St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-01-07

1 - ~o~cN
or very likely asleep. Then l tried to
break the glass of the window SO that
/ could put in my arm and push back
the door catch, but you know how
thick the plate glass is in car door,
and I had nothing but my elbow to
break it with. Every moment 1 lost
was putting me in a frenzy. I gave
one despairing kick at the door, hoping
to break it in, but it was no good.
1.-THE next instant I resolved to get
at Pete, the engineer, by climbing over
the top of the train. How 1 ever got
up there I don't know. Idon't believe
could do it now on standing car to
save my life, and by this time the train
was rafting along at forty miles an
hour, swinging around those curves in
a way that took my breath away.
1.-THE top was slippery with the wet
and there was nothing to hold on to. I
started to run along the top with the
binding smoke and sparks in my eyes
and remembered, when sprawled full
length on the roof, that there were iron
pipes to let out the stove smoke.
II went the rest of the way on my
hands and knees. The ends of the car
roofs, as you know, come close togcth-
er and there was no difficulty about
getting over the junction, yet, [ tell
you, that was terrible crawl. 1t was
as dark as black cats and the smoke
was binding, besides the sudden jerks
around the curves and me on those
slippery roofs with nothing to hold on
to, and all this at over forty miles an
hour, was no joke.
cat last I came to the end of the
baggage car and tried to yell to Pete,
whom [ saw there holding on to the
lever, but my voice seemed gone. The
fireman, forget his name, was shovel
ing in coal. gathered myself up and
made one grand leap down on the
tender, landing ON my hands and knees
among the coal. I crawled over into
the cab and said in voice so hoarse
that it sounded strange to myself:
Back her, Pete, for Gods sake;
there's another train ahead
'Then keeled right over where I
stood and tainted dead away. The
strain had been too much for me.
II can just remember Pete's scared
face as he saw coal-begrimed tramp,
dripping and without a hat, apparently
jump down on him from out of the
clouds, but he didn't hesitate a mo-
ment. just as / went off heard the
scream of the air brakes and noticed
that Pete flung her clean over.
'Pete wasn't man to ask any
questions. He always did his business
first and left the talking until after
wards.
"Pete and the conductor helped me
into my room after they had side
tracked the train. While he waited
there told them all about it. Then
Charley looked at Pete and Pete looked
at Charley. That look had a peculiar
What's the matterp' I said.
Don't you believe there's a train
aheadp'
az guess so,' answered Charley.
But why in thunder didn't you pull
the bell rope from the end PLATFORM
eyes put in Pete, 'or kick the
underpinning from the semaphore
cogs and slow the red light ahead of
me. That would have stopped the
train
''Well, I felt pretty cheap, for
either of those plans would have
worked all right if had had lay wits
about me.
Before I could say word, although
don't know that I had any thing
much to say, the special came past
with rush and roar that shook the
depot and Charley said as he picked |
up his lantern: Well, never mind, old |
fellow. 1t was the bravest thing lever
knew Of and anyhow you saved the
train.
$50 you see, as I told you, if Charley
lid not tell that part of it he is pretty
good sort of a fellow, don't you think
Sharp, taaDetroit Free Press.