Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-10-02
THEIR CHANCE.


boyxr Their father vas an snginesr on one
Of the great Western roads. and they had
been horn and brought up in . comfortable
little cottAge by the very sidsof the track. 30
that they could not remember time when
rushing trains, screaming whistles. changing
bells and the acrid smell Of coal smoke had
not bsen familiar things 10 them.
smart little railroaderS they were, at ages
when most boys hardly know . throttle from
. reversing lever, for they bad been un-
consciously picking up knowledge every day
II their lives during the hours spent At the
station or In the repair shops, or wills the
yard master favored them with y trip on tho
Qassr little shifting engine which pulled up
and down the intsriacing side tracks from
morning till night
A they grew older. their fatnsr occasion
ally took one Of them with him on the great
express locomotive 100 where they learned 70
stop and start the magnificent machine, and
even 10 run it on safe stretches Of road. Often
Ben relieved the big. good narured fireman
At the shovel aud fed the box under his di-
rectious, while Roger attended TO the bell and
whistle and learnesi To manage the air brake.
OF course all this against the rules Of
tho road. but rules have their exceptions, and
the pair Of young engineers were such excep
lions. Even that stern potentate, the divis-
ion superintendent, uttered never word OF
objection when he saw the two youthful
faces In the cab, black with smoke and beam
ing with pleasure, while train hands and
station men smilingly waved their caps to
Ban or Roger leaning out Of the window and
watching for signals and switches il the
whole train depended upon his vigilance.
They can run an easy piece as well as !
prnr.ilv anh.
"An' they'd do prutty will In q toight
place, too" added the fireman. But Mr.
Moore shook his head ut this
perhaps 80. Nike. but 1t isn't knowing the
machine that pulls a man through tight
places. It's pluck and grit and cool head,
and thinking Of your train first and yourself
last--that's what it Is"
Sure. But II lver tn b'ys have TO show
what's in EN-, yea won't find EN- lackin'.
Owe soized EN- oop, an Oh till yez they're
til roight soort. Wait till they've the
chance, an yen see."
Only a short time after ward they actually
did have the chance, and 1 will leave it to
you whether or no Mike Murphy was mis-
taken.
whats the matter with that carr It's
moving OF Of tselfr' exclaimed l. err, while
he and his brother were standing at the sta
ton awaiting their fathers train. Down the
track at the end Of the yard fiat car loaded
with ties was slowly gliding along without
any visible means OF propulsion.
Brakes loosened," replied Ben She'll be
stopped in a minute. Yes, there goes some
body now"
A man climbed on board and made his way
To the brakes. He turned the wheel vigor-
ously. but without effect Another joined
him, and both. throwing their weight on the
brakes, could be seen heavily leaning outward
and swinging half around as they strained to
stop the ponderous car,
No use Brakes must be out o: order"
said Roger, after minutes observation.
"Yes, that's it," assented Ben, carelessly
But even while yet speaking, he gave a sud
den start OF excitement.
Roger. there's going to be trouble. See
how it gathers speed 1t must be just getting
on the down grade outside the yard"
And that goes clear to the Gravelly nhn
bridge" replied Roger. also becoming ex-
cited. The Hat will be running like light
ming by the time 1t gets there"
Yes. and it'll pitch OH the bridge, be-
sides" continued Ben But don't see what
can be done about it, The men nave given
up, Seel They're jumping off-and it's time
they did"
well, the company will lose some money!"
said Roger, but that's all the harm, for
there's clear track and no train coming up
for two hours"
But Ben all at once grasped his brother by
the wrist.
20, Roger, don't you rememberf There's
gang repairing the bridge at the brook
They're clear down in the gully where they
cant s,se or hear the car, and it'll fall right
over upon theml They'll all be killed they'll
all be killed."
Roger could not say . word. He stood
staring after the disappearing car, pale faced
and breathing hard. Ben looked around
hopelessly until his eyes fell upon something
that made his heart leap with joy. 1t was
the change engine waiting TO relieve their
fathers when his train came in II stood on
the main track near the two boys, but with
no one aboard, for the engineer and fireman
were eating their noon lunch at the round
house, as they generally did.
Jump aboard. quick, Quick!" cried Ben,
dragging Roger toward the locomotive
I'VE can't stop to call the crew-we must
run her ourselves. I'm the strongest; m
tire and you-you start her up! Hurry"
Roger instantly understood He sprang
upon the footboard after his brother, and
grasped the lever and throttle 1t was no
time for careful handling, and the great en-
gine fairly jumped on the rails rs the abrupt
ly opened valves sent the steam rushing
through it. Ben seized the whistle lever, and
long scream Of warning sounded in the ears
OF the astonished uien who We're watching
the runaway ear while, almost at the sans
moment with the sound, the roaring locomo-
tive leaped by them over the rafting
switches and shot down the linz like me-
teor
Both boys. now that they were actually at
work to avert disaster, the very thought Of
which had unnerve,i them minute before,
were cool and steady. Roger, with his hands
occupied and feet brace,l firmly against the
heavy shocks and lurche~ Of the ny,ng enigma.
moved his eyes from the track ahead only
for a swift glance at the gauges, Ben fed the
fire box with all the skill he knew. recalling
Mike Murphy's instructions and doing his
best to keep a steady, hot fire without smoth-
ering il by putting on too much coal, the
common mistake OF inexperienced firenieu.
Never once since starting had he looked from
his work. or even taken q single glimpse
from the window directly in front Of him
Yet all the time his mind was busy He
had set upoa this wild race with the single
idea Of chasing the DAT car and in some way
preventing the destruction il vas sure to
create IL left to itself.
But now the question was whether the car
could be overtaken. and. u It could, what
should then be done. Knowing how Tar The
bridge was away from the station, be men
tally calculated the probable speed Of the Dat
and the time it would occupy in making the
distance Then, between shovelfuls Of coal,
he dxed the pace necessary to come up with
the chass sufficiently far from the bridge to
allow opportunity for securing the runaway
by plan which had just occurred to him.
There it isi" cried Roger. as they swept
around long curve its running nearly
Is fast Is We ara
For the first time Ben locked out at the dy-
ing telegraph poles, while counting the jan Of
the wheels on the joints Of the rails
.'Give her . little more, Roger said he
The engine seemed 70 drop from under them
with its increased speed on the down grade
rolling and pitching like a ship at sea Ahead
the fat was bounding along the rails. strew
ing the track side IS il ran with heavy ties.
for its load had hs~u shifted by the shock OF
rounding the curve Several times the pur-
suing engine struck and threw aside sume Of
the ties which had fallen partly acroa the
rail&
Fearfuily dangerous it Was, but Roger did
not sven think OF slowing up. On the con
trary, be crowded his rnschinea little harder
Thers was need VI it, for the bridge was iess
than . mile away. and . mils at this spesd
was only few seconds over . minute
Ben also knew that He threw down hi
shovel caught I'd an iron nan. and opened tn