Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-08-13
A Locomotive Hero.

III tell you the story. When L was
a youth of nineteen and lived with
my parents in a Pennsylvania town,
[ had a taste for railroading and a
boyish ambition to become a driver,
although I had been educated for lof-
tier pursuits.
During my college vacation | loung-
ed about the station almost constant
ly, making friends with the train men,
and especially with driver named
Silas Markley. l became much at
tached to this man, Notwithstanding
he was forty years old, and by no
means a sociable fellow.
He was my ideal of brave, skill
full, thoroughbred driver, and L look
ed up to him as something of hero.
He was not married man, but
lived alone with his old mother. /
was frequent visitor at their house,
and think they both took quite a
fancy to me in their quiet, undemon-
strative way.
When Markley's fireman left him
| induced him to let me take his place
during the remainder of my vacation.
He hesitated for some time before he
consented to humor my boyish whim,
but he finally yielded and | was in
great glee. The fact was that in my
idleness and the overworked state of
my brain / craved the excitement as
confirmed drunkard does liquor,
and, besides, / 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 exceedingly, for the excite
ment more than compensated for the
rough work L was required to do.
But there came time when | got
my fill of excitement. Mrs. Marzley
one day formed plan which seemed
to afford her a good deal of happi-
ness. 1t was her sons birthday, and
she wanted to 90 down to Philadel-
phia in the train without letting him
know anything about it, and there
purchase q present for him. She
took me into her confidence and had
me assist her. | arranged the pre-
liminaries and got her into the train
without being noticed by MarlIley,
who, of course, was busy with his
engine.
The old lady was in high gIee over
the bit of innocent deception she was
practicing on her son. She enjoined
me again not to tell Silas, and then
| left her and took my place.
1t was a midsummer day and the
weather was delightful. The train
was neither an express nor an accom-
mediation. 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
telegraph, that is, the driver has SIM
ply to obey instructions which he re-
ceives at each station, so that he is
put as machine in the hands of one
comptroller, who directs all trains
from a central point, and has the
whole line under his eye. If the driv-
er does not obey to the least 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 the telegram which he
handed the driver. The next moment
l heard smothered exclamation from
Markley.
go back" he said to 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 it
repeated He shouted, civilians
is storming at you; says there's no
mistake, and you'd best go on" He
thrust the second message in as he
spoke.
Markley read it and stood hesitat-
ing for half a minute. 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 if he
was calculating chances, and his eyes
suddenly quailed as if he saw death
at the end of the calculation.
was watching him with considerable
curiosity. | ventured to ask him
what was the matter, and what he
was going to do.
"Tm going to obey" he replied
curtly. The engine gave long shrek
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 a speed which seemed dangerous
to me.
''Put in more coal" said Markley.
| shovelled it in, but took time.
"We are going very fast, Markley."
He did not answer. His eyes were
fixed on the steam engine, his mouth
close shut
"More COAL" he said / threw it
in.
The fields and houses began to fly
past half seen. We were nearing
Dumfreme, the next station. Mark
ley's eyes went from the gage to the
face of the timepiece and back. He
moved like an autOmatOn There