily reached the first station in the time allotted to us. As we stopped there a boy ran alongside with the telegram, which he handed to the driver. The next moment l heard q smothered exclamation from Markley.
 "Go back he said 10 the boy ; tell Williams to have the message repeated; there's a mistake.
 The boy dashed off in ten min utes he came flying back. Had 1t reneated" hcpanted, civilians is storming at you; says there's no mistake. and vou'd best get on - He thrust the second message mp as he spoke.
 Marklev read it and stood hesi'at- inc for half minute. There was dlsmay and utter perpleHity in the expressions of his face as he looked at the telegram and the long tram behind him. His lips moved as II he was calculating chances, and ms eyes suddenly quailed as if he saw he saw death at the end of the cal culation. was watching him with considerable curiosity. l ventureo